Saturday, June 17, 2017

A Tale For The Time Being



                                                                             



A Tale For The Time Being
By Ruth Ozeki



Our book club met yesterday. We discussed, A Tale for the Time Being.  We didn't have a large meeting. It actually a informal book club. Some of us read, A Tale For The Time Being. Others who didn't want to read the book. I gave them a choice to either read, A Tale For The Time Being.  Or read anything you want and share with our group.

I enjoyed reading the book at first. Finally, I just couldn't take reading anymore. I connected at first. But toward the end it lost me. Perhaps it was the culture issue in the novel. I am not quite sure. I am still glad I read the novel. It was very different, and quirky. It was about a young Chinese girl, Nao. Who wants to commit suicide. But before she ends her life she decides to write about her 101 year old Buddhist grandmother.  The other characters in the book is Ruth. Ruth finds Nao's diary in her Hello Kitty lunch box. Ruth journeys with Nao, and her family problems,warts and all.

Everyone seems to be unhappy with their life. The book talks about her uncle. He fights in WW2 as a pilot. A Kamikaze fighter. What the culture was like in China. He was disgusted and he ends his life during the war. So everyone thinks he is a hero. Than there is Nao who is bullied in school and keeps being bullied. She doesn't tell anyone. We find out the real truth what happens to Nao.

The Time Being is the main theme of the novel. Time being is the connection between Nao, and Ruth. Ruth finds the diary, and Nao is the girl who wrote the diary. The time connection between the two is the theme of the novel.

Other people liked the book. For me I didn't connect with the book. I am looking forward to a happy read. A book club everyone has different tastes. You don't necessarily have to like the book. It is still discussable.

Next month we are discussing Jodi Picoult's novel, Small Great Things. It is coming out in paperback next month. Her books are usually good. With great discussion. It is perfect what is going on in our country right now.
















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