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The Nakano Thrift Shop

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( 14,621 ratings, 1,946 reviews)
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 Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami is a heartwarming tale set around a quirky, second-hand shop in Tokyo. The narrative follows Hitomi, a young woman who works at the shop, as she navigates her relationships with the eccentric characters around her. Through a series of gentle and poignant episodes, the story explores themes of love, life, and the subtle connections that bind people together.
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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 may enjoy this charming novel if you're captivated by stories that delve into the intricacies of human relationships and the everyday beauty found in ordinary lives. Set against the backdrop of a quaint thrift shop, the narrative weaves together moments of humour and melancholy, offering rich character development and an insightful look into Japanese culture.

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From the bestselling author of Strange Weather in Tokyo, here is a story of treasure hoarders, bargain hunters and would-be lovers.

From the bestselling author of Strange Weather in Tokyo, here is a story of treasure hoarders, bargain hunters and would-be lovers

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

Among the jumble of paperweights, plates, typewriters and general bric-a-brac in Mr Nakano's thrift store, there are treasures to be found. Each piece carries its own story of love and loss—or so it seems to Hitomi, when she takes a job there working behind the till.

Nor are her fellow employees any less curious or weatherworn than the items they sell. There's the store's owner, Mr Nakano, an enigmatic ladies' man with several ex-wives; Sakiko, his sensuous, unreadable lover; his sister, Masayo, an artist whose free-spirited creations mask hidden sorrows. And finally, there's Hitomi's fellow employee, Takeo, whose abrupt and taciturn manner Hitomi finds, to her consternation, increasingly disarming.

A beguiling story of love found amid odds and ends, The Nakano Thrift Shop is a heart-warming and utterly charming novel from one of Japan's most celebrated contemporary novelists.

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 Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami is often described as a charming and quirky exploration of human connections, filled with subtle humour and everyday magic. The novel is centred on the eccentric characters who frequent the shop, creating an offbeat love story that is both gentle and engaging. Praise is given to the beautifully understated prose and the translation, making it an accessible introduction to contemporary Japanese fiction. The book weaves themes of identity, loneliness, and non-conformism with a delightful charm that resonates beyond its pages.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781846276026

Publisher: Granta Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 June 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Granta Books

Contributors:

  • Translated by Allison Markin Powell
  • Translated by Allison Markin Powell

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 190g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Born in 1959 in Tokyo, Hiromi Kawakami is one of Japan's most popular contemporary novelists, famous for her literary, off-beat fiction. She made her debut with the short story 'God Bless You' in 1994, which received the Bunkamura Prix des Deux Magots and the Murasakishikibu Literature Award. Hebi wo fumu [Tread on a Snake] won the Akutagawa Prize in 1996 and Oboreru [Drowning] won both the Ito Sei Literature Award and Joryu Bungaku Sho (Woman Writers' Prize) in 2000. Her novel Manazuru won the 2011 Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize.

Allison Markin Powell is a literary translator and editor in New York City. Her translations include works by Osamu Dazai, Fuminori Nakamura, and Kanako Nishi, and she was the guest editor for the first Japan issue of Words Without Borders. She maintains the database, Japanese Literature in English, at http://www.japaneseliteratureinenglish.com.

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