Michiko Ayoama “What you are looking for is in the library”
Two things attracted me to pick up and read this book. Firstly, it is about a library and books. Secondly, the scenario takes place in Japan.
The book is divided into five chapters and each part introduces a different character. These are five people who feel dissatisfied or have gone through a challenging period in their life and who are looking for some clarity. There is a young woman stuck working in a department store; a man who dreams of opening his own antique shop; a woman who lost her career after becoming a mother; a 30-year-old man who has never had a real job; and a man who just retired after working at the same company for forty-two years. Somehow, they all end up in the same library, where a mysterious librarian recommends special books for them. She has the ability to understand what a person really needs and to guide them to the right book offering a solution to their problems. However, each person still has to interpret these lessons themselves and derive a meaning that is relevant for them individually. As they progress reading the book that was recommended for them, step by step, the characters start to see new perspectives and, as their attitudes change, new opportunities and solutions magically appear.
M. Ayoama has written such a heartwarming and comforting book. I recommend it to all the bookworms and library lovers out there.
***
London : Doubleday, 2023
Michiko Aoyama “What you are looking for is in the library” in e-catalogue ESTER
Sirle Pikkat
Head of Pirita Library