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A Tale for the Time Being

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A Tale for the Time Being

By: Ruth Ozeki
Narrated by: Ruth Ozeki
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About this listen

Winner: The Kitschies - Red Tentacle novel award 2013

"Hi! My name is Nao, and I am a time being. Do you know what a time being is? Well, if you give me a moment, I will tell you."

Ruth discovers a Hello Kitty lunchbox washed up on the shore of her beach home. Within it lies a diary that expresses the hopes and dreams of a young girl. She suspects it might have arrived on a drift of debris from the 2011 tsunami. With every turn of the page, she is sucked deeper into an enchanting mystery. In a small cafe in Tokyo, 16-year-old Nao Yasutani is navigating the challenges thrown up by modern life. In the face of cyber-bullying, the mysteries of a 104-year-old Buddhist nun and great-grandmother, and the joy and heartbreak of family, Nao is trying to find her own place - and voice - through a diary she hopes will find a reader and friend who finally understands her.

Weaving across continents and decades, and exploring the relationship between reader and writer, fact and fiction, A Tale for the Time Being is an extraordinary novel about our shared humanity and the search for home.

©2013 Ruth Ozeki (P)2013 Canongate Books Ltd Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Mystery Fiction Heartfelt Feel-Good

Critic Reviews

"Bewitching, intelligent, and heartbreaking... Nao is an inspired narrator and her quest to tell her great grandmother's story, to connect with her past and with the larger world, is both aching and true. Ozeki is one of my favorite novelists and here she is at her absolute best." (Junot Diaz)
" A Tale for the Time Being is a timeless story. Ruth Ozeki beautifully renders not only the devastation of the collision between man and the natural world, but also the often miraculous results of it. She is a deeply intelligent and humane writer who offers her insights with a grace that beguiles. I truly love this novel." (Alice Sebold)
"Ingenious and touching, A Tale for the Time Being is also highly readable. And interesting: the contrast of cultures is especially well done." (Philip Pullman)
All stars
Most relevant  
Just listened to this a second time & loved it even more. I am fascinated by the insights into Japanese culture & Zen Buddhism & also life on the small island in British Columbia.

I love that elements of magical realism can be explained by quantum physics & the plot is excellent. I also appreciate the moments throughout discussing philosophy, both Western & Eastern.

The writing is beautiful & the imagination that created this story is wondrous.

Some facts are illuminating, others grotesque & vile.

It’s a poetic, magical, philosophical, quantum science saga & I love every bit.

Possibly my favourite book of all time. Being.

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I have been listening to this at my work and on the bus and I'm writing this on my break after just finishing. I decided to write down my thoughts before I forget.

This was my first audiobook and honestly, what an absolute delight!
Ruth Ozeki's writing really comes to life in her narration which is so full of character and emotion. I related a lot to the topics and events that happened and felt myself really connect with the characters. It made me think about my own life and as a result, I walk away from this work a bit better as a person.

I highly recommend!

Life changing!

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Wonderful book. My only criticism is didn't portray the wilderness and her creatures in the best light. Otherwise fantastic, deep exploration of time and our place in it. Also light hearted and funny in places. I'll read it again.

Great listen.

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One of my favourites so far this year. Loved the intertwining stories. Preferred audible to print. Reader was excellent.

Loved listening to this book…

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I first read this exquisite book a few years ago and was feeling the need to do so again when I saw that it was now on Audible, read by the author Ruth Ozeki. I have just finished listening to it and loved every amazing minute. I tried to listen slowly so that it would last longer and am so sad that it is finished. I'll wait a while and then listen again. Listening to the author herself gave so much more meaning to the many levels of this simple yet complex book (rather like Zen practice itself) and I was amazed to glean new understanding from a passage because of the way Ms Ozeki read it, as she intended... I heartily recommend the book and this reading of it!

possibly my favourite book ever read by the author

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A beautifully woven tale of loss, despair, courage and redemption that drew me in from the start. The unusual tale begins with a woman in a little island in Canada finding a Hello Kitty lunchbox and its unexpected contents washed up on the shore. Read/listen on to find out more.

A tale of redemption

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Go beyond the first 5 minutes if you are struggling.
The last couple of chapters where beyond my intellect , but that's part of the grip this book has ... it makes you THINK!

So brilliantly different.

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This book is so unique in form and has such defined perspectives for every character. It has a great blend of philosophy mixed throughout and offers lots of thought provoking discussion. Ozeki does a great job characterising in a way that you truly empathise and come to understand every perspective. Her reading of her book is also perfect.

Fantastically Unique Exploration of Lives

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I was uncertain about this book when I started listening to it. I have not encountered Ruth Ozeki at all. The writing style is in some sense "delicate", perhaps befitting the Buddhist aspects of its content.

Overall, a very interesting and compelling book, giving an insight to aspects of modern Japanese culture and Buddhist practice.

Compelling once you get into it

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This book was fantastic. Ruth did an amazing job of portraying the characters during her narration. A must buy!

Fantastic

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