So Long, See You Tomorrow (original 1980; edition 1996)

Beautiful book--The writing is so exact, yet never feels self-conscious. ( )

A true classic! ( )

sometimes forgot which character he was referring to ( )

This came to me with the highest possible recommendation and I was a little disappointed not to be wowed by it. There was much to admire, but not enough to love, in this reader's opinion. It's a story of regret and unhappiness as the narrator looks back on his childhood and juxtaposes his own response to his mother's death and his father's remarriage to the total breakdown of two neighbouring families. His inability to communicate his sadness and his need for love and understanding to his father extends beyond his person identity and leaves him utterly ill-equipped to reach out to and empathize with a childhood friend.

This sense of having failed revolves around a single moment and missed opportunity, but it creates such a lasting impact that it comes to define the narrator's sense of self for the next 50 years. I wish I'd liked it more. ( )

Stunning

I don't know how or why I missed when I am asked well up until this point. But I could not be happier to have found his work! His words are infused with the empathy and simplicity. Profound. ( )