Days At The Morisaki Bookshop By Satoshi Yagisawa

Description

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa is a delightfully simple and deeply soothing book that celebrates the healing power of books, the warmth of human connection, and the quiet strength that comes from finding your place in the world. This wonderful story was first published in Japan, where it was very well received. It has since become a bestseller and a quiet phenomenon. Now, for the first time, it is accessible in English translation for readers across the world to enjoy.

The book tells the story of Takako, a young woman who lives in Tokyo and is at a hard crossroads in her life. After being betrayed in a romantic way, she loses her sense of security and self-worth. She leaves her job, cuts herself off from everyone, and becomes emotionally numb. Just when she feels like she’s lost everything, her strange uncle Satoru Morisaki offers her an unexpected lifeline by inviting her to reside above his secondhand bookstore in the Jimbocho area, which is known for its books.

Takako doesn’t like to read, but she agrees anyway. She doesn’t imagine that the dusty shelves, the smell of old paper, and the calm pace of life in a bookstore will eventually change her. As she helps operate the Morisaki Bookshop, she starts to read, and with each book she reads, she also opens herself up to development, contemplation, and healing.

Yagisawa’s writing is simple but poetic, with a serene elegance that matches the calmness of the shop itself. Instead of depending on big plot twists, the book has small, meaningful moments like shared meals, quiet talks, and the sound of pages moving. Takako reconnects with herself and the world around her through these.

Eventually, Takako starts to make connections with her regular clients, her uncle (whose own tale is full of quiet sadness), and new people who push her to try new things. There are a lot of references to Japanese and Western literature in the book, yet it’s never scholarly or distant. Books become friends who help us feel things, teach us things, and connect with other people.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is more than just a book about books. It’s a meditation on starting again, discovering beauty in the ordinary, and how healing doesn’t always come with a bang. It can come gently, like a book in a sunny corner of a secondhand store.

This book is a must-read for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, The Cat Who Saved Books, and The Little Paris Bookshop. It’s a great narrative about transition, being alone, and the little things that keep us going.

About the Author

Satoshi Yagisawa is a Japanese novelist known for his evocative, gentle storytelling and his deep appreciation for literature’s healing power. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is his debut novel, which won the Chiyoda Literature Prize in Japan and quickly became a bestseller. His writing continues to resonate with readers who enjoy quiet, introspective tales that highlight the beauty of everyday life.

Product Details

• Title: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

• Author: Satoshi Yagisawa

• ISBN-13: 9781914484611

• Publisher: Bonnier Books UK / Picador

• Published: July 2023 (English Translation)

• Pages: 160

• Binding: Paperpack