A Tale for the Time Being

By: Ruth Ozeki

Narrated by: Ruth Ozeki

Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Short-listed, Man Booker International Prize

A brilliant, unforgettable, and long-awaited novel from best-selling author Ruth Ozeki

"A time being is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me, and every one of us who is, or was, or ever will be."

In Tokyo, 16-year-old Nao has decided there's only one escape from her aching loneliness and her classmates' bullying. But before she ends it all, Nao first plans to document the life of her great grandmother, a Buddhist nun who's lived more than a century. A diary is Nao's only solace—and will touch lives in ways she can scarcely imagine.

Across the Pacific, we meet Ruth, a novelist living on a remote island who discovers a collection of artifacts washed ashore in a Hello Kitty lunchbox—possibly debris from the devastating 2011 tsunami. As the mystery of its contents unfolds, Ruth is pulled into the past, into Nao's drama and her unknown fate, and forward into her own future.

Full of Ozeki's signature humor and deeply engaged with the relationship between writer and listener, past and present, fact and fiction, quantum physics, history, and myth, A Tale for the Time Being is a brilliantly inventive, beguiling story of our shared humanity and the search for home.

©2013 Ruth Ozeki (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“An exquisite novel: funny, tragic, hard-edged and ethereal at once.”—David Ulin, Los Angeles Times

“As contemporary as a Japanese teenager’s slang but as ageless as a Zen koan, Ruth Ozeki’s new novel combines great storytelling with a probing investigation into the purpose of existence. . . . She plunges us into a tantalizing narration that brandishes mysteries to be solved and ideas to be explored. . . . Ozeki’s profound affection for her characters makes A Tale for the Time Being as emotionally engaging as it is intellectually provocative.”—The Washington Post

“A delightful yet sometimes harrowing novel . . . Many of the elements of Nao’s story—schoolgirl bullying, unemployed suicidal ‘salarymen,’ kamikaze pilots—are among a Western reader’s most familiar images of Japan, but in Nao’s telling, refracted through Ruth’s musings, they become fresh and immediate, occasionally searingly painful. Ozeki takes on big themes . . . all drawn into the stories of two ‘time beings,’ Ruth and Nao, whose own fates are inextricably bound.”—The New York Times Book Review

A masterpiece

I always enjoy audiobooks where the author narrates it. This book for me was a bit confusing in the beginning but quickly grew on me as I learned more and more about all the characters. It delves into heavy subjects such as bullying, war, prostitution and suicide, all through the eyes of teenage girl, so proceed with caution. But overall, I'm exciting to re-listen to this one, I think they'll be more for me to learn about the characters and about myself.

Great book, creative!

It is a great book. However, the story is 'dark'. Three-quarter into the book, I regretted reading it. But the last tenth was very good. Overall, it is a worthy book to read.

A satisfyingly unresolved tale

This is my first exposure to Ruth Ozeki. Admittedly, I had to be patient in the first chapter, as it took time for the character of Nao to grow on me. But soon I was engaged and couldn’t wait to unravel the tale, for the words to be found. I kept expecting a cliche twist—Ruth was Nao after a mental breakdown, Nao was Ruth’s fictional character. And maybe the world has split into another world where these twists are reality. The end was satisfyingly unresolved, leaving the reader hopeful for a sequel. I look forward to exploring Ozeki’s other works.

best book ever

I can't tell you, but it's there. Just listen. Proust, Dogen, Heidegger all make new friends here, for the time beings.

a wild ride …

this book grabs you and takes you on a wild wild ride. its tells stories about japanese culture modern and old, about japans history and how it affects current japan. there are elements of the supernatural and science fiction. a disappearing cat and a very, very old buddhist nun. it’s a wild run,i tell you, but i found it fantastic even though the tales at times get so cruel that i wanted to stop. but i’m happy i didnt.

Interesting story, cool concept

This is a really interesting story with a cool concept of time. I enjoyed both perspectives and the way the timelines lined up. The one thing that I kept questioning was Ruth's very slow reading when she could just whip through the journal or skip to the end, but that eventually gets answered. I wasn't satisfied with the answer, but Ruth is a different person, and that's how it works. The philosophy at the end, from the husband, was too much for me, but I enjoyed this book and I think hearing it in the author's voice made it even better.

Gorgeous writing and surprisingly excellent narration

It’s not often that a book is narrated by the author and I end up being thrilled about that. Ruth Ozeki serves her work in the best way. Her expressively beautiful writing is only enhanced by her deep understanding of her own characters and its sometimes complicated and intricately involved plot. I’m so happy I decided to listen to this and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in a smart, nuanced experience.

Great book & author narration!

Excellent! I enjoyed this story so much!! The author weaves a beautiful tale between two worlds. I did not want it to end & will miss the characters very much.

Wonderful Story

What a treat!

Engagingly read by the author, I was hooked from the beginning. What a treat this novel is with its character outstanding development and then metaphysical twist! I can’t wait to read what this author comes up with next.

Beautifully written

The story was absolutely unique and I’ve been thinking of it constantly. Ozeki’s narration is perfect. Recommend to all!