Positive Focus Sunday - The Cat Who Saved Books

I had seen this book recommended somewhere, either on a YouTube video or a Goodreads post, and it intrigued me. Cat, books - what could be better. Plus it was sitting on the new books shelf at the library when I went in, so I grabbed it.

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa and translated by Louise Heal Kawai is more of a novella, less than 200 pages. But boy, does it pack a punch. 

It follows Rinchan, a young high school boy who lives with his grandfather over their little used book store. Unfortunately, the grandfather dies and Rinchan must prepare to go live with an aunt he doesn't know. 

While preparing for the move, in strolls a cat. A very unusual cat. And Rinchan has to complete three quests for the cat, all involving saving books in another dimension. 

The book captures the angst and isolation Rinchan feels as he is not well-known in his school - a real hikikomori - a young person, mainly male, who have consciously decided to shut themselves from society, rarely going out to school or work. 

However, it is the surprise meeting at the end of the book, a fourth quest, where he has to defend the purpose of books and why they are worth saving. The following is his defense of books...

            

    "You know, I've been thinking about books."

                "I've been wondering, exactly what is this power that books posses? Grandpa used to say it all the time: books have tremendous power. But what is that power really?"

                "Books can give us knowledge, wisdom, values, a view of the world, and so much more. The joy of learning something you didn't know before, and seeing things in a whole new way is exciting. But somehow I believed they gave us something more important than that."

                "I don't believe I have any special powers, and that includes the power to change anything. But if there is one thing I am good at, it's talking about books. And I still have plenty to say. I've been thinking over the topic of the power of books for a long time now, and I believe I've found an answer."

                "Books are filled with human thought and feelings. People suffering, people who are sad or happy, laughing with joy. By reading their words and their stories, by experiencing them together, we learn about the hearts and minds of other people besides ourselves. Thanks to books, it's possible to learn not only about the people around us every day, but people living in totally different worlds."

                "Don't hurt anyone. Never bully people weaker than yourself. Help out those in need. Some would say that these rules are obvious. But the truth is, the obvious is no longer obvious in today's world. What's worse is that some people even ask why. They don't understand why they shouldn't hurt other people. It's not a simple thing to explain. It's not logical. but if they read books they will understand. It's far more important than using logic to explain something. Human beings don't live alone, and a book is a way to show them that."

                "Because you seem to have forgotten. I'm going to say it as loud as I can. Empathy - that's the power of books." 

Need I say more?