Description
An Artist of the Floating World, originally published in 1986, is a novel by Nobel Prize-winning British author Kazuo Ishiguro. It is set in Japan (post-Second World War) and is narrated by Masuji Ono, an aging and retired painter, who looks back on his life that how he has lived it. It is 1948 when Japan is rebuilding its cities after the calamity of World War II and the people of Japan are putting defeat behind them and looking to the future.
The narrator, who is the protagonist of this novel, notices how his once great reputation is losing its strength and momentum since the war and how the attitude of others towards him and his paintings have changed. It is limited to loyalties between teacher and students, and the life of art. The celebrated painter fills his days' post-war by attending to his garden, his house repairs, his two grown daughters and a grandson, and his evening drinking with old associates in the quiet lantern-lit bars. His retirement should be tranquil and contentedly, but in reality, it is a dark page of Japanese History.
His memories continuously return to the past to a life and a career deeply affected by the rise of Japanese militarism - a dark shadow begins to grow over his serenity. Occasions such as the forthcoming engagement of his daughter (which involves investigation into the family background) bring his involvement with the political campaigns of the pre-war regime painfully to the force of his consciousness.
The main conflict to deal with Ono's need to accept responsibility for his past actions and in the expostulation to find a path to peace in his goodwill for the young white-collar workers on the streets at lunch break. The novel also deals with the role of people in a rapidly changing environment.
The novel is the winner of major awards since the time of the first release in print. Iain Maloney listed 'An Artist of the Floating World' as an essential novel for Japanophiles. Robert McCrum ranked it the 94th greatest novel ever written. The novel was shortlisted for Booker prize in 1986 and won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award for the same year 1986. It was a nominee for ALA's best books for young adults.
Review
'An Artist of the Floating World' is a deeply sensitive book written in very easy prose. A prestigious award-winning author weaves the story plot so beautifully. Even though the novel has no particular storyline, yet readers easily can establish the connection line by line. A great insight into post-war Japan while it comes to grip with the 'shame' of defeat because of some most influential people. The story is set for 2 timelines in Japan: one is pre - Second World War and another is post-WW II. The story leaves a strong impression on the reader by its style and substance. The author depicted each and every moment with the brush of the masterful artists.
The story tells you how Japan was different culturally and landscape-wise before and after. And, it describes how the war did affect the social and professional life of a prestigious and pro artist. The questions linger in the aging artist's mind: Should he remain a traditional painter of the floating world of geishas (entertaining girls), tea houses, etc.? Do his high-minded intentions exercise his propaganda posters? How does a person or a society come to terms with the mistakes of the past? Should an artist follow an aesthetic of pure art or of social involvement? This novel, by the author of award-winning novels, will appeal to thoughtful readers.
The novel covers both genres i.e. historical fiction and global literature (Weltliteratur). It is known as historical fiction due to its basis on remembering the past and it draws from historical facts. It is also known as global literature as it has a broad international market and allows for a study on how the world is interconnected at present.
Apart from the original publisher 'Faber and Faber', The novel is also printed by other publishing companies such as Allen and Unwin and Penguin vintage International.
'An Artist of the Floating World' has become an eBook version additionally and is available on most eBook websites like Kindle and iBook since 2012. This novel has been translated into over 40 languages around the world.
About the Author
Kazuo Ishiguro was born on 8 November 1954 in Nagasaki, Japan, and moved to Britain in 1960 at the age of five. He attended the University of Kent at Canterbury and the University of East Anglia. His eight works of fiction have earned him many awards and honors around the world, including Nobel Prize in Literature and Booker Prize. His work has been translated into over fifty languages. Ishiguro has written few screenplays and song lyrics too.
Kazuo Ishiguro has written amazing novels that had been nominated or the winner of some prestigious awards. His notable works are:
A Pale View of Hills (1982, Winifred Holtby Prize)
An Artist of the Floating World (1986, Whitbread Book of the Year, shortlisted for the Booker Prize)
The Remains of the Day (1989, winner of the Booker Prize)
The Unconsoled (1995, winner of the Cheltenham Prize)
When We Were Orphans (2000, shortlisted for the Booker Prize)
Never Let Me Go (2005, Corine International Buchpreis, Serono Literary Prize, Casino de Santiago European Novel Award, and shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize)
Nocturnes (2009, Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa International Literary Prize).
