Kazuo Ishiguro OBE is a multiple nominee and winner of the Booker Prize and dozens of other international awards. Throughout his hugely successful and varied career, from the exquisitely poignant REMAINS OF THE DAY to the dystopian NEVER LET ME GO, he has often explored the idea of memory: how it shapes us, its fickle nature, how it distorts the choices we make.
Ishiguro’s new novel, THE BURIED GIANT, is an adventure fantasy, set in a Dark Ages Britain populated with knights, giants, monks and dragons. All the inhabitants appear to have suffered a loss of memory. The central characters, Axl and Beatrice, are an elderly married couple on a journey to find their son. As with all fantastical quests, they encounter mysterious strangers and dangerous escapades. Throughout the novel, an overriding question hangs in the air: is it worth suffering painful memories, or better to live in ignorance?
For more details, go to our book of the month page. You might also like Mark Lawson's interview with the author on BBC iplayer.
Faber have very generously offered 50 hardbacks of The Buried Giant to give to Mumsnetters. To claim yours, please fill in your details on the book of the month page. We’ll post on this thread when the copies have gone. If you’re not lucky enough to bag one of those, you can always get a copy here.
We have the very rare and special opportunity to talk to Kazuo Ishiguro when he joins us on Thursday April 9th, 9-10pm for a live web chat. The discussion will range from his latest book to his previous bestsellers and future projects. So whether you have read THE BURIED GIANT, or are a lifelong fan of REMAINS OF THE DAY, or would like a few tips from one of the UK’s most experienced and acclaimed writers, please come along and say hello. Look forward to seeing you on Thurs 9th…