Shipping Through the Holidays β˜€οΈπŸ“¦

New Year, New You Sale β˜€οΈ- Up to 20% off 500+ books!

The Mud of a Century

3.61 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 23 ratings, 7 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 Mud of a Century by Yka Ishii is a beautifully woven tale that explores the essence of human struggle and resilience across multiple generations. Centred on the intertwining lives of a family, the narrative delves into their collective memories and experiences, capturing the complexities of tradition and change. Grounded in rich, evocative prose, the story offers a reflective journey through time, marked by poignant moments that emphasise the enduring nature of hope and connection.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 3-4 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

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?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate rich, evocative storytelling that weaves together history and personal narratives. This work offers a deep exploration of cultural identity and memory, bringing to life vivid, multi-layered characters whose experiences unfold against the backdrop of a century's worth of change and complexity.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The Mud of a Century

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

Yka Ishii's debut novel The Mud of a Century was a major literary success in Japan, where it won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize.

Several days after a once-in-a-century flood moves through the Indian city of Chennai, choking the Adyar River with the titular mud, a Japanese woman contracted to an IT company as a language instructor finds herself caught up in a deluge of flashbacks and memories. She reflects on unspoken words and unlived lives, contemplating the muddy chaos of her own karma.

Told in a magic realist stream-of-consciousness style, evocative of the subtle, wry sense of humour found in the traditional Japanese narrative art of rakugo, The Mud of a Century explores the interrelated bonds between self and other, Japan and India, past and present, fact and fantasy, and material and spirit.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780648901198

Publisher: Gazebo Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 September 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Gazebo Books

Illustration: Illustrations

Contributors:

  • Translated by Haydn Trowell
  • Translated by Haydn Trowell

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 215.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 120

About the Author

Yka Ishii was born in Hirakata in the prefecture of Osaka in Japan and graduated from Waseda University in Tokyo. Ishii worked in a variety of jobs - pastry chef, department store salesperson and snack hostess - while writing stories.

In 2014 Ishii moved to Chennai, India, where her husband worked as a Sanskrit language researcher, and started working as a Japanese language teacher. She made her literary debut at age 54 with her novel Hyakunen doro (The Mud of a Century), based on her experiences in Chennai during the 2015 South Indian floods. The book won the 49th Shincho Prize for New Writers and the prestigious Akutagawa Prize.

More from General Fiction

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.