Oe, Kenzaburo

(Japanese, 1935– )

Now well known in the West, Oe is one of Japan's leading contemporary novelists. His novels are subtle, closely evoked explorations of personal crises, family relationships, and the enduring, relentless strength of human nature. Begin with A Personal Matter (1964), a moving account of the emotional development of Bird as he struggles to come to terms with having a mentally handicapped son. Move on to Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids (1958), which deals with a group of troubled boys left alone in an isolated Japanese village during the Second World War after a plague develops among them. Oe was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1994.

Kazuo Ishiguro, Tim Parks, Shusaku Endo  SR