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Sweet Bean Paste
‘I’m in story heaven with this book.’ Cecelia Ahern, author of P.S. I Love YouA charming tale of friendship, love and loneliness in contemporary JapanSentaro 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.
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Tales from the Cafe
The million-copy bestselling series. Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s heartwarming Tales from the Cafe, translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot, explores the age-old question: what would you do if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a cafe which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time .
. . From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold comes a story of four new customers each of whom is hoping to take advantage of Cafe Funiculi Funicula’s time-travelling offer.
Among some faces that will be familiar to readers, we will be introduced to:The man who goes back to see his best friend who died 22 years agoThe son who was unable to attend his own mother’s funeralThe man who travelled to see the girl who he could not marryThe old detective who never gave his wife that gift . . .
This beautiful tale tells the story of people who must face up to their past, in order to move on with their lives. Continue the heartwarming storytelling with Before Your Memory Fades, Before We Say Goodbye and Before We Forget Kindness – all out now!
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The Full Moon Coffee Shop
A MAGICAL TALE OF CATS, CAKES AND ASTROLOGY FOR READERS OF BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLDHUMANS ARE STARS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, MIZUKI. EVERY ONE OF THEM. THE #1 INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING HEALING SERIES THAT FEELS LIKE A HUGUnder a glittering full moon, a Kyoto coffee shop appears only where and when it’s needed.
It’s run by talking cats serving delicious desserts and age-old astrological wisdom. This coffee shop attracts customers who have lost their way in life, from a failed video game developer to a romantically challenged TV director. In the middle of the night, the feline guides will set everyone on their destined paths…
Heartwarming and magical, THE FULL MOON COFFEE SHOP will remind you that it’s never too late to discover your purpose. ‘Lose yourself in a world of talking cats with this cult bestseller’ GLAMOUR ? ? ? ? ?’Feel-good fiction for those needing a redirection’ BOOKLIST ? ? ? ? ?’I don’t think I’ll ever forget it’ READER ? ? ? ? ?’A slice of magic I hope to one day discover is true’ READER ? ? ? ? ?>THE FULL MOON COFFEE SHOP has sold over half a million copies across 20 languages, including Italian, French and German.
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The Goodbye Cat
The uplifting new cat novel from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles’Quirky and life-enhancing’ THE TIMES Biggest Books of the Autumn _____________________Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners’ lives. – A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby- An elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever- A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature’s way- A family is perplexed by their cat’s devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father- A woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at nightBursting with empathy and love, THE GOODBYE CAT explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them.
‘A book for every cat lover. An enchanting insight into the mysterious world of cats and their humans’ CELIA HADDON, author of Being Your Cat**Includes seven beautiful cat drawings**_____________________READERS ADORE THE GOODBYE CAT- ‘Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human – or rather, cat kindness’ *****- ‘Irresistible.
This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book’ *****
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The Housekeeper and the Professor
He is a brilliant maths Professor with a peculiar problem – ever since a traumatic head injury, he has lived with only eighty minutes of short-term memory. She is an astute young Housekeeper, with a ten-year-old son, who is hired to care for him. Each morning, the Professor and the Housekeeper are introduced to one another.
The Professor may not remember what he had for breakfast, but his mind is still alive with elegant mathematical equations from the past. He devises clever maths riddles – based on her shoe size or her birthday – and the numbers reveal a poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her son. With each new equation, the three lost souls forge an affection more mysterious than imaginary numbers, and a bond that runs deeper than memory.
‘This is one of those books written in such lucid, unpretentious language that reading it is like looking into a deep pool of clear water…Dive into Yoko Ogawa’s world and you find yourself tugged by forces more felt than seen’ New York TimesVINTAGE JAPANESE CLASSICS – five masterpieces of Japanese fiction in gorgeous new gift editions.
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The Kamogawa Food Detectives
The first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is perfect for fans of Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold. What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner treats its customers to wonderfully extravagant meals.
But that’s not the main reason to stop by . . .
The father-daughter duo have started advertising their services as ‘food detectives’. Through ingenious investigations, they are capable of recreating a dish from their customers’ pasts – dishes that may well hold the keys to unlocking forgotten memories and future happiness. From the widower looking for a specific noodle dish that his wife used to cook, to a first love’s beef stew, the restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to the past – and a way to a more contented future.
