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We’re in hour #23. Join us for the final hours HERE.What You Are Looking for Is in the Library
5 journalers for this copy...
Welcome to BookCrossing! This is a site for catching and releasing books for those who want to share the joy of reading. If you find this book, please leave a journal entry to let previous readers know how and where you found the book. Feel free to do this anonymously if you wish. You are welcome to keep the book, but I encourage you to pass it on and let it continue its journey.
This is a short book consisting of several stories, each featuring a different character, but interconnected through their encounters with an unusual librarian in a small community library. It is a sweet, charming book that examines the personal challenges and life goals of the various characters and gives a glimpse of modern Japanese culture. I'll admit that I'm partial to this book because it features a lot of things that I love: books, libraries, needle crafts, cats and Japanese food.
This book is on its way to djf1968!
This arrived today. Books, libraries and Japanese food. I can't wait to get started.
“What are you looking for?” I LOVED this. I’m not generally drawn to collections of short stories, but for every rule there is an exception. I adore how the author wove these five people’s lives together through the community library and its eccentric librarian. It was a lovely glimpse into Japanese culture, and the food references sprinkled throughout were an awesome bonus.
My favorite words (a lot of them, because I love how this author puts words together, and how the translator worked her magic):
“I probably just want someone to whom I can put on a brave face, and Saya presents me with an image of how I would like to be seen.”
“In a world where you don't know what will happen next, I just do what I can right now.”
“As long as you continue to say the words "one day", the dream is not over. Maybe it will simply remain a beautiful dream. It may never come true. But that is one way to live, in my opinion. The days go by more happily when you have something to dream about. It's not always a bad thing to have a dream, with no plan for ever carrying it out.”
“Being born is probably the most difficult thing we ever have to do. I am convinced that everything else that comes afterwards is nowhere near as hard. If you can survive the ordeal of being born, you can get through anything.”
“The good thing about felting is that you can start again halfway through. Even after your project begins to take shape, you can easily change direction along the way if you feel that you want to make something different after all.”
“Try not to think of upset plans or schedules as personal failure or bad luck. If you can do that, then you can change, in your own self and in your life overall.”
“This place has atmosphere, different from a bookshop with just new books. In here you sense the weight of time, stretching way back to the past.”
“In the last year of high school, thirty seemed like centuries away. So old and adult. I thought all my problems would be solved by then.”
“There's no guarantee of certainty in anything. But the flip side to there being no guarantee of security is that there's also no certainty that something is a dud.”
“Forty-seven? That's young? I'm thirty but already I feel old. But young and old might be relative.”
“Kids pick up on that kind of thing. They can sense when someone's different, or delicate. It wasn't that I was actually bullied so much as sort of ignored. I began to feel like I had no right to be in the classroom.”
“I'm still searching. Searching for somewhere I can be accepted as I am. Just one place is all I need. Somewhere to be at peace.”
“All this time, I believed that I had no talent for drawing. I believed I could never have a normal working life. Now I was starting to wonder. How much had my own thinking limited my opportunities?”
“…sixty-five is not as old as I thought. This came as a surprise - I am not at all like the old man I used to imagine that I would become. Of course, I haven't been young for quite some time now, but I certainly don't feel old yet.”
“Belonging is an ambiguous state, you know.”
“Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer's intentions, and each reader gains something unique.”
My favorite words (a lot of them, because I love how this author puts words together, and how the translator worked her magic):
“I probably just want someone to whom I can put on a brave face, and Saya presents me with an image of how I would like to be seen.”
“In a world where you don't know what will happen next, I just do what I can right now.”
“As long as you continue to say the words "one day", the dream is not over. Maybe it will simply remain a beautiful dream. It may never come true. But that is one way to live, in my opinion. The days go by more happily when you have something to dream about. It's not always a bad thing to have a dream, with no plan for ever carrying it out.”
“Being born is probably the most difficult thing we ever have to do. I am convinced that everything else that comes afterwards is nowhere near as hard. If you can survive the ordeal of being born, you can get through anything.”
“The good thing about felting is that you can start again halfway through. Even after your project begins to take shape, you can easily change direction along the way if you feel that you want to make something different after all.”
