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The Forest of Wool and Steel

Winner of the Japan Booksellers’ Award
By Philip Gabriel and Natsu Miyashita
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Forest of Wool and Steel is a captivating story about a young piano tuner named Tomura, who discovers the allure of sound and music amidst the expansive forests in Hokkaido, Japan. His journey is one of self-discovery and personal growth as he navigates the delicate balance between the natural world and the harmonies of the piano, inspired by the people and landscapes around him. Through his experiences, Tomura reflects on the beauty and intricacies of life, ultimately finding his place within it.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might like this book if you are drawn to stories that intertwine music and nature, exploring themes of personal growth and self-discovery. Its gentle and reflective narrative beautifully captures the journey of finding one's place in the world, appealing to readers who appreciate lyrical prose and deeply emotional storytelling.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Million-copy bestselling winner of the Japan Booksellers Award, chosen as the title bookshop staff most wanted to hand-sell. A feel-good, uplifting novel for fans of A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler.

Over one million copies sold.

"A mesmerising reading experience for all of us seeking a meaningful life" – Japan Times

What he experienced that day wasn't life-changing... It was life-making.

Tomura is startled by the hypnotic sound of a piano being tuned in his school. It seeps into his soul and transports him to the forests, dark and gleaming, that surround his beloved mountain village. From that moment, he is determined to discover more.

Under the tutelage of three master piano-tuners - one humble, one jovial, one ill-tempered - Tomura embarks on his training, never straying too far from a single, unfathomable question: do I have what it takes?

Set in small-town Japan, this warm and mystical story is for the lucky few who have found their calling—and for the rest of us who are still searching. It shows that the road to finding one's purpose is a winding path, often filled with treacherous doubts and, for those who persevere, astonishing moments of revelation.

Mega-bestselling winner of the Japan Booksellers Award, selected by bookshop staff as the book they most wanted to hand-sell. A tender and uplifting novel for fans of A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler.

Contains 5 exquisite hand-drawn illustrations.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Forest of Wool and Steel by Philip Gabriel and Natsu Miyashita is an evocative and beautifully crafted story that resonates with readers through its lyrical prose and profound themes. The narrative, which revolves around a young piano tuner and his journey of self-discovery, is praised for its poetic exploration of sound and silence and its poignant depiction of personal growth. Critics often highlight its ability to transport readers into a meditative state, while also appreciating the novel's gentle pace and subtle emotional depth.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784162986

Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 20 February 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Black Swan

Contributors:

  • Translated by Philip Gabriel

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 14.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 161g

Pages: 224

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Natsu Miyashita Penguin Books Philip Gabriel

About the Author

Natsu Miyashita (Author) NATSU MIYASHITA was born in Fukui Prefecture on Honshu island, Japan, in 1967. She has had a lifelong passion for reading and writing and has played the piano since she was very young. THE FOREST OF WOOL AND STEEL won the influential Japan Booksellers' Award, in which booksellers vote for the title they most enjoy to hand-sell. It has also been turned into a popular Japanese film directed by Kojiro Hashimoto and starring Kento Yamazaki. Philip Gabriel (Author, Translator) Philip Gabriel is the author of Mad Wives and Island Dreams- Shimao Toshio and the Margins of Japanese Literature and Spirit Matters- The Transcendent in Modern Japanese Literature and has translated many novels and short stories by the writer Haruki Murakami and other modern writers. He is recipient of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature (2001) for his translation of Senji Kuroi's Life in the Cul-de-Sac, and the 2006 PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize for his translation of Murakami's Kafka on the Shore.

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