Memorial (novel)

Memorial is the debut novel by Bryan Washington.^[1] It was published by Riverhead Books on October 27, 2020,^[2] to acclaim from book critics.^[3]

Memorial

First edition cover
Author	Bryan Washington
Audio read by	Bryan Washington Akie Kotabe
Language	English
Set in	Houston and Osaka
Publisher	Riverhead Books
Publication date	October 27, 2020
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover), e-book, audiobook
Pages	320
ISBN	978-0-593-08727-5 (hardcover)
OCLC	1128065538
Dewey Decimal	813/.6
LC Class	PS3623.A86737 M46 2020
Website	brywashing.com/memorial/

Plot

Benson lives with Mike in Houston. Mike goes to Osaka to take care of his estranged father who is dying. Meanwhile, Mike's mother Mitsuko is visiting and staying at his place in Houston, with Benson.^[4]

Characters

• Benson – Black day care teacher
• Mike – Japanese-American chef at a Mexican restaurant
• Mitsuko – Mike's mother
• Eiju – Mike's father
• Lydia – Benson's sister

Reception

Memorial received favorable reviews from critics, with a cumulative "Rave" rating at the review aggregator website Book Marks based on a sample of 21 reviews.^[3]

In its starred review, Kirkus Reviews called it "vividly written" and wrote, "Washington's novel is richly layered and thrives in the quiet moments between lovers and family members."^[5] In its starred review, Publishers Weekly wrote that Washington applied "nuance in equal measure to his characters and the places they're tied to".^[6] Michael Schaub of NPR called the novel a "masterpiece" and praised Washington's "ability to draw the reader's attention to what's not said as much as what is".^[7] Ron Charles of The Washington Post praised the novel's narration, writing, "Washington inhabits these two men so naturally that the sophistication of this form is rendered entirely invisible, and their narratives unspool as spontaneously and clearly as late-night conversation."^[8]

In December 2020, Emily Temple of Literary Hub reported that the novel had made 14 lists of the best books of 2020.^[9] The following year, it was longlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize.^[10][11]

Awards and nominations

• Longlist, 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction^[12]
• Longlist, 2021 Aspen Words Literary Prize^[10][11]
• Honor, 2021 Stonewall Book Award - Barbara Gittings Literature Award Honor ^[13]

Television adaptation

On October 13, 2020, A24 announced it had purchased the rights to adapt the novel for television, with Washington adapting his novel.^[14]

References

1. David Canfield, "Bryan Washington on why he's calling his debut novel a 'gay slacker dramedy'" Archived October 23, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Entertainment Weekly, February 14, 2020.
2. "Memorial by Bryan Washington: 9780593087275". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
3. "Memorial". Book Marks. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
4. Simon, Scott (October 24, 2020). "Yes, There's Conflict — But No One's The Bad Guy In 'Memorial'". WAMU. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
5. "Memorial by Bryan Washington". Kirkus Reviews. July 1, 2020. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
6. "Fiction Book Review: Memorial by Bryan Washington". Publishers Weekly. June 1, 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
7. Schaub, Michael (October 28, 2020). "'Memorial' Is A Debut Novel That Feels Like The Work Of A Master". NPR. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
8. Charles, Ron (October 27, 2020). "Bryan Washington's 'Memorial' is a tender look at modern family life". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
9. Temple, Emily (December 15, 2020). "The Ultimate Best Books of 2020 List". Literary Hub. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
10. "2021 PRIZE". Aspen Words. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
11. Schaub, Michael (November 10, 2020). "Longlist for Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
12. Saka, Rasheeda (October 26, 2020). "Here's the longlist for the 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction". Literary Hub. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
13. "2021 Barbara Gittings Literature Award and Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award of the Stonewall Book Awards Announced". American Library Association. February 2, 2021. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
14. Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 13, 2020). "A24 Wins Hot Novel 'Memorial' By Bryan Washington For TV Division". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.