“Try not to think of upset plans or schedules as personal failure or bad luck. If you can do that, then you can change, in your own self and in your life overall.”
“This place has atmosphere, different from a bookshop with just new books. In here you sense the weight of time, stretching way back to the past.”
“In the last year of high school, thirty seemed like centuries away. So old and adult. I thought all my problems would be solved by then.”
“There's no guarantee of certainty in anything. But the flip side to there being no guarantee of security is that there's also no certainty that something is a dud.”
“Forty-seven? That's young? I'm thirty but already I feel old. But young and old might be relative.”
“Kids pick up on that kind of thing. They can sense when someone's different, or delicate. It wasn't that I was actually bullied so much as sort of ignored. I began to feel like I had no right to be in the classroom.”
“I'm still searching. Searching for somewhere I can be accepted as I am. Just one place is all I need. Somewhere to be at peace.”
“All this time, I believed that I had no talent for drawing. I believed I could never have a normal working life. Now I was starting to wonder. How much had my own thinking limited my opportunities?”
“…sixty-five is not as old as I thought. This came as a surprise - I am not at all like the old man I used to imagine that I would become. Of course, I haven't been young for quite some time now, but I certainly don't feel old yet.”
“Belonging is an ambiguous state, you know.”
“Readers make their own personal connections to words, irrespective of the writer's intentions, and each reader gains something unique.”
Journal Entry 6 by 
djf1968
at Favourite Book Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, February 20, 2025
djf1968 at Favourite Book Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, February 20, 2025
Released 2 mos ago (2/20/2025 UTC) at Favourite Book Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
And this beautiful book is off to its next reader. Enjoy!
This book has arrived in Seattle as part of the Favorite Book of 2024 Roundabout by @dark-draco
I agree with others that this book was a joy to read.
My one quibble is how the librarian, Sayuri Komachi, who is the keystone to all the stories, is described. I get she is an obese woman, but is it necessary to say she looks like a “Stay-puft Marshmallow Man” and various other negative terms? She is an excellent listener and connector and her book recommendations send each of the characters in this book onto new life paths.
Otherwise, I thought this was a charming book that emphasized community and connection to others. I want to thank mathgirl40 for contributing this book to the Book Roundabout!
My one quibble is how the librarian, Sayuri Komachi, who is the keystone to all the stories, is described. I get she is an obese woman, but is it necessary to say she looks like a “Stay-puft Marshmallow Man” and various other negative terms? She is an excellent listener and connector and her book recommendations send each of the characters in this book onto new life paths.
Otherwise, I thought this was a charming book that emphasized community and connection to others. I want to thank mathgirl40 for contributing this book to the Book Roundabout!
Journal Entry 9 by 
39301
at Favourite Book Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, March 10, 2025
39301 at Favourite Book Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, March 10, 2025
Released 1 mo ago (3/10/2025 UTC) at Favourite Book Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sending this off to @valpete in a next few days.
The book continues its journey as part of the Favorite Book of 2024 Roundabout by @dark-draco
For your reference, the rest of the readers on this list are:
VALPETE (USA)
DARK-DRACO (UK)
CROSS-PATCH (UK)
GREENBADGER (UK)
SHEPPARM (UK)
ESTELLE1806 (IRELAND)
FIFNA (NETHERLANDS)
GROVALSKII (GERMANY)
ANDRASTHE (AUSTRIA)
RACH260 (AUSTRALIA)
The book continues its journey as part of the Favorite Book of 2024 Roundabout by @dark-draco
For your reference, the rest of the readers on this list are:
VALPETE (USA)
DARK-DRACO (UK)
CROSS-PATCH (UK)
GREENBADGER (UK)
SHEPPARM (UK)
ESTELLE1806 (IRELAND)
FIFNA (NETHERLANDS)
GROVALSKII (GERMANY)
ANDRASTHE (AUSTRIA)
RACH260 (AUSTRALIA)
Received...thanks for sending this along.
I enjoyed this sweet book, especially the last chapter, since I could best relate to Masao, having retired not so long ago. It's now off to the next reader across the pond.
Received - thank you :)
