This morning, novelist Kazuo Ishiguro was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and I have to say that it’s well deserved. Having read two of his novels (Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day, both made into superb movies), I think he deserves the Prize for those alone; and I must read some of his other works.
If you haven’t seen the official announcement of a Nobel, here’s Ishiguro’s this morning; the formal announcement, in Swedish, starts at 15:00. I think you’ll understand the important words. And there’s an interview with Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Academy, starting at 22:50. She mentions her two favorite Ishiguro novels.
Here’s the brief press release; I suspect that more details will be posted soon:
And a happy man:
I’m waiting to see whether a guy of Japanese birth and extraction writing such well tuned “English” novels will be accused of cultural appropriation….
It’s not cultural appropriation in such a case, it’s internalized imperialism (or something like that).
Don’t worry, the CTRL-left is already calling out the chauvinism of the Nobel prize committee for all the awards being this far given to men and I’m sure that being Japanese and an immigrant isn’t POC or disenfranchised enough for them either. After all, it’s not important enough to do something wonderful unless you are of the “correct” race, ethnicity, gender, sex, or sexual identity.
‘CTRL-left’ 🙂 🙂 🙂
The Remains of the Day was a superb film,I must admit I haven’t read any of his Novels,and that will have to be rectified in the future.
I recall actress Emma Thompson saying she decided to interact with the owners of the mansion they rented for the movie, and being disconcerted that they were dysfunctional in many of the same ways as the characters in the novel.
He’s a great writer, but I have to say Atwood is greater.
I’ve read “The Remains of the Day” at least five times during the past twenty-five years. I’m due for a sixth read.
Reblogged this on The Logical Place and commented:
At least this year’s winner writes books.
At least this year’s winner writes books.
I’ve been recommending Ishiguro for several months now and am feeling rather smug.
Unlike gravitational waves, literature is a matter of taste. I find Ishiguro’s works unbearable and gratuitously morose.
However, physicists are widely divided over the movie “Gravity” which does indeed seem to be a matter of taste. 🙂
Yeah, because pushing one end of a rope will cause the person on the other end to fly off. /endrant
Just don’t bring up INTERSTELLAR.
He’s a brilliant writer. I was hoping he would win and glad he did.
I loved “Remains”, book and film.
“The Unconsoled”, rarely mentioned, is the strangest book I’ve ever read. Full stop (“period”).
I’ve read three or four of Ishiguro’s novels, and Remains of the Day ( book and movie) remains my favorite.
I love this guy. The films Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go led me to the books, and they are terrific.
I think the Unconsoled is the best dream fiction I have ever read. It’s one long extended anxiety dream, tense, edgy, funny, strange, beautifully held together by dream-logic. As good as Kafka. Maybe better.
I’ve learn three or four of Ishiguro’s novels, and Remains of the Day ( account book and movie) remains my preferent. It’s one long extended anxiety pipe dream, tense, uptight, amusing, unknown, beautifully held together by pipe dream-logic.