An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro

It is set in post-World War II Japan and is narrated by Masuji Ono, an aging painter, who looks back on his life and how he has lived it. He notices how his once great reputation has faltered since the war and how attitudes towards him and his paintings have changed. The chief conflict deals with Ono's need to accept responsibility for his past actions. The novel attempts to ask and answer the question: what is man's role in a rapidly changing environment?

The 587th greatest fiction book of all time


This book is on the following lists:

  1. - 91st on The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List (The Observer)
  2. - Costa Book Award - Best Novel (Costa Coffee)
  3. - 100 Best Novels Written in English (The Guardian)
  4. - 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)

Buy This Book

Name Binding Sales Rank Lowest New Lowest Used Published
An Artist of the Floating World Paperback 3053998 $35.23 $0.38 2005
An Artist of the Floating World (Vintage International) Kindle Edition 90182 $9.99 2012
An Artist of the Floating World (Faber Fiction Classics) Paperback 317360 $7.08 $0.01 2001
An Artist of the Floating World Audio CD 626816 $14.70 2016
An Artist of the Floating World Hardcover 3060014 $39.32 $0.21 1986
Un artista del mundo flotante Paperback 6361331 $199.89 1998
An Artist of the Floating World Hardcover 2209434 $19.99 $0.01
An Artist of the Floating World (Penguin Drop Caps) Hardcover 700564 $19.79 $18.88 2013
AN ARTIST OF THE FLOATING WORLD Paperback 3699703 $0.01
An Artist of the Floating World Paperback 4008903 $5.98
An Artist of the Floating World Paperback 46874 $11.58 $1.90 1989