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What You Are Looking for Is in the Library cover art

What You Are Looking for Is in the Library

By: Michiko Aoyama, Alison Watts
Narrated by: Hanako Footman, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, Shiro Kawai, Susan Momoko-Hingley
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Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The heartwarming Japanese bestseller for fans of Matt Haig, Fredrik Backman and The Cat Who Saved Books.

'Library. What a nice-sounding word. So comforting. I feel like I'm a student again. Library... Am I allowed to borrow books?'

'What are you looking for?' asks Tokyo's most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. She is no ordinary librarian. Naturally, she has read every book on her shelf, but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of anyone who walks through her door. Sensing exactly what they're looking for in life, she provides just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it.

Every borrower in her library is at a different crossroads, from the restless retail assistant - can she ever get out of a dead-end job? - to the juggling new mother who dreams of becoming a magazine editor, and the meticulous accountant who yearns to own an antique store. The surprise book Komachi lends to each will have transformative consequences.

Magical and uplifting, What You Are Looking for Is in the Library is about the wondrousness of libraries and the power of books for change. Highlighting all the tiny comforts of being alive, it is a story that no listener will ever forget.

©2023 Michiko Aoyama (P)2023 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about What You Are Looking for Is in the Library

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Deeply moving and hopeful

This book stood out to me as a kindness, to oneself and others ... It explored the bumps in life's journey from many different perspectives, and teaches how to see things from a new perspective, how to explore new meanings and connections when all seems hopeless. Beautiful.

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  • Overall
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  • TM
  • 27-01-2024

Heart-warming stories of how it's never too late to change your life direction with small steps and kindness

Already one of my favourite books to go back to again and again. I loved all the characters - their flaws, struggles and thought processes. Ms Komachi the librarian being my favourite of course! On occasion the narration sounds a little over-acted in places but the observant and thoughtful writing outweighs this. A definite comfort read.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Different people in all walks of life

This is better to be read as a book than an audiobook. Some of the voices they picked were OK and maybe a little too enthusiastic for my liking. However I liked the different stories of each person and their background, learning an unexpected life lesson. Very relatable to people's lives of today.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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What a disappointment

This book was on my TBR for a while as I love the concept and I love Japanese fiction. However, this book is not it. When I have the ick more than twice in a book because the character or the story plot taken an ageist (please 40 is not old aged), sexist (gaslighting girlfriends and women in your life), it just not it. I did not like any of the first three characters. Did not finish and do not recommend.

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