What You’re Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama brings together the stories of five individuals, none of whom are readers. There’s Tomoka, a twenty-one-year-old sales assistant, who knows she wants to pick up a new skill but doesn’t know which one, Hiroya, a young manga artist, who is uninspired to pursue his gifted talent Natsumi, former magazine editor who, after her maternity leave, hopes to get back to her job, Masao, a 65-year-old dealing with the monotony of retired life, and Ryo, a middle-aged accountant who dreams of opening an antique store someday.
Their somewhat directionless outlook towards life is nonchalantly guided by an enigmatic librarian, a Ms Sayuri Komachi, who intuitively recommends a book to them from the community library, which proves to be instrumental in changing their lives for the better.
When it comes to books, it’s simple – either you’re a reader or you’re not. And in What You’re Looking For Is In The Library, it’s heartening to witness non-readers finding purpose after reading a book. The preference of language or genre might differ, but once you’ve picked up a book, finished it and moved on to reading another one, you’ve earned the coveted tag of being a reader. The glow that comes from walking into a bookstore bursting with paperbacks and hardcovers, packed tightly on well-organized bookshelves, or simply strewn about on table tops, is one that book lovers cherish.
In words people find solace, and in stories, healing, because reading is a lot like meditation. It is an escape, a good one, from the lived experiences that tie individuals down; having a book to turn to is a great reassurance.
{{/usCountry}}In words people find solace, and in stories, healing, because reading is a lot like meditation. It is an escape, a good one, from the lived experiences that tie individuals down; having a book to turn to is a great reassurance.
{{/usCountry}}Michiko Aoyama’s fiction heals and nourishes with every turn of the page.
Arunima Mazumdar is an independent writer. She is @sermoninstone on Twitter and @sermonsinstone on Instagram.