The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa is a book I saw in a list of important science fiction by non-English writers. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award (under translated literature) in 2019.
Started: 12/31/2019
Completed: 1/4/2020
Recommendation: Mild Recommendation
Recommended By: This was from an article, but I don't remember the article (it might have been in Current Affairs). The idea was that there were authors unknown to American readers who are quite popular in their home countries and only now are their works being translation. This was one of those works.
Review:
The book is interesting on many levels. It absolutely addresses some unusual human frailties and takes "group think" (at least) to a new level. The book also takes a shot at the police not being subject to the same rules everyone else must face. The book takes a really hard look at living in a controlled society from a perspective of someone who is a willing subject to those controls. It is a novel perspective in United States literature and points out the value in reading works from authors of other cultures.
The book is interesting on many levels. It absolutely addresses some unusual human frailties and takes "group think" (at least) to a new level. The book also takes a shot at the police not being subject to the same rules everyone else must face. The book takes a really hard look at living in a controlled society from a perspective of someone who is a willing subject to those controls. It is a novel perspective in United States literature and points out the value in reading works from authors of other cultures.
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