Book Discussion - 'An Artist of the Floating World' by Kazuo Ishiguro

In An Artist of the Floating World, Kazuo Ishiguro offers readers of the English language an authentic look at post-war Japan, "a floating world" of changing cultural behaviours, shifting societal patterns and troubling questions. Ishiguro, who was born in Nagasaki in 1954 but moved to England in 1960, writes the story of Masuji Ono, a bohemian artist and purveyor of the nightlife who became a propagandist for Japanese imperialism during the war. But the war is over. Japan lost, Ono's wife and son have been killed, and many young people blame the imperialists for leading the country to disaster. What's left for Ono? Ishiguro's treatment of this story earned a 1986 Whitbread Prize. He has recently been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Everyone is welcome to join our Book Discussion Evening. We share views and impressions of the book in a moderated discussion. Opinions are often divided, but the debate is always friendly and respectful.

The meeting proper begins at 8.00 and lasts two hours with a half time drinks break. There is more socialising time before and after the meeting.

We always like to meet new people. If you’re considering coming for the first time, please have a look at our ‘Notes for New Members (https://www.dropbox.com/s/57qu1lw9mp27lp5/Notes%20for%20New%20Members.docx?dl=0)’.

We will also choose the book for next month’s discussion. If you have a suggestion, please email to the message board. bookclub-592@meetup.com You can also raise suggestions on the night. If you have a proposal, we’ll ask you to give a brief summary at the meeting (2-3 minutes) and it will then be put to a vote. If your book wins you can chair the discussion if you want to, but it isn’t obligatory.

The choice of books is entirely up to the group, but some guidelines are:

· Available in paperback (for affordability)

· Not too long or too short. 250-450 pages seems to work best.

· Middle to highbrow in literary quality

· We have primarily chosen fiction, but are quite open to non-fiction choices

· A book that gives us plenty to talk about

There’s a list of books we have discussed in the past available here (https://www.dropbox.com/s/6r44pv6f49epbg0/Birmingham%20Book%20Club%20meeting%20list.docx?dl=0). The book coming second always goes back into the vote next time. At the last meeting there was a tie so Jess's suggestion of Robert Webb's 'How Not to be a Boy'; and Jenna's of 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' by John Fowles will go back into the voting.