The Buddha in the Attic: Difference between revisions
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The [[Chicago Tribune]] says, "Read the book in a single sitting, and this chorus of narrators speaks in a poetry that is both spare and passionate, sure to haunt even the most coldhearted among us."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-09-30/entertainment/ct-books-1001-editors-choice-20110930_1_attic-virgins-buddha|title=Editor's Choice: 'The Buddha in the Attic' by Julie Otsuka|last=Taylor|first=Elizabeth|date=September 30, 2011|work=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=3 October 2012}}</ref> |
The [[Chicago Tribune]] says, "Read the book in a single sitting, and this chorus of narrators speaks in a poetry that is both spare and passionate, sure to haunt even the most coldhearted among us."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-09-30/entertainment/ct-books-1001-editors-choice-20110930_1_attic-virgins-buddha|title=Editor's Choice: 'The Buddha in the Attic' by Julie Otsuka|last=Taylor|first=Elizabeth|date=September 30, 2011|work=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=3 October 2012}}</ref> |
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In a review for the [[Washington Independent Review of Books]], Alice Stephens writes that "Though Knopf, publisher of ''The Buddha in the Attic'', classifies the book as a novel, it is more like a beautifully rendered emakimono, hand-painted horizontal scrolls that depict a series of scenes, telling a story in frozen moments. For those looking for a traditional story, be forewarned that there is no protagonist, plot or dialogue. The main character is simply “we.” Sometimes a name is mentioned, occasionally even the same name twice, but for readers who prefer well-defined characters with whom to identify, and a clear narrative arc, this book is not for you. If, however, you are interested in a social history of the Japanese immigrant experience wrought in exquisite poetry, each sentence spare in words, precise in meaning and eloquently evocative, like a tanka poem, this book is a rare, unique treat."<ref>{{cite web|last=Stephens|first=Alice|title=''The Buddha in the Attic'' review|url=http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/bookreview/the-buddha-in-the-attic/|work=Book review|publisher=The Washington Independent Review of Books|accessdate=Aug 30, 2011}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 04:54, 23 October 2012
The Buddha in the Attic is a 2011 novel written by American author Julie Otsuka about Japanese mail order brides immigrating to America in the early 1900s[1]. It is Otsuka's second novel. The novel was published in the United States in August 2011 by the publishing house Knopf Publishing Group.
The Buddha in the Attic was nominated for a National Book Award for Fiction (2011) and won the Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction (2011) and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction (2012).[2]
Reception
The New York Times compares the book to "the Japanese art of sumi-e, strokes of ink are brushed across sheets of rice paper, the play of light and dark capturing not just images but sensations, not just surfaces but the essence of what lies within. Simplicity of line is prized, extraneous detail discouraged. ... Otsuka’s incantatory style pulls her prose close to poetry."[3]
The Guardian says, "This is a small jewel of a book, its planes cut precisely to catch the light so that the sentences shimmer in your mind long after turning the final page. With The Buddha in the Attic, Julie Otsuka has developed a literary style that is half poetry, half narration – short phrases, sparse description, so that the current of emotion running through each chapter is made more resonant by her restraint."[4]
The Chicago Tribune says, "Read the book in a single sitting, and this chorus of narrators speaks in a poetry that is both spare and passionate, sure to haunt even the most coldhearted among us."[5]
References
- ^ http://www.julieotsuka.com
- ^ Charles, Ron (March 26, 2012). "Julie Otsuka's 'The Buddha in the Attic' wins 2012 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction". Washington Post. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Becker, Alida (August 26, 2011). "Coming to America, Lured by a Photo". New York Times. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Day, Elizabeth (April 7, 2012). "The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Taylor, Elizabeth (September 30, 2011). "Editor's Choice: 'The Buddha in the Attic' by Julie Otsuka". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 October 2012.