The Housekeeper and the Professor: A Novel by Yoko Ogawa

The Housekeeper and the Professor: A Novel by Yoko Ogawa

It's not often that a book moves me the way this one did. After devouring most of it yesterday, even staying up late in the night, I finally finished it this morning, with tears streaming down my face.

This is a beautifully written novel (written by Ms. Ogawa in Japanese and translated by Stephen Snyder). It's a simple story of a woman who is the housekeeper for a mathematical genius - one who survived a tragic accident almost 20 years before leaving him with a short-term memory that lasts only 80 minutes. Each day, she must re-introduce herself when she comes to work. The Professor lives with notes clipped to his clothes, reminders to help him live. When he meets her son, he insists that she bring him with her every day. Nicknamed Root, the son and the Professor develop a fascinating relationship, sharing a love of math and baseball.

I could go on and on describing this book, its loveliness, and its love in every single page. Instead I will just say, please please read this book.