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Sweet Bean Paste

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Sweet Bean Paste

By: Durian Sukegawa, Alison Watts - translator
Narrated by: Cindy Kay
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About this listen

A charming tale of friendship, love, and loneliness in contemporary Japan

Sentaro has failed. He has a criminal record, drinks too much, and his dream of becoming a writer is just a distant memory. With only the blossoming of the cherry trees to mark the passing of time, he spends his days in a tiny confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with sweet bean paste.

But everything is about to change.

Into his life comes Tokue, an elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past. Tokue makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. She begins to teach him her craft, but as their friendship flourishes, social pressures become impossible to escape and Tokue's dark secret is revealed, with devastating consequences.

Sweet Bean Paste is a moving novel about the burden of the past and the redemptive power of friendship. Translated into English for the first time, Durian Sukegawa's beautiful prose is capturing hearts all over the world.

©2013, 2015 Durian Sukegawa; English translation copyright 2017 by Alison Watts (P)2022 Tantor Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature Heartfelt
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A tragically beautiful story, heartbreaking and heartwarming. Thank you for translating so we can all enjoy this book

Beautiful story

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A page turner. well written subtle emotional content a beautiful story. 10 out of 10 review.

Fascinating gripping story.

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A touching commentary on the history of the social ostracism, segregation and shaming of the frail and ill, and its perpetuation into modern times due to ignorance, misinformation, and the human tendency towards tribalism and 'othering' of people whose misfortune confronts our sense of vulnerability and challenges our idea of 'normal'.

Japanese melancholy

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.