Ruth Ozeki’s The Book of Form and Emptiness: A Novel follows 13-year-old Benny Oh, who, a year after his father’s death, begins to hear voices. They belong to random objects scattered within his home – a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce – but in time, also a book, one that narrates his life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter. Moderated by Neda Ulaby, NPR arts desk reporter.
In Conversation: On The Book of Form and Emptiness
In Conversation: On The Book of Form and Emptiness
Ulaby, Neda
Neda Ulaby reports on arts, entertainment, and cultural trends for NPR’s Arts Desk. Her radio and online stories explore political and economic realities, cultural issues, obsessions, and transitions. She also hosts Culturetopia, a podcast of NPR’s best arts stories. Before joining NPR, Ulaby worked as managing editor of Chicago’s Windy City Times and co-hosted a local radio program, What’s Coming Out at the Movies.
Ozeki, Ruth
Ruth Ozeki is a novelist, filmmaker, and Zen Buddhist priest. She is the author of three novels, My Year of Meats: A Novel, All Over Creation: A Novel, and A Tale for the Time Being: A Novel, a finalist for the 2013 Booker Prize. Her nonfiction work includes a memoir, The Face: A Time Code, and Halving the Bones, a documentary film. In The Book of Form and Emptiness (Viking), it’s one year after the death of his beloved musician father and 13-year-old Benny Oh is hearing voices. They belong to things in his house – a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce. Some are pleasant, emitting a gentle hum or coo. But others are snide, angry, and full of pain. Soon the voices follow him outside the house and, just for silence and relief, Benny goes to a public library. There, among other marvels, he meets his very own book – another talking thing – who narrates Benny’s life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter. Publishers Weekly marveled at “Ozeki’s illuminating postmodern latest [as it] explores themes of mourning, madness, and the powers of the imagination … This is the rare work that will entertain teenagers, literary fiction readers, and academics alike.”
