Can you count the number of times you have been spirited away by Hayao Miyazaki’s creations? Through his films, I have been on silent adventures inside my own room.
With the first-ever English release of How Do You Live, we will finally have a glimpse into the mind of the legendary creator.
The novel has been Miyazaki’s favorite childhood book, and now it is ready to reach beyond Japan to touch the lives of many more.
Genzaburo Yoshino’s novel. How Do You Live? was first published in 1937. However, it is only after 84 years that it is receiving an English translation. The novel will be published in English on 26th October 2021.
So all of you bookworms out there who have an overwhelming hunger for learning about Japanese culture will find this book as soon as fall enters your lives.
At $17.95, the book will be a treat to all Ghibli fans. Bruno Navasky is translating the brilliant work with a foreword by none other than Neil Gaiman!
As if all these reasons were not enough to buy this book, the novel will very soon be adapted into Miyazaki’s next Ghibli film!
The book offers a deep dive into the beauty of pre-war Japan where lush landscapes, enticing food stalls, and ever-changing seasons played an eternal melody of liveliness. In the heart of this country lives a boy, Copper, who ponders about everything in life.
A journey of enlightenment ensues as he tries to determine the best way to live.
How Do You Live? has inspired and influenced Japanese readers for generations and this time it’s your turn to pick up this work and melt in its rich descriptions.
About “The Boy and The Heron”
“The Boy and The Heron” (Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka) is an anime film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The story is inspired by the novel of the same name by Genzaburo Yoshino, first published in 1937 and set in pre-war Japan.
The novel tells the story of Copper, a fifteen-year-old boy who lives in Tokyo, watches thousands of people every day and wonders about anything and everything. After his father’s death, he goes on a journey of philosophical enlightenment and uses his knowledge to determine the best way to live!
Source: Algonquin Young Readers
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