A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki - 4 stars

[Charlie]

An interesting book all around. From the title of the book, to the main character's name and the overall message, this was certainly a "thought-provoking" book :-).

Early on, the main character, Nao, reminded me a lot of Holden Caulfield but over the course of the book she matured beyond her years. The author did a very nice job peeling the onion back on her cast of characters and in unfolding their respective truths creating a shared understanding amongst all. The technique of telling the story across a continuum of time that switched back and forth and then became intertwined kept the pace moving and the mystery of the story fresh till the end.

In the end, I think this book is a parable (aka "a tale") for the living (aka "the time being") to live in the now and do your best knowing that life is a journey with many bends in the road and that wisdom and knowledge come as time passes and experience is gained and that patience and understanding are required along the way to acquire both. And I think telling the story from the perspective of a teenager reminds adults at just how imperfect and fragile we are as humans (even though we may have tricked ourselves into thinking we are the smartest people in the room). Ah, if I only knew then (when I was sixteen) what I know now (at 49)...which is another way of saying in another 33 years, if I only knew then (when I was 49) what I know now (at 82). As Bob Dylan sings in My Back Pages, "Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."

[NancyJ]

Nice review! You're not kidding about layers. When I started this book, I had no idea what I was getting into. It looked light and simple at first, but layer after layer, it blew my mind. It was both grounded and expansive. It was in my top 10 last year.

[Joy D]

I really enjoyed this one too!