19 December 2005

 

"A Genuinely Powerful Imagination"

What an honor it is for the University of Iowa to host what will be Hoshino Tomoyuki's first public reading in North America!

Hoshino is a prolific writer who has been celebrated for both his innovative use of language and provocative (and politically charged) fictional worlds. He stands at the vanguard of the contemporary Japanese literary scene. His new novel The Worussian-Japanese Tragedy first appeared alongside a piece by Nobel laureate Ôe Kenzaburô in last year’s New Year's special issue of the preeminent literary journal Gunzô.

The critic Kawamura Minato writes, "The power to imagine is the power to transform reality. In that sense, [The Worussian-Japanese Tragedy] wholly demonstrates a genuinely powerful imagination."

Hoshino will be reading from his 2004 powerhouse novel Lonely Hearts Killer. This richly layered novel begins with the sudden death of a fictional young emperor, a bold move for several reasons that I will discuss more in future posts to this blog.

If you have read Lonely Hearts Killer and would like to comment on it or share your thoughts (or questions for the author), please use the "comments" link below.

Comments:
Lonely Hearts Killer is one of those books that provokes deep thought about the human relationships and the attachment to authority in society. This is probably the best book I have read in a long time. I liked the Hoshino follows the thought process of the three main characters to depict their unique positions in the world. The unexpected death of the emperor sparks a chain of events that determines how each of the three main characters will redefine their lives. THis book is packed with many themes, depending on how you personally choose to interepet it. I viewed the main theme as imagining what a society would be like if they were not guided by an eternal authority and, and how people react to it once they are forced to take responsibilty for themselves. Reading the book in the context of Japanrachy class, on of the big questions posed to us was, " is this book anarchist?". I thought so. To me, there is no way to actually pinpoint if something is specifically "anarchist", becuase I don't believe it's about following a certain ideology. However, I think many things point to this concept. Each main character attempted to break with the "dead" world (and the common sense) in thier own ways (whether it was postive or negative).There is much more I could say about this novel, but at least this is a start.
 
I really want to read Lonely Hearts Killer, it sound great. Adrienne, e-mail me already.
 
I would love to have Hoshino-san rewrite the novel solely from Mokuren's perspective. She seemed to be the only character with a depth and backstory worth getting to know. Inoue and Iroha are one-dimensional, self-involved, quasi-existentialists with a camcorder whose one-track philosophizing I quickly got tired of listening to. The premise of the novel is very thought-provoking and fascinating to consider yet the characters that were chosen to relay the story (namely Inoue and Iroha) seemed to be placed there only be happenstance and nothing else. Mokuren is the one who should tell the entire story! Her perspective and analysis would have given the story a lot more depth and richness.
 
Dear Yukie,

Mokuren is also my favorite character. I guess part of what makes the novel work for me is the way Inoue and Iroha (to a lesser extent) are so unsympathetic. Watching First World privilege unravel is part of the appeal, at least for me. But I am with you in terms of wanting more Mokuren. I'm really glad you found and posted on this blog!!!
 
凄く困ってます☆ love-cac@docomo.ne.jp すぐに連絡ください
 
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The University of Iowa

Reception on Friday, February 24, 2006 from 4-6 pm at 430 North Clinton St. in the Shambaugh House.

Symposium on Saturday, February 25, 2006 from 4-7pm in the Terrace Room (166 Iowa Memorial Union).

Pre-Symposium Film Screening of The New God on Friday, February 17, 2006 at 6:30 pm in the Iowa Room (335 Iowa Memorial Union).

LINKS

  • Hoshino Tomoyuki Archives
  • The University of Iowa Center for Asian and Pacific Studies
  • The University of Iowa International Writing Program
  • The University of Iowa International Programs
  • Press Release
  • ARCHIVES