Update:

Thank you to all who attended today and made it such a lively and interesting discussion. To be frank, I am not a big admirer of Ishiguro, but after today’s discussion I have more respect for his talent as a writer.

Next session will  be Nov. 21st, and we will discuss the next story in Ishiguro’s short story collection “Nocturnes“, called “Come Rain or Come Shine” .

For our October meeting (Wednesday, October 31st, 3:15-5:15), we will read a short story by Kazuo Ishiguro called “Crooner” (from his short story collection entitled “Nocturnes”).

I invite you to write your answers to the following questions before next session and bring them along, or email them to me beforehand.

1. Before you read the story, what did you think it might be about from the title? What associations occurred to you? Did you feel drawn towards the story, or repelled by it? Why? What questions (if any) did you have about it?
2. After reading, without looking at the book (just from memory), list all the images you remember (“image” = incident, event, person, object, place, anything you recall).
3. Choose 3 images from your list (for any reason).
4. Look back at the story and put your images in the exact words of the author (Ishiguro).
5. Describe the first image: state what it means to you.
6. Do the same for the other 2 images.
7. What do these 3 images have in common? What theme(s) run through what you have written (if any)?
8. What assertions do you want to make about the story, based on these three images?
9. What did you like about the story, and why?
10. What did you dislike about the story, and why?
11. Now has your attitude to the story changed from before you read it?