{"product_id":"life-ceremony-stories-paperback","title":"Life Ceremony: Stories - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eSayaka Murata\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eGinny Tapley Takemori\u003c\/b\u003e (Translator)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe long-awaited first short story-collection by the author of the cult sensation \u003ci\u003eConvenience Store Woman\u003c\/i\u003e, tales of weird love, heartfelt friendships, and the unsettling nature of human existence\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith \u003ci\u003eLife Ceremony\u003c\/i\u003e, the incomparable Sayaka Murata is back with her first collection of short stories ever to be translated into English. In Japan, Murata is particularly admired for her short stories, which are sometimes sweet, sometimes shocking, and always imbued with an otherworldly imagination and uncanniness.In these twelve stories, Murata mixes an unusual cocktail of humor and horror to portray both the loners and outcasts as well as turning the norms and traditions of society on their head to better question them. Whether the stories take place in modern-day Japan, the future, or an alternate reality is left to the reader's interpretation, as the characters often seem strange in their normality in a frighteningly abnormal world. In \"A First-Rate Material,\" Nana and Naoki are happily engaged, but Naoki can't stand the conventional use of deceased people's bodies for clothing, accessories, and furniture, and a disagreement around this threatens to derail their perfect wedding day. \"Lovers on the Breeze\" is told from the perspective of a curtain in a child's bedroom that jealously watches the young girl Naoko as she has her first kiss with a boy from her class and does its best to stop her. \"Eating the City\" explores the strange norms around food and foraging, while \"Hatchling\" closes the collection with an extraordinary depiction of the fractured personality of someone who tries too hard to fit in.In these strange and wonderful stories of family and friendship, sex and intimacy, belonging and individuality, Murata asks above all what it means to be a human in our world and offers answers that surprise and linger.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSAYAKA MURATA\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of many books, including \u003ci\u003eEarthlings\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eConvenience Store Woman\u003c\/i\u003e, winner of the Akutagawa Prize. Murata has been named a \u003ci\u003eFreeman's\u003c\/i\u003e \"Future of New Writing\" author and a \u003ci\u003eVogue Japan\u003c\/i\u003e Woman of the Year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 256\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.8 x 8.2 x 5.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 02, 2023\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44306477351014,"sku":"9780802161345","price":24.68,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0599\/7255\/0758\/files\/RkhHTnM4a05ybkg2QndrUDFpRlY3Zz09.webp?v=1767693364","url":"https:\/\/infinitylightwa.com\/products\/life-ceremony-stories-paperback","provider":"Infinity Light","version":"1.0","type":"link"}