A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, and translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is a heartwarming celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal. Perfect for readers of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. ‘Warmed my heart’ – Genki Kawamura, author of If Cats Disappeared from the World
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The Lantern of Lost Memories
One photograph, one treasured memory, one chance to go back . . .
In Mr Hirasaka’s cosy photography studio in the mountains between this world and the next, someone is waking up as if from a dream.
There is a stack of photos on their lap, one for every day of their life, and now they must choose the pictures that capture their most treasured memories, which will be placed in a beautiful lantern. Once completed, it will be set spinning, and their cherished moments will flash before their eyes, guiding them to another world.
But, like our most thumbed-over photographs, our favourite memories fade with age. So each visitor to the studio has the chance to choose one day to return to and photograph afresh.
Each has a treasured story to tell, from the old woman rebuilding a community in Tokyo after a disaster, to the flawed Yakuza man who remembers a time when he was kind, and a strong child who is fighting to survive.
Extraordinarily moving and wise, The Lantern of Lost Memories is a beautiful Japanese tale about the people that make us and the moments that change us.
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The Miracles of the Namiya General Store
“From exactly midnight until daybreak, the Namiya General Store advice box will be reopening for one night only.” When three delinquents hole up in an abandoned general store after their most recent robbery, to their great surprise, a letter drops through the mail slot in the store’s shutter. This seemingly simple request for advice sets the trio on a journey of discovery as, over the course of a single night, they step into the role of the kindhearted former shopkeeper who devoted his waning years to offering thoughtful counsel to his correspondents. Through the lens of time, they share insight with those seeking guidance, and by morning, none of their lives will ever be the same. By acclaimed author Keigo Higashino, The Miracles of the Namiya General Store is a work that has touched the hearts of readers around the world.
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The Restaurant of Lost Recipes
‘Author Hisashi Kashiwai shows a tremendous amount of empathy for his characters as well as a gentle humor. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll open a delivery app’ – Apple BooksThe Restaurant of Lost Recipes, translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, is the second book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese sleuthing series for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and follows on from The Kamogawa Food Detectives. This edition includes an exclusive letter from the author, Hisashi Kashiwai.
Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner. Running this unique establishment are a father-daughter duo who serve more than just mouth-watering feasts. The pair have reinvented themselves as ‘food detectives’, offering a service that goes beyond traditional dining.
Through their culinary sleuthing, they reconstruct beloved dishes from the memories of their customers, creating a connection to cherished moments from the past. Among those who seek an appointment is a one-hit wonder pop star, finally ready to leave Tokyo and give up on her singing career. She wants to try the tempura that she once ate to celebrate her only successful record.
Another diner is a budding Olympic swimmer, who desires the bento lunch box that his estranged father used to make him. The Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve meals – it revives lost recipes and rekindles forgotten memories. It’s a doorway to the past through the miracle of delicious food.
‘Feelgood and foodie themes collide in this follow-up to The Kamogawa Food Detectives’ – The TimesReaders are saying:’The book opens a window on a different view of Japan , it has a touch of mystery and magic . It is a gentle and heartwarming read’ – 5 stars’A delightful, wholesome book with a wonderful setting and distinct characters. The descriptions of the food are so creative and I found i really wanted to try them, they sounded delicious!’ – 5 stars’A captivating, heart-warming novel, recommended for lovers of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series.’ – 5 stars
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The Travelling Cat Chronicles
STUNNING HARDBACK GIFTING EDITION, INCLUDES A RIBBON and SIX LINE DRAWINGSRECOMMENDED BY THOUSANDS OF READERS – the uplifting story of a journey around Japan with a cat by your side. ‘Bewitching… as self-possessed and comforting as – well, a cat’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH_____________It’s not the journey that counts, but who’s at your side.
Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van. Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn’t know why and Satoru won’t say.
Set against the backdrop of Japan’s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana’s story explores the wonder and thrill of life’s unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take. TRAVELLING CAT has already demonstrated its power to move thousands of readers with a message of kindness and truth.
It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives. ‘Arikawa has a lightness of touch that elevates her story to a tale about loyalty and friendship … while speaking to our basic human need for companionship’ JOHN BOYNE, Irish Times’Anyone who has ever unashamedly loved an animal will read this book with gratitude, for its understanding of an emotion that ennobles us as human beings, whether we value it or not’ LYNNE TRUSS, Guardian’It has the warmth, painterly touch, and tenderness of a Studio Ghibli film – and it is a delight to read’ FINANCIAL TIMESWHAT READERS ARE SAYING:’I devoured this in just four days.
