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Why it matters
Ozeki combines metafiction, Zen ideas, and a warm family story.
Opening the archive
A celebrated work
The Book of Form and Emptiness
Ruth Ozeki2022 selection · Literary fiction
The Book of Form and Emptiness
After his father dies, Benny Oh hears voices from objects while his mother struggles with grief and hoarding. A library and the voice of his own Book offer refuge.
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Read this if…
You enjoy compassionate novels in which books speak back.
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Ideas inside
griefobjectsmental healthstorytelling
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