Staff Pick: What you are looking for is in the library

What you are looking for is in the library written by Michiko Aoyama and translated by Alison Watts is a great example of feel-good fiction. The book is set in Japan and follows a number of characters. The common thread is that they all visit a small community library. Working there is a librarian who helps them with what they need. They arrive to the library looking for something and she often prescribes an additional book. 

With a nod to magical realism, this lovely page-turner shows us that life’s ups and downs can be similar whether you are from Dublin or Tokyo. The five stories of those who visit the library are representative of challenges at different stages of life, from being rudderless through unemployment to the challenges of your first job, from being a time poor new parent with a desire for a promotion at work, to how you fill your time after retirement. It is about kindness and connection, life improvements and some rather delicious sounding Japanese honey cakes. 

This book brings to mind Maeve Binchy’s writing in terms of its warmth and how sometimes making simple changes can have powerfully positive transformative results. 

Copies of What you are looking for is in the library are available in our libraries, and also as an eBook and eAudiobook for library members.

Sarah Conroy, Librarian, Ballymun Library