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The Book of Form and Emptiness

Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022
By Ruth Ozeki
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Check link for latest rating. ( 37,455 ratings, 5,452 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki is a captivating exploration of a young boy's journey through a world where objects come to life, facilitated by his struggles with grief and the voice of a book guiding him. As he navigates chaotically vivid environments and his own internal challenges, he encounters a range of unique characters and situations that reshape his understanding of reality, creativity, and belonging. The narrative offers an imaginative reflection on loss, perception, and the transformative power of stories.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3600
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy stories that thoughtfully explore themes of loss, identity, and the emotional connections between people and objects. With a unique narrative style that blends the magical with the mundane, it offers a deep and moving experience, perfect for readers who appreciate introspective and poignant storytelling.

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The Book of Form and Emptiness

If you let it—if you listen—a book could change your life.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

After his father dies, Benny Oh finds he can hear objects talking: teapots, marbles and sharpened pencils, babbling in anger or distress. His mother, struggling to support their household alone, starts collecting things to give her comfort. Overwhelmed by the clamour of all the stuff, Benny seeks refuge in the beautiful silence of the public library.

There, the objects speak only in whispers. There, he meets a homeless poet and a mesmerising young performance artist. There, a book reaches out to him. Not just any book: his own book. And a very important conversation begins.

The Book of Form and Emptiness is about grief, resilience, creativity and psychological difference. It is about the importance of reading, and an observation of the mess consumer culture has got us into. It is an affirmation of the power of community. It is funny, kind, wise, urgent and completely irresistible. If you let it—if you listen—it could change your life.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Ruth Ozeki's The Book of Form and Emptiness receives acclaim for its vivid depiction of family life amidst loss, and its exploration of themes such as grief and consumerism. Critics praise its magical realism, engaging narrative that mingles philosophical musings with human experience, and the author's signature playfulness. The novel is lauded as both profound and accessible, appealing to a wide range of readers with its emotional depth and innovative storytelling.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781922458193

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 September 2021

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 512

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Ruth Ozeki

About the Author

Ruth Ozeki was born and raised in Connecticut by an American father and a Japanese mother. She is a novelist, filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest whose books have garnered international acclaim. Her first two novels, My Year of Meats (1998) and All Over Creation (2003), have been translated into eleven languages and published in fourteen countries. Her third novel, A Tale for the Time Being (2013), won the LA Times Book Prize, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, and has been published in over thirty countries.

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