the book of form and emptiness by ruth ozeki

Ruth Ozeki's writes an extraordinary philosophical and offbeat novel touching on fundamental issues and challenges faced at both at an individual and global level, our disconnections and the impact of our fraying connections, grief, love, loss, approaches to mental health, family, technology, books, libraries, consumerism, politics, environmentalism and climate change. Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022

With its blend of sympathetic characters, riveting plot, and vibrant engagement with everything from jazz, to climate change, to our attachment to material possessions, The Book of Form and Emptiness is classic Ruth Ozeki-bold, wise, poignant, playful, humane and heartbreaking. He meets a homeless philosopher-poet, who encourages him to ask important questions and find his own voice amongst the many.Īnd he meets his very own Book-a talking thing-who narrates Benny's life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter. There, Benny discovers a strange new world, where 'things happen.' He falls in love with a mesmerizing street artist with a smug pet ferret, who uses the library as her performance space. When his mother, Annabelle, develops a hoarding problem, the voices grow more clamorous.Īt first, Benny tries to ignore them, but soon the voices follow him outside the house, onto the street and at school, driving him at last to seek refuge in the silence of a large public library, where objects are well-behaved and know to speak in whispers. Although Benny doesn't understand what these things are saying, he can sense their emotional tone some are pleasant, a gentle hum or coo, but others are snide, angry and full of pain. The voices belong to the things in his house-a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce.

A brilliantly inventive new novel about loss, growing up, and our relationship with things, by the Booker Prize-finalist author of A Tale for the Time BeingĪfter the tragic death of his beloved musician father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices.

The book of form and emptiness by ruth ozeki