A Book for Book Lovers & A Book-Related Proposition (ZAN! #10)
also, anyone up for a book club?
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I’ve been visiting family in Arizona this past week and I simply cannot believe how UNGODLY the heat is. Even the cacti look more crispy and shriveled than usual. I’m convinced that in 100 years, the city of Phoenix will be obsolete.
Luckily, my trip was redeemed by two things that I can’t get as easily in New York — coffee shops with available seats, and truly exceptional tacos.
Before we jump in, a quick announcement: I’ve finally set up my Bookshop storefront! I’ve listed every book that has been featured on ZAN! so far, and will continue to keep it updated. (There’s also a list of non-ZAN! books that I still really love.) Check it out here.
Since the last few weeks have been very music-heavy, this week is dedicated to books. And because I’m human and can’t power through books that fast, I have one recommendation, plus a recommendation-proposition fusion. Read on!
📖 Satoshi Yagisawa - Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
A slim book with an inviting cover and charming premise, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is perfect if you are: 1) looking for a short read that won’t tire you out, or 2) someone who just really, really loves books.
The story follows Takako, a young woman who is blindsided by a major breakup with her boyfriend-slash-coworker.
After quitting her job, she falls into a serious funk. Life starts to change once her Uncle Satoru invites her to live and work at his family-owned secondhand bookstore.
Through her new relationships (and the stacks of books she’s surrounded by), Takako begins to heal.
There are moments where the dialogue becomes surprisingly reflective. Here’s an exchange between Uncle Satoru and Takako that struck me:
“But, I don’t know, maybe it takes a long time to figure out what you’re truly searching for. Maybe you spend your whole life just to figure out a small part of it.”
“I don’t know. I think maybe I’ve been wasting my time, just doing nothing.”
“I don’t think so. It’s important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you’re well rested, you can set sail again.”
With crisp language and laudable pacing, Days is an exceptionally readable book — perfect for tossing into a tote bag to read while on the go.
(P.S. If you end up enjoying this book, I guarantee that you will LOVE Only Yesterday, a very underrated Ghibli movie that I wrote about in the very first edition of the newsletter.)
📖 Now Reading: Abraham Verghese - The Covenant of Water
Boasting a whopping 4.54 on Goodreads, it’s clear that The Covenant of Water by Abraham Berghese is going to be a winner.
While I’m not far enough into this book to be able to recommend it with detail, I’m already totally absorbed by this decades-spanning epic.
The story begins in 1900, where a 12-year old Indian Christian girl is married into a family that has a deathly fear of water. (And rightfully so: They are followed by a generational curse, where family members often die by drowning.)
If this book sounds interesting to you, here’s my proposition. Why not read it along with me? I’ll plan to publish a more comprehensive review of the book in two weeks, and I would LOVE to hear your thoughts at that time!
(On an aside, if you are interested in participating in a Zoom-based monthly book club focused on Asian authors, would you let me know in the comments? I’ve been playing with this idea and would love to get something going if there is interest!)
🙇🏻♀️ Now, it’s your turn!
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Until next time,
Rebecca