Bruno Menetrier, contributor to the 20 Minutes Books reading group, recommends “La barque de Masao” by Antoine Choplin, published on August 22, 2024 by Éditions Buchet-Chastel.
His favorite quote:
« Masao waved his hand in the air and said that this boat thing was a thing of the past. She questioned him again. He responded with few words. Yes, he had completed the construction, yes, he had sailed with it, yes, of course it was good. But it was another time, that’s all. […] And then she stopped questioning him about it and an embarrassment came, like a shadow, to settle in their midst. Masao finally got up and they walked back down to the port in silence. »
Why this book?
- Because it opens a pleasant and sweet parenthesis in the tumult of this literary season. Because we are fascinated by the Rising Sun archipelago. Because the book is hardly thick, but Masao’s navigations on the Seto Sea off the coast of the Japanese islands leave a lasting impression on the reader.
- Because we appreciate the slightly sad sweetness of this short journey, almost a short story, like a fable. With a truly Japanese delicacy, even if the author is French, we are invited to the difficult and awkward reunion, but full of tenderness, of a father and his now adult daughter, long separated.
- Because it will be about art in this literary journey and Antoine Choplin will speak to us with emotion about two (very real) museums where the architecture of the place and the building is designed according to the work exhibited there. When the museum is itself a work of art.
The essentials in 2 minutes
The plot. In an atmosphere full of Japanese delicacy, we are invited to the difficult and awkward reunion, but full of tenderness, of a father and his now adult daughter, long separated.
The characters. Masao, former lighthouse keeper, works at the Naoshima factory. His daughter Harumi, an architect, comes to work in the region on the construction of a new museum. In the hollow, the portrait of the missing mother, Kazue, will appear.
The places. The Seto Sea and its islands, such as Naoshima, the famous museum island. The 2 museums mentioned in the story exist for real: in Tashima, that of the architect Ryue Nishizawa created for the work of Rei Nato and in Naoshima, that of Tadao Ando which houses Monet’s Water Lilies.
The era. Nowadays.
The author. Antoine Choplin leaves his Dauphiné for Japan. A bit of a poet, a bit of an artist, he is used to stories where painting, art or museums take place.
This book was read with. the pleasure of being invited to this journey and the feeling of having shared a beautiful moment with these two characters (and the author) that we leave with regret.
To buy this book on Amazon, To buy this book click here, average price €19.5
click here
Would you like to recommend a book that you particularly liked? Join our community by clicking here
