A BUG'S LIFE (a review of LAS CUCARACHAS)

The Following is a review of my second novel LAS CUCARACHAS from the FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW (Sept. 9, 2004)

Please click on the scanned document to enlarge it for reading on a new screen.






Here is another review in Japanese of my novel BOY GENIUS and a reading I did at the Calabash International Literary Festival in Jamaica.

from Mighty Mules' Bookstore Home



カラバッシュ・フェスティバル2004　レポート（最終日）

　とうとう最終日。朝10時から「Akashic Books Presents」というセッションがスタート。前々から楽しみにしていたニーナ・レヴォイラはじめ、韓国系アメリカ人のヨンゴス・パークの朗読が印象的だった。　まず第一にレヴォイラは日系アメリカ人で「Necessary Hunger」「Southland」と続けて日系をテーマにした作品を書いている。

彼女自身の生まれ育ったロスのクレンショーに対する愛情、思いは作家として成功した今もなぜ彼女をつかんではなさないのか非常に興味があったし、日系アメリカ人の作家がカラバッシュに参加していることも同じ日本の血を分かつ者として誇らしかった。ヨンゴス・パークも同様。話し方、身のこなしは完璧なニューヨーカーだが、実はわたし、彼がステージに上がるまでずっと日本人オーディエンスの一人だと思っていた。（笑）アジア系が二人もカリブの文学祭に出ているとはとても嬉しい。と同時にカラバッシュのコンセプトに広がりを感じたのもこの時である。年を重ねるごとに出演者の国籍、バックグラウンドが多様になっているこの文学祭だが、ジャマイカ人アーチストを除けばそのほとんどが移民／ディアスポラの作家。これは何かの偶然だろうか。

　まずは韓国系アメリカ人ヨンゴス・パーク Yongsoo Parkの朗読から。

彼は2001年の作品 「Boy Genius」と新作「Las Cucarachas」を披露。どちらも8才から12才の韓国系少年を主人公にしているので、「たぶんオレがまだ子供だからかな？」と冗談を言いつつ、自らも7歳のときＮＹへ移住し、それまでの韓国時代の経験とアメリカでの生活がどのように作品に投影されているかについて触れる。意外にも今回のカラバッシュで作品の背景や作家自らのことを話して朗読に入ったのはパークだけだったので、30分という持ち時間の使い方がうまいなと思った。フェスティバルに来ている人の中から「ずっと朗読を聞くのはちょっと退屈」という声もチラホラ聞いていたので、自分の経験をプロのスタンダップ・コメディアン並に笑わせながら話すパークのイントロや流れ作りは際立っていた。そして作者と作品の関連性を聞けた分、オーディエンスもより朗読される内容に関心が高まったことは言うまでもない。

実際「Boy Genius」も「Las Cucarachas」も頭のよい少年が少し過激とも思える行動をとったり、調子のよいくらいに自分の立場をコロコロ変えるので「まったくもう。。。」と失笑させられるのだが、前者では国がスポンサーとしてついているテレビ番組で天才として持ち上げられているボーイ・ジーニアスがアメリカの影響力色濃い韓国でいかにサバイバルしていくかという真摯なテーマを扱っているところが素晴らしい。韓国と日本。全く状況は違うだろうが共感できる部分はとても多かった。丁度第二次大戦後の日本社会といった感じ。そして新作「Las Cucarachas」は舞台をアメリカのＮＹに移し、主人公ピーター・キムが韓国系移民として人種・貧困の問題が残るプロジェクトでいかに戦っていくかをブラックユーモアを交えて描かれている。

　どちらも作者パーク自身の経験や思いが100％そのまま書かれているとは思わないが、両作品に通じるプロットも多く、彼自身のバックグラウンドや年代の重なりを考慮してもパークと主人公達につながりがあることは間違いないだろう。韓国では「アメリカ万歳！」と国に見離されたボーイ・ジーニアスが極端なアメリカ支持者になり、在留軍人につきまといながらいろんな品物（タバコ、チョコレートなど）や人脈を手に入れていく。そして実際アメリカに移ったピーター・キムは「ブルジョアなんて嘘くせぇ！」とでも言わんばかりに、韓国で知った「アメリカ」と「実際のアメリカ」の違いに激していくのだ。

