Fuminori Nakamura

Japanese writer

Fuminori Nakamura (中村 文則, Nakamura Fuminori, born 2 September 1977) is the pseudonym^[1] of a Japanese author. Nakamura came to international attention when he won the 2010 Kenzaburō Ōe Prize for his novel, The Thief (掏摸, "Pickpocket"). The English translation of the novel was well received.^[2]

Works in English translation

• The Thief (掏摸 Suri), trans. Satoko Izumo and Stephen Coates (Soho Crime, 2012)
• Evil and the Mask (悪と仮面のルール Aku to kamen no rūru), trans. Satoko Izumo and Stephen Coates (Soho Crime, 2013)
• Last Winter, We Parted (去年の冬、きみと別れ Kyonen no fuyu, kimi to wakare), trans. Allison Markin Powell (Soho Press, 2014)
• The Gun (銃 Jū), trans. Allison Markin Powell (Soho Press, 2016)
• The Kingdom (王国 Ōkoku), trans. Kalau Almony (Soho Press, 2016)
• The Boy in the Earth (土の中の子供 Tsuchi no naka no kodomo), trans. Allison Markin Powell (Soho Crime, 2017)
• Cult X (教団X Kyōdan X), trans. Kalau Almony (Soho Press, 2018)
• My Annihilation (私の消滅 Watashi no Shōmetsu), trans. Sam Bett (Soho Crime, 2022)
• The Rope Artist (その先の道に消える Sono saki no michi ni kieru), trans. Sam Bett (Soho Crime, 2023)

Reception

In 2018, The Gun was adapted as a feature film, screenwritten and directed by Masaharu Take.^[3]

The Wall Street Journal called The Thief a "chilling philosophical thriller" and included it in its Best Fiction of 2012,^[4] while Time Out Chicago called the novel a "breath of fresh air."^[5] The novel was also a finalist for the 2012 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Best Mystery/Thriller category.^[6]

The book, though marketed as crime fiction, was cited by some reviewers as being a work of literary fiction.^[7][8]

Awards and nominations

Japanese Awards

• 2002 – Shincho Prize for New Writers: Jū (The Gun ^[9])
• 2004 – Noma Literary Prize for New Writers: Shakō (Shield Me from the Light ^[10])
• 2005 – Akutagawa Prize: Tsuchi no Naka no Kodomo (Child in the Ground)
• 2010 – Ōe Kenzaburō Prize: The Thief

U.S. Awards

• 2012 – Nominee for Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/thriller: The Thief
• 2014 – David Goodis Award^[11]

Bibliography

Novels

• Jū (銃), 2003 (The Gun, Soho Press, 2015)
• Shakō (遮光) [Shield Me from the Light], 2004
• Akui no Shuki (悪意の手記) [A Note of Malice], 2005
• Tsuchi no naka no kodomo (土の中の子ども), 2005 (The Boy in the Earth, Soho Press, 2017)
• Saigo no Inochi (最後の命) [Final Life], 2007
• Nani mo ka mo Yūutsuna Yoru ni (何もかも憂鬱な夜に) [In the Night I Feel Everything Melancholy], 2009
• Suri (掏摸), 2009 (The Thief, Soho Press, 2012), ("دزد" [in Persian], Qoqnoos publication, Iran, 2015)^[12]
• Aku to Kamen no Rūru (悪と仮面のルール), 2010 (Evil and the Mask, Soho Press, 2013)
• Ōkoku (王国), 2011 (The Kingdom, Soho Press, 2016)
• Meikyū (迷宮) [The Labyrinth], 2012
• Kyonen no Fuyu, Kimi to Wakare (去年の冬、きみと別れ), 2013 (Last Winter, We Parted, Soho Press, 2014)
• Kyōdan X (教団X), 2014 [Cult X, Soho Press, 2018]
• Anata ga Kieta Yoru ni (あなたが消えた夜に) [On the Night You Disappeared], 2015
• Watashi no Shōmetsu (私の消滅) [My Annihilation], 2016
• Aaru Teikoku (R帝国) [Empire R], 2017

Short story collections

• Tsuchi no Naka no Kodomo (土の中の子供)[Child in the Ground], 2005
  • Tsuchi no Naka no Kodomo (土の中の子供), 2005
  • Kumo no Koe (蜘蛛の声)[The Voice of a Spider], 2004
• Sekai no Hate (世界の果て)[The Edge of the World], 2009
  • Tsuki no Shita no Kodomo (月の下の子供)[Child under the Moon], 2008
  • Gomi Yashiki (ゴミ屋敷)[The Garbage Room], 2008
  • Sensō-Biyori (戦争日和)[The Day worthy of the War], 2006
  • Yoru no Zawameki (夜のざわめき)[Noises in the Night], 2007
  • Sekai no Hate (世界の果て), 2006
• Madoi no Mori: 50 Stories (惑いの森～50ストーリーズ)[The Woods of a Delusion: 50 Stories], 2012
• A, 2014

References

1. Nakamura, Fuminori (December 2012). 【対談】　中村文則×久世番子 [Dialogue: Fuminori Nakamura x Banko Kuze]. Honya Club (Interview). Interviewed by Banko Kuze. Retrieved 24 July 2020. ペンネームだからね (Because it's my pen name)
2. "Profile: Fuminori Nakamura". Red Circle Authors. 2 April 2017.
3. James Hadfield (2018-11-07). "'The Gun': A blast of stylish nihilism". The Japan Times.
4. "The Best Fiction of 2012". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
5. Messinger, Jonathan. "The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura | Book review". Time Out Chicago. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
6. Kellogg, Carolyn (20 February 2013). "Announcing the 2012 L.A. Times Book Prize finalists". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
7. Messinger, Jonathan. "The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura | Book review". Time Out Chicago. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
8. Corrigan, Maureen (26 March 2012). "Book World: "The Thief," by Fuminori Nakamura". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
9. J'Lit | Publications : The Gun | Books from Japan (in English)
10. J'Lit | Publications: Shield Me from the Light | Books from Japan (in English)
11. As Seen in International Association of Crime Writers Weekly E-News - NoirCon 2014 Archived February 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
12. "کتاب دزد". Archived from the original on 2015-10-26. Retrieved 2015-11-10.

External links

• J'Lit | Authors : Fuminori Nakamura | Books from Japan (in English)
• English Language Profile & Interview