Nocturnes - Kazuo Ishiguro

A collection of short stories where music plays a key role in each story.  A very classical writer - restrained, subtle, indirect.  A master of the complexities and subtle undercurrents of human interaction  - hinting, pointing but never stating clearly, as things generally aren't clear.  The stories just are - difficult to pin down, to grasp and explain.  Several stories though, have a underlying theme of social criticism, especially of what could be described as American culture or values.