　作者パークは気のきいた笑いでプロのコメディアンかと見まごうような才能のほとばしりをみせたが、今後の楽しみなアーチストとなる。今回読んだ作品はどちらも日本で人気のでそうな予感。



Here is a rough translation from the web:


カラバッシュ festival 2004 report (last day)

　Finally last day. Morning the session, "Akashic Books Presents" starts from 10 o'clock. The ニーナ レヴォイラ beginning and the recitation of the ヨンゴス park of the Korean type American which beforehand have been enjoyed were impressive. First レヴォイラ continuing with "Necessary Hunger" "Southland" with the Japanese-American, has written the work which designates Nikkei as theme.

As for love and the thinking for クレンショー of the loss where she herself grows why grasping her who succeeds as a writer even now, whether you do not release there was an interest very it was proud and, the writer of the Japanese-American participating in カラバッシュ the same Japanese blood as an amount and a person.

Also the ヨンゴス park is similar. Way of talking, without the body saw it is the perfect New Yorker, but until to tell the truth you transfer, he rises to stage, you thought that directly it is the one of the Japanese audiences. (Laughing) the Asian system as many as two has appeared in the Caribbean literature festival with very is delightful. With also what the extent is felt simultaneously in concept of カラバッシュ is this time. Whenever year is repeated, nationality of the performer, the background becomes various it is this literature festival where, but if you exclude the Jamaican human artist, most the writer of immigration/ディアスポラ. Is this something probably accidental?

　First from recitation of the Korean type American ヨンゴス park Yongsoo Park.
As for him work 2001 "Boy Genius"With new work"Las Cucarachas"It announces. Because both from 8 years old has designated the Korean type boy of 12 years old as the protagonist, therefore "perhaps I still the child, kana? While "with saying joke, also the self at the time of 7 years old immigrates to NY, concerning Korean age and the life in America how are projected to the work to experience of that, it comments.

Speaking the background of the work and the thing individual of the writer even unexpectedly with latest カラバッシュ, because those where it enters into recitation were just the park, method of using the time limit, 30 minutes is good, you thought that is. Because "that directly recitation is heard, it had heard also the voice, just a little boredom" sporadically from midst of the person who has come to the festival, your own experience amuse in like the stand-up comedian of the professional, introduction and the flow making of the park which you speak had been prominent.

And the amount which can inquire about the connection of the writer and the work, from the audience until you say, interest has not increased in the contents which are recited. Actually "Boy Genius" also the action which the boy where "Las Cucarachas" the head is good can think also radical a little is taken, being the roller roller to change his own standpoint in the extent whose condition is good "completely another. . . "

With you can laugh, but the place where the true 摯 theme is handled with former the country with the television program which has been attached as the sponsor boy ジーニアス which is raised as the genius keeps doing how the survival in the American influence color dense Korea, is splendid. Korea and Japan. Completely, circumstance probably will be different, but as for the part which you can sympathize it was very many. The feeling such as the Japanese society of after the second next great war exactly. Mixing black and new work "Las Cucarachas" moves the stage to American NY, protagonist Peter キム how keeps fighting with the project where problem of race poverty remains as the Korean type immigration, humor, it is drawn.

　Neither writer park itself experience and the thinking think 100% are written with that way, but as for plotting which leads to both works being many, considering his himself background and the pile of age, it being being connected in the park and the protagonist you probably will not be wrong. In Korea "the American hurray! "With you see in the country and you become the American supporter whose boy ジーニアス which is separated is extreme, while hang on in the residency soldier, the various article (the tobacco and the chocolate etc.) and you keep obtaining connections. And as for Peter キム which really moved to America "the bourgeoise how lie habit ぇ! "With with as if to say, you knew in Korea, it keeps encouraging in the difference" of America "and" actual America ".

　As for the writer park whether with the laughing where the air is effective the professional comedian you saw and you showed the gushing out of the talent the ま う way, but you become the future pleasantly everyone artist. Both work which this time was read so, being popularity in Japan, foreboding.




Please help get my novels BOY GENIUS and LAS CUCARACHAS into the Hong Kong public library by filling out an on-line request. You can do so by clicking on the prompt on the upper right corner of this blog. Thank you.