false <![CDATA[The Box Man: A Novel]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166112399m/9999.jpg 9999 7 The nature of identity itself is the ostensible subject of this bizarrely fascinating existential novel from the great Japanese fiction writer and dramatist Kobo Abe. In the story, a man decides to give up the self that he has been all his life to attain a state of blissful anonymity. He leaves his world behind and moves onto the streets of Tokyo. He puts a large box over his head, cuts a hole for his eyes. It is as strange as it sounds, but Abe's light touch and narrative innovation makes it compelling. 58327 1974 The Box Man: A Novel total:405|5:99|4:178|3:98|2:18|1:12| 405 1549 633 33 4 1 false false Wed Jun 11 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 08 14:54:36 -0700 2008 Mon May 25 15:54:01 -0700 2009
Mainly the story reads like a journal of a "Box Man" or basically someone who has decided to drop out of society in favor of wearing a cardboard box at all times. However, you can...more...]]> 4 1 false false Tue May 20 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun May 18 12:54:24 -0700 2008 Wed May 21 21:29:24 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Wed Feb 13 04:57:53 -0800 2008 Thu Feb 14 03:58:05 -0800 2008 Kobo Abe made really high quality, surreal fiction. "Japan's Kafka" or whatever,

(IMHO, any critic who resorts to any version or variation of
that fucking meaningless trick ought to be fired for
laziness, then blacklisted for disrespect.)

so if...more...]]> 4 1 false false Wed May 09 06:32:08 -0700 2007 Fri May 25 21:21:37 -0700 2007
As far as Kobo goes, I prefered Woman in the Dunes for pure entertainment, but the Box Man goes into uncharted territory (whereas Woman in the Dunes grasps at fairly traditional existentialism, albeit from a unique perspective)

Who is ...more...]]> 3 1 true false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Oct 06 10:47:37 -0700 2007 Sat Oct 06 10:53:56 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 7 false false Sat Jul 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 20 23:28:59 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 11 22:11:13 -0700 2009
The story is told primarily in the first person but we never know exactly who is doing the telling. Is it the box man (a man who, no ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Feb 26 19:10:01 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 26 19:17:56 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Oct 15 12:53:11 -0700 2007 Thu Oct 25 09:08:18 -0700 2007 4 0 false false Thu Jun 19 15:04:10 -0700 2008 Thu Jun 19 15:04:18 -0700 2008
Backgrounded by a modern society emphasizing shame and modesty, Abe develops a relationship of voyeur/exhibitionist, typified by the relations...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Apr 13 21:47:59 -0700 2008 Sun Apr 13 21:49:30 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Aug 07 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Jan 19 11:12:29 -0800 2008 Tue Aug 12 09:31:48 -0700 2008 scrutable, what is valuable about scrutability anyhow?

Yes, Abe is using a lot of modern fiction devices--compression of time, faulty narrators, plot hiccups, and even some of my personal fiction peeves. ...more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Oct 23 02:41:47 -0700 2008 Wed Dec 24 03:48:09 -0800 2008
Man lives in a box (not just as a ...more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Dec 11 20:15:47 -0800 2008 Thu Dec 11 20:31:11 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Mar 08 22:05:42 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 08 22:08:58 -0700 2009
Abe takes this intellectual conceit and really generates some interesting ideas about society; what it is, and what role individuality plays in thi...more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri Dec 19 13:10:56 -0800 2008 Fri Dec 19 13:12:38 -0800 2008 2 0 false false Sun Apr 19 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 12 14:40:08 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 27 14:52:09 -0700 2009
1. Don't see a progression in narrative.
2. Resolution at the end doesn't make up for the lack of engagement throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, a few men that were so upset with their real-li...more...]]> 0 0 false false Mon Sep 21 20:33:23 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 21 20:34:54 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1999 Mon Aug 03 22:10:22 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 25 11:28:32 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Nov 08 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Nov 06 20:09:52 -0800 2008 Sat Nov 08 19:24:03 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Oct 15 10:28:10 -0700 2007 Mon Oct 15 10:29:13 -0700 2007
I love its nonlinear feel.. and its unique vision. It isn't for the "normal" reader", i believe. It is very strange twisty tale. I find the building up o...more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=9999