The narrator, who is the protagonist of this novel, notices how his once great reputation is losing its strength and momentum since the war and how the attitude of others towards him and his paintings have changed. It is limited to loyalties between teacher and students, and the life of art. The celebrated painter fills his days' post-war by attending to his garden, his house repairs, his two grown daughters and a grandson, and his evening drinking with old associates in the quiet lantern-lit bars. His retirement should be tranquil and contentedly, but in reality, it is a dark page of Japanese History.
His memories continuously return to the past to a life and a career deeply affected by the rise of Japanese militarism - a dark shadow begins to grow over his serenity. Occasions such as the forthcoming engagement of his daughter (which involves investigation into the family background) bring his involvement with the political campaigns of the pre-war regime painfully to the force of his consciousness.
The main conflict to deal with Ono's need to accept responsibility for his past actions and in the expostulation to find a path to peace in his goodwill for the young white-collar workers on the streets at lunch break. The novel also deals with the role of people in a rapidly changing environment.
The novel is the winner of major awards since the time of the first release in print. Iain Maloney listed 'An Artist of the Floating World' as an essential novel for Japanophiles. Robert McCrum ranked it the 94th greatest novel ever written. The novel was shortlisted for Booker prize in 1986 and won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award for the same year 1986. It was a nominee for ALA's best books for young adults.
Review
'An Artist of the Floating World' is a deeply sensitive book written in very easy prose. A prestigious award-winning author weaves the story plot so beautifully. Even though the novel has no particular storyline, yet readers easily can establish the connection line by line. A great insight into post-war Japan while it comes to grip with the 'shame' of defeat because of some most influential people. The story is set for 2 timelines in Japan: one is pre - Second World War and another is post-WW II. The story leaves a strong impression on the reader by its style and substance. The author depicted each and every moment with the brush of the masterful artists.
The story tells you how Japan was different culturally and landscape-wise before and after. And, it describes how the war did affect the social and professional life of a prestigious and pro artist. The questions linger in the aging artist's mind: Should he remain a traditional painter of the floating world of geishas (entertaining girls), tea houses, etc.? Do his high-minded intentions exercise his propaganda posters? How does a person or a society come to terms with the mistakes of the past? Should an artist follow an aesthetic of pure art or of social involvement? This novel, by the author of award-winning novels, will appeal to thoughtful readers.
The novel covers both genres i.e. historical fiction and global literature (Weltliteratur). It is known as historical fiction due to its basis on remembering the past and it draws from historical facts. It is also known as global literature as it has a broad international market and allows for a study on how the world is interconnected at present.
Apart from the original publisher 'Faber and Faber', The novel is also printed by other publishing companies such as Allen and Unwin and Penguin vintage International.
'An Artist of the Floating World' has become an eBook version additionally and is available on most eBook websites like Kindle and iBook since 2012. This novel has been translated into over 40 languages around the world.
About the Author
Kazuo Ishiguro was born on 8 November 1954 in Nagasaki, Japan, and moved to Britain in 1960 at the age of five. He attended the University of Kent at Canterbury and the University of East Anglia. His eight works of fiction have earned him many awards and honors around the world, including Nobel Prize in Literature and Booker Prize. His work has been translated into over fifty languages. Ishiguro has written few screenplays and song lyrics too.
Kazuo Ishiguro has written amazing novels that had been nominated or the winner of some prestigious awards. His notable works are:
A Pale View of Hills (1982, Winifred Holtby Prize)
An Artist of the Floating World (1986, Whitbread Book of the Year, shortlisted for the Booker Prize)
The Remains of the Day (1989, winner of the Booker Prize)
The Unconsoled (1995, winner of the Cheltenham Prize)
When We Were Orphans (2000, shortlisted for the Booker Prize)
Never Let Me Go (2005, Corine International Buchpreis, Serono Literary Prize, Casino de Santiago European Novel Award, and shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize)
Nocturnes (2009, Guiseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa International Literary Prize).
Few of those books were adapted for films and TV shows. He lives in London with his wife and daughter.
Rating: 4.2/5
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Published: 23 March 1987 Publisher: Faber and Faber
Language: English
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Action and Adventure (Book), Historical Fiction (Book)
ISBN 10: 057114716X
ISBN 13: 978-0571147168
Pages: 208
Cost: 279.30 (Kindle Edition)
No comments:
Post a Comment