What You Are Looking for Is in the Library

De: Michiko Aoyama, Alison Watts

Narrado por: Hanako Footman, Kenichiro Thomson, Winson Ting, Shiro Kawai, Susan Momoko Hingley

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

Enjoyable characters

Some of the voices were a bit weird and over the top 🤣 but the book was excellent. A lot of tied together short stories with great characters. The writing brought sparkle to the mundane aspects of life.

Lo profundo y sencillo de las historias

Me encantó cada capítulo inmensamente. Con todo me identifique disfrute. Un entretejido emocional entre historias

Ein Buch voller Lebensweisheiten und Wärme

“Was du suchst, ist in der Bibliothek” ist ein stilles, poetisches Buch voller Lebensweisheit und Wärme. Michiko Aoyama erzählt in kurzen, miteinander verwobenen Episoden von Menschen, die auf der Suche nach Orientierung, Trost oder Veränderung sind – und diese überraschenderweise in einer Bibliothek finden. Besonders berührend ist die Figur der Bibliothekarin, die mit scheinbar einfachen Buchempfehlungen tiefgreifende Entwicklungen anstößt.

Das Buch erinnert daran, dass manchmal ein einziges Buch oder ein ehrlicher Satz unser Denken verändern kann. Die Geschichten wirken lange nach – ruhig, aber eindringlich – und laden dazu ein, auch im eigenen Leben innezuhalten und neu hinzuschauen.

Ein wunderbares, herzerwärmendes Leseerlebnis für alle, die an die stille Kraft von Büchern glauben.

Beautiful zen story

Beautiful short stories with a lot of meaning. Read very well. Different characters and narrators and voices.

Heartwarming and introspective story

The library becomes a metaphorical space where the protagonist uncovers the answers to life’s biggest questions it beautifully illustrates that the answers to our life’s dilemmas often lie within us, waiting to be discovered, and that books can serve as a guiding light in this journey of self-awareness and growth.

Great narratives

I loved how this book made me feel. Each chapter presented a different person with everyday struggles and yet the librarian brought everything together in a smooth and easy manner. Ayoma did a truly great job capturing my feelings and giving me strength and hope for a bright future. I especially loved the manga chapter and the one with the mother.

The many different narrators also does a great job of giving life to the different personalities, only 1 voice was hard to listen to but that’s life isn’t it? Not everyone are easy to listen too for one reason or another.

The first story was my favourite

The last rwo narrators were kund of annoying 🫠 The last one kind of almost made me not want to finish

The male voice actor was hard to liteen to.😭

Love the story overall, but the male voice actor for the chapter 4 was really hard to listen to.
I wouldn’t rather read the book than listen to.