My Thoughts on “What You Are Looking for is in the Library” by Michiko Aoyama

Good morning everyone,

How are you doing lately?

I recently finished reading What You Are Looking for is in the Library” by Japenese author and reporter, Michiko Aoyama. We’re going to be exploring my thoughts on the book with you all in today’s blog.

Hello and Welcome to Sweeney’s Blogs!

I heard so many people talk about the rise in translated Japanese books over the last couple of year, however, before this year, I’d never actually read any of them. Back towards the start of 2024, I read “Before the Coffee Gets Cold”, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, and found the philosophical embedded form of storytelling to be fascinating, which is something this book follows along with perfectly.

Inspired by that experience, I decided to explore more of this genre, and soon found myself captivated by the unique blend of simplicity and depth often found in Japanese literature. There’s an elegance in how these stories weave together everyday life with profound reflections, creating narratives that feel both intimate and universal. As somebody who loves finding out more about the people and cultures which exist in the world, this was something that was right up my street.

Reading these books feels like being invited into a different cultural perspective, where the small moments matter just as much as the big ones, and where every character’s journey holds a quiet, yet powerful significance. With this in mind, let’s take a look at today’s book in a little more detail…

Here’s the blurb for the book, to give you a little insight into the plot, if you haven’t heard of it before:

“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 purpose

Can she help them find what they are looking for?

Which book will you recommend?”

What instantly drew me into the book was its intriguing premise. As somebody who loves to read, I find exploring genres, authors and writing style to be captivating, and it’s somthing that I really enjoying chatting to others about – it’s why I’ve been a part of a couple of different book clubs over the years, chatting about a whole array of different choices.

The idea of a librarian who possesses an almost magical ability to understand people’s deepest needs and offer the perfect book to guide them was an interesting concept for me. Each character’s journey is unique, reflecting the different challenges we all face in life — from navigating career changes to finding motivation in our passions, discussing changes with family to bouncing back after any obstacles arise in our lives.

Through the librarian Sayuri Komachi’s recommendations, the plot becomes a collection of stories about transformation, self-discovery, and the unexpected paths that books can lead us down. It beautifully encapsulates the power of reading to entertain, inspire, heal, and offer new perspectives on the world around us.

Aoyama seamlessly blends themes of family, friends, autonomy, freedom and more into a highly heart-warming read. Being only 256 pages long, it’s a really easy book to sit down and read, picking up lessons that you can apply in your own respective situations along the way, what’s not to enjoy?!

I would thoroughly recommend giving “What You Are Looking for is in the Library” a read. I’m looking to giving my next translated Japanese book a read and seeing what lessons it has in store for me 🙂

That’s all for today’s blog, what do you think? What’s the last book you read? Do you have any book recommendations that you would like to share? Would you like to see more book reviews going forward?

I’d love to hear your thoughts ⤵️

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a lovely day!