While I was browsing through the Asian Writers section in Kinokuniya last friday, I found Kazuo Ishiguro’s book falls under the Japanese Literature category. I’m not sure if this is a right way to categorize Ishiguro. Although I was only able to finish his Never Let Me Go, yet, it never occurred to me that it was written by a Japanese writer, it sound so ‘English’, I mean judging by his narrative and how he writes, despite the language used, I’m not sure if he should falls under this category.
But again, how should we categorize writers like Anita Desai, Monica Ali or Jhumpa Lahiri? Should we categorize them according to their ascribed identity, for the case of Anita Desai, her father is a Bengali and her mother is a German. Should they fall under Asian Lit, American Lit, or English Lit? (Judging by their theme, etc.) Or should we taking the complexity of history, culture and geographical aspects of certain place, Asia for instance, into consideration when we intend to discuss a writer's work?
I’m not sure.
Anyway, the array of Anita Desai’s works on the shelf almost caused my book fasting to book feasting. I liked her The Zigzag Way very much. The Dona Vera in her book really reminds me of the legendary Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard, which feature her classical quotation: 'I am big; it’s the pictures that got small.'
Well, I’m still trying to figure out how that book works. I’ll also continue to read Clear light of the Day when I am able to squeeze some time between works later.
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