SEASONS OF STORIES

BOOK CLUB AT SHINZEN GARDEN

Join Shinzen Garden's New Book Club - Seasons of Stories

Seasons of Stories is a new book club at Shinzen Garden that invites readers to gather in the natural setting of the garden to explore literature inspired by Japanese culture and explore books from Japanese American authors. We will be diving into a thoughtfully selected book each month and enjoy meaningful conversations surrounded by the beauty of the garden. All are welcome—bring your curiosity and love for stories!

Sseptember 2026 Book Selection

 

A Pale View of Hills

By: Kazuo Ishiguro

 

From the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of the Booker Prize–winning novel The Remains of the Day, here is the story of Etsuko, a Japanese woman now living alone in England, dwelling on the recent suicide of her daughter. In a novel where past and present confuse, she relives scenes of Japan’s devastation in the wake of World War II.

 

About the Author

Sir Kazuo Ishiguro is an English novelist, screenwriter, musician, and short-story writer. Ishiguro was born in Nagasaki, Japan, and moved to Britain in 1960 with his parents when he was five. He is one of the most critically acclaimed and praised contemporary fiction authors writing in English, being awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature. In its 2017 citation, the Swedish Academy described Ishiguro as a writer “who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world”.

 

Seasons of Stories Book Club

Monthly Discussion Questions

 

Each month, the Seasons of Stories Book Club explores thought-provoking titles by Japanese American authors and stories inspired by Japanese culture. Our guided discussion questions are designed to spark meaningful conversation, encourage deeper reflection, and connect readers through shared insights.

As you read each month’s selection for the Seasons of Stories Book Club, keep these thoughtfully crafted questions in mind to deepen your understanding and enrich your experience. During our monthly book club meeting, we’ll use these questions to guide our group discussion and explore different perspectives together. Let them be your companion as you read and prepare to share your insights.

Whether you’re joining us in the garden or reading from afar, these questions help enrich your experience and foster community around the power of storytelling.

SEASONS OF STORIES BOOK CLUB MEETING DATES

Saturday, July 18, 2026

1:00 PM

Woodward Park Library

Saturday, August 22, 2026

1:00 PM

Shinzen Garden

Saturday, September 19, 2026

1:00 PM

Shinzen Garden

Saturday, October 17, 2026

1:00 PM

Shinzen Garden

Saturday, November 21, 2026

1:00 PM

Shinzen Garden

Saturday, January 16, 2027

1:00 PM

TBD

SEASONS OF STORIES BOOK CLUB READING LIST

JULY 2026

Kitchen

by: Banana Yoshimoto

the sailor who fell from grace with the sea yukio mishima

AUG 2026

Convenience Store Woman

by: Sayaka Murata

ms ice sandwich mieko kawakami

SEPT 2026

A Pale View of Hills

by: Kazuo Ishiguro

the setting sun by osamu dazai

OCT 2026

Kokoro

by: Natsume Soseki

heaven mieko kawakami

NOV 2026

Passengers on the Hankyu Line

by: Hiro Arikawa

the guest cat by takashi hiraide book cover