The Face: A Time Code

I purchased this book for my college English class. Easy to carry around. Does bend quite easily but it’s to be expected of such a small book. I’m somewhat of a slow reader (I like to take my time) but it only took me 2 hours to finish the entire book. Great message and story, definitely recommend.

The act of seeing is thoroughly examined. This brief book is full of isight laughter and pathos. Dare we look at our face and chart the past present and future?

Something familiar here for everyone who has ever really looked in a mirror. Multiple levels of understanding as relates to the Noh masks and discussions related to Zen. Very enjoyable read. I liked and related to the author’s discoveries and musings throughout!

A 3-hour meditation on her own face results in a kind of stream-of-conscious autobiography with insights into Buddhism and Noh Drama.

This is a written account of a (more or less) three-hour meditation, in which the author contemplates her own face. It is an uncomfortable experience for her, especially initially, seeing clearly all the changes from age and focusing on flaws. The sections of the book alternate between descriptions of her thoughts with time stamps, and sections about her parents, her past, becoming a Zen priest, and making Noh masks. It is an interesting format that raises some questions about how she executed it. For me, this was an informative glimpse into the personal life and past of an author whose work I have enjoyed a great deal. The Noh mask sections were especially fascinating, providing insight into an art form with which I have little familiarity. I always enjoy books that teach me something entirely new.

Amusing, honest and a very quirky idea for a story. Quick read and full of what makes Ruth such fun to read. It didn't change my life and I won't do it, but glad she did and shared.

I liked the book but I was already a fan of Ruth Ozeki. Maybe not the best introduction to her writing

This is not read as a normal book, but is more of a personal interview, that each one of us has with one self. Can you see your father's eyes when you look in the mirror? What do they say? This is a very short introduction to what it means to be human. It is only three hours long as a fiction, but maybe not even an hour and a half as something real and so very true. Brilliant prose, wonderful thoughts. Who are we?