Read it and weep’*****’What an astounding book’*****’Totally enchanting and delightful’ *****’Full of hope. Just as good for non-cat-owners as well’*****’Absolutely amazing. I read it in a couple of days’*****’One of the best little books I have ever read’*****
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Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
**AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER**WATERSTONES BEST FICTION BOOKS OF 2023 PICK WOMAN & HOME NOVEMBER BOOK OF THE MONTH iPaper TOP FICTION PICK’An absolutely charming novel that all bookworms will adore’ Red’A balm for the soul and a glorious love letter to books and reading’ iPaperThere was only one thing on her mind. ‘I must start a bookshop.’Yeongju did everything she was supposed to, go to university, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart.
Burned out, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop. In a quaint neighbourhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge.
From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster, and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju – they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live. A heart-warming story about finding comfort and acceptance in your life – and the healing power of books.
‘Delightful, reflective and heart-warming’ Woman’s Weekly‘Profound and healing … a beautiful story at its heart’ Woman & Home ‘An incredibly exciting debut novel. At once gentle and invigorating. I devoured it’ Sarah Crossan, author of Here is the Beehive Reader Reviews:’Love love love this book! Cosy, heart warming, wholesome…Will be recommending this to everyone.
It makes me smile when I think about it!’ ‘Such a beautiful book, I adored the story and characters, The writing style was gorgeous. 100% recommend.”A love letter to books, bookshops and all who love them”Such a warm and cosy read! Was completely here for it…and the appreciation for books was magical”A heart-warming cosy read that makes you think about how important it is to be happy, and that we can all find a place to call ‘home’.’
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What You Are Looking for is in the Library
THE TWO-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING INTERNATIONAL NOVELThe Top Ten Times bestsellerA Time Magazine Book of the Year’An undeniable page-turner’ New York Times’I ADORED this uplifting, hopeful novel ‘ Daily Mail’It made me laugh and cry and feel comforted’ 5***** Reader review’A tribute to the transformative power of books and libraries’ Irish TimesAn inspirational tale of the love, comfort and growth you can find in the pages of a good book. _________________What are you looking for?So asks Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. But she is no ordinary librarian.
Sensing exactly what someone is searching for in life, she provides just the book recommendation to help them find it. We meet five visitors to the library, each at a different crossroads:- The restless retail assistant eager to pick up new skills- The mother faced with a demotion at work after maternity leave- The conscientious accountant who yearns to open an antique store- The gifted young manga artist in search of motivation- The recently retired salaryman on a quest for newfound purposeCan she help them find what they are looking for?Which book will you recommend?_________________’An undeniable page-turner’ New York TimesFor fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this feel-good Japanese book shows how the perfect book recommendation can change a life. SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAPAN BOOKSELLERS’ AWARD’I definitely want to visit this library.
I feel kinder after this book’ 5***** Reader review’A quirky slice of feel-good fiction that you could recommend to anyone’ Mail on Sunday’Wonderful. It made me look for connection in my life’ 5***** Reader reviewTimes bestseller, August 2023
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Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat
*THE HEARTWARMING KOREAN BESTSELLER**A new book from Shanna Tan, translator of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop*Situated at the heart of a rapidly gentrifying district of Seoul, the Yeonnam-dong Smiley Laundromat is a place where the extraordinary stories of ordinary residents unfold. It is already a haven of tranquility and reflection for locals, but when someone leaves a notebook behind, the laundromat becomes a place that brings people together. One by one, customers start jotting down candid diary entries, opening their hearts and inviting acts of kindness from neighbours who were once just faces in the crowd.
But there is more to the diary than first appears, and before long the laundromat’s regulars are teaming up to solve a mystery and help the notebook’s former owner find peace. A heartwarming, healing debut that instantly captured the hearts of Korean readers, this is a novel about the preciousness of human relationships and the power of solidarity in a world that is increasingly cold, fast-paced and virtual. Readers love this cosy, slice-of-life K-drama:”Talk to someone.
Help someone. Do a good deed. If this book doesn’t inspire you, nothing will.
A true testament to the power of books.””This is a wonderfully comforting read, and one that makes you truly believe in the goodness of others””Very similar to Before The Coffee Gets Cold or The Kamogawa Food Detectives. So if that’s your vibe, you’ll enjoy this one too!”Translated from the Korean by Shanna Tan