Encounter With Kazuo Ishiguro Inspires Reading of Classic Novel

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, July 26, 2023

A writer unexpectedly met Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro at a Hampstead restaurant, prompting him to revisit RC Sherriff’s novel The Fortnight in September, which Ishiguro praised as profoundly uplifting. This encounter highlights how respected authors can revive interest in overlooked books, influencing readers’ literary journeys and broadening appreciation for classic works.

During a chance encounter at a Japanese restaurant in Hampstead, a writer met Kazuo Ishiguro, the Nobel Prize-winning author, an experience that spurred him to revisit a classic novel praised by Ishiguro himself. The meeting took place at Jin Kichi, where the writer and his wife were approached by a woman expressing appreciation for his wife Esther’s writing. The woman, speaking with a Scottish accent, then revealed that her husband was also a regular reader and gestured toward a man standing by the door, who turned out to be Kazuo Ishiguro.

The writer initially doubted the man’s identity, given the unexpected setting and his own poor memory for faces. During their brief conversation on the pavement, they mainly discussed restaurants, and Ishiguro referenced having read the writer’s unconventional review of Simpson’s, a well-known London restaurant. It was only after the wife confirmed the man’s identity that the writer checked online and indeed confirmed he had met Ishiguro.

This interaction led the writer to reflect on Ishiguro’s literary preferences, particularly his fondness for The Fortnight in September, a novel by RC Sherriff. Sherriff is best known for his World War I play Journey’s End, but Ishiguro highlighted the 1931 novel as “just about the most uplifting, life-affirming novel I can think of right now.” The declaration generated renewed interest and several reprints during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Motivated by Ishiguro’s recommendation, the writer began reading The Fortnight in September on the same day. The book tells the story of a lower middle-class family from suburban south London preparing for and enjoying their annual two-week holiday in Bognor Regis. The narrative’s gentle, understated tone and vivid depiction of everyday anticipation left a strong impression, described as quietly breathtaking.

The episode underscores the unexpected ways literary tastes and personal encounters can intertwine, offering renewed appreciation for lesser-known works through the endorsement of prominent authors. It also highlights Ishiguro’s ongoing engagement with literature beyond his own acclaimed novels.

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