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Quote by Ruth Ozeki

“Time interacts with attention in funny ways. At one extreme, when Ruth was gripped by the compulsive mania and hyperfocus of an Internet search, the hours seemed to aggregate and swell like a wave, swallowing huge chunks of her day. At the other extreme, when her attention was disengaged and fractured, she experienced time at its most granular, wherein moments hung around like particles, diffused and suspended in standing water. There used to be a middle way, too, when her attention was focused but vast, and time felt like a limpid pool, ringed by sunlit ferns. An underground spring fed the pool from deep below, creating a gentle current of words that bubbled up, while on the surface, breezes shimmered and played.”

Quote by Ruth Ozeki

Work

A Tale for the Time Being

In this thought-provoking narrative, the story intertwines the lives of a young Japanese girl and a Canadian woman living in Tokyo, delving into the complexities of human existence and the impact of the past on the present. more

Author

Ruth Ozeki
Ruth Ozeki

Ruth Ozeki (born March 12, 1956) is an American novelist, filmmaker, and Zen Buddhist priest. Known for works including My Year of Meats (1998), A Tale for the Time Being (2013), and The Book of Form and Emptiness (2021), her novels blend Japanese cultural elements with contemporary American themes. A Tale for the Time Being was nominated for the Man Booker Prize. She combines her practice of Zen Buddhism with her literary and film work. more

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“You'll yet find happiness." A twang of anger snapped within her at his words. "Shut your trap, highness, or I'll bloody well shut it for you!" She lunged forward and grabbed the front of his shirt. Her fingers itched for- for what? A weapon. She berated herself for her violent state of mind. Hands still fisted in his shirt, Justice felt their trembling and prayed he did not. Jonathan glanced down at her hands, face impassive, then returned his eyes to her face. When Justice finally gave in and lifted her gaze, her vision blurred at the empathy written in his eyes.”