I found A Tale for the Time Being through unusual circumstances, much like Ruth finds Noa's diary on the Pacific Northwest shore; so cool. The quantum storyline, vivid ecological setting and playful incorporation of Zen creates a shimmering matrix through which these endearing characters gleam.Publisher's description:
In Tokyo, sixteen-year-old Nao has decided there's only one escape from her aching loneliness and her classmates' bullying. But before she ends it all, Nao first plans to document the life of her great grandmother, a Buddhist nun who's lived more than a century. A diary is Nao's only solace--and will touch lives in ways she can scarcely imagine.