What You Are Looking For is in the Library
 by Michiko Aoyama

Runner-up of the 2021 Japan Booksellers’ Awards; more than 130,000 copies sold

What are you looking for? is the question that enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi, puts to those who come to her for book recommendations. The list of titles she gives, however, always contains an unexpected addition that becomes a catalyst for the borrower to gain new perspectives and gives them the impetus to make changes in their life. The novel is comprised of five chapters, each narrated by a visitor to the library in the small community centre in Tokyo. Each protagonist is at a different juncture in their career, wrestling with dilemmas particular to that stage of life. The conversation that they have with Sayuri Komachi turns out to be a life-changing encounter.

A constant reminder of The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, this charming book about the magic of books, life choices, and community, could not be timelier in a post-Covid age. The skilfully and subtly interwoven stories, with characters in one story naturally re-appearing in other stories, add up to a novel that is a paean to libraries, books, and community. Its message that books are a source of wisdom and inspiration, often playing a key role in human communication, is one that will resonate widely. Anyone who has ever felt at an impasse in their life or career will surely find something to identify with within these heart-warming pages.

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