Introducing Slow Reading: Days at The Morisaki Bookshop

I have started something called 'intentional slow reading' this year, as I have been no exception to rising screen addiction, and was also consciously aware of my AI usage. Spending time with physical books, especially books that have been written in the pre-ChatGPT age felt like a natural detox and raised my respect for those authors drastically. They take me to a different space and time, and even if it is not fiction, each thought-provoking line I go through makes me reflect on the originality of the author to have been able to come up with it. And I wonder if we will be left with the capacity for original thought at all anymore with the AI tools. That rant is reserved for another post.

So, to sum up, I ended up reading a variety of books, picking one or two or even three at a time, but without any pressure to 'complete', consciously avoiding dopamine or adrenaline triggers. Pace does not matter. The idea is to read slowly, soaking in the words, trying to grasp the fine meaning between the lines, observe the particular usage of a metaphor or a clever language play, reflect picturing the actual scene - to completely immerse myself. No worrying about when I will complete it, or what is coming next.

The idea is to read slowly, soaking in the words, trying to grasp the fine meaning between the lines, observe the particular usage of a metaphor or a clever language play, reflect picturing the actual scene - to completely immerse myself.

To make this stick, I am going to share about the books that I completed reading, one at a time, starting with Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa. 

 

There has been a rising trend in books about Japanese cafes and books about books or bookshops recently. I was finally tempted to pick this one after noticing it on display at a lot of airport bookshops and Amazon recommendations.

 

This book in English is a translation of the Japanese original. It has a warm, ‘slice of life’, vintage feel to it. The books and the cycle on the cover remind you of a different era that is an antithesis to the present world. It is simple to read, and there are no complex plot elements. It is essentially meant for slow-burn reading, like savoring a cup of hot chocolate. 

Set in Jimbocho, a neighbourhood famous for second-hand bookshops in Tokyo, this book magically captures the healing power of books. It made me fall in love with reading again. It is an ode to simple, slow life without complicated narratives.

 

This book magically captures the healing power of books. It made me fall in love with reading again. It is an ode to simple, slow life without complicated narratives. 

The book makes it okay to take time to heal and accept your past without judgement, but the plot is simplistic. I wouldn’t call it a life-changing read; and don’t expect sophisticated literary techniques - It is a simple English translation, typical of Japanese fiction. 

 

But if you are looking for simple and sweet, this is a perfect pick for a cosy day. It is pretty lightweight - that's an advantage if you're like me optimistically carrying a book around in the hope of starting to read someday. I started reading it at a kids' birthday party.

The idea of romance blooming between two people at a cafe due to a book one of them is reading, has such an old-world charm to it. Tons of mentions about different books and the characters' feelings on those books come up. This made me open up to consider an author's perspective or emotional state of mind to understand what they're trying to convey, even if I don't agree with or enjoy a particular book. And with that, I rest now. Happy reading!

 

P.S.: It's been great to come back to this space again and I am grateful to those of you who are still reading this. 

 

Related posts:

1) A long wishlist: Reflecting seven years later - link

2) From my mommy experience: Infant & toddler reading - I - link