Friday Short Classics: Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata

Toronto Public Library

Acclaimed writers Lauren Oyler, Charlotte Shane, and Michael LaPointe discuss the Japanese classic, Snow Country, by Yasunari Kawabata.

TPL Book Seminar SessionJoin acclaimed writers Lauren Oyler, Charlotte Shane, and Michael LaPointe for an illuminating conversation on Yasunari Kawabata's haunting novel, Snow Country. Their discussion will explore how this 1937 work exemplifies Kawabata's distinctive aesthetic—blending traditional Japanese literary sensibilities with modernist techniques to create a work of extraordinary psychological subtlety. Oyler, known for her incisive literary criticism, Shane, celebrated for her nuanced explorations of desire and intimacy, and LaPointe, praised for his thoughtful literary analysis, will examine how Kawabata's sparse prose style communicates complex emotional landscapes through suggestion and imagery rather than explicit description.Published between the two World Wars, Snow Country emerged during a period when Japanese literature was navigating between traditional forms and Western influences. Set in a remote hot spring town buried in snow for much of the year, the novel follows the doomed relationship between Tokyo dilettante Shimamura and Komako, a geisha. It stands out for its exquisite evocation of the stark winter landscape, which serves as both setting and metaphor for the isolation of its characters and the unbridgeable distances between them. Though written in Kawabata's minimalist "palm of the hand" style, the novel achieves remarkable emotional depth, earning Kawabata the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968—the first Japanese writer to receive this honor.Participants are encouraged to read the book in advance of the session.<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lawandoyler/?hl=en" title="https://www.instagram.com/lawandoyler/?hl=en" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">About Lauren Oyler</a> <a href="https://www.charoshane.com/" title="https://www.charoshane.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">About Charlotte Shane </a><a href="https://www.michaellapointe.com/biography.html" title="https://www.michaellapointe.com/biography.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">About Michael LaPointe </a><a href="https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2959465&R=2959465" title="https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2959465&R=2959465" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Read Snow Country at TPL</a> ***Important information for accessing this live virtual event: <ul><li>You must register for a free ticket via Eventbrite to gain access to this event.</li><li>This event will be presented in a Zoom Webinar. Once registered, you will receive reminder emails from both Zoom and Eventbrite with links and instructions to access your unique Zoom Webinar link to watch this event.</li><li>At the time of the event, you must be signed in to Zoom or Eventbrite with the same email address that you used to book your ticket in order to access your unique event link. Unique event links can only be open on one device at a time.</li></ul>***Short Friday Classics is a virtual series dedicated to exploring remarkable books that can be read in a single sitting. Curated and hosted by Michael LaPointe, these bi-weekly sessions at 12 noon ET bring together writers, critics, scholars, and readers to consider why these concentrated works of literature continue to resonate. Each conversation features expert guests who illuminate why these classics speak urgently to contemporary readers in 2025. The series emphasizes audience participation, with time dedicated to questions and discussion points from participants, creating a dynamic forum for literary exploration and discovery.Other sessions in this series include:<a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1342770545849?aff=oddtdtcreator" title="">Toni Morrison: Sula, Fri May 23, 12-1pm ET(featuring Canisia Lubrin &amp; Hilton Als)</a>Marguerite Duras: The Lover, Fri Jun 6, 12-1pm ET [event link forthcoming] (featuring Lydia Davis)****This series is made possible by: A gift from the Ann Thoburn Fund***Accessibility at Toronto Public LibraryWe are committed to making our content accessible to as many Torontonians as possible. Please call or email us if you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation to participate in this program. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request. At least three weeks' notice is preferred. Phone 416-393-7099 or email accessibleservices@tpl.ca

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Friday Short Classics: Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata

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Friday Short Classics: Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata

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