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August 8 - August 11, 2025
Books have tremendous power. That was his grandpa’s pet phrase.
‘People who truly love books don’t treat them this way.’ Into his mind had slipped a memory of his grandpa, smiling contentedly as he read one of his favourites over and over until it fell apart. He’d been completely absorbed in every story.
‘Books have tremendous power. But take care. It’s the book that holds the power, not you.’
‘It’s not true that the more you read, the more you see of the world. No matter how much knowledge you cram into your head, unless you think with your own mind, walk with your own feet, the knowledge you acquire will never be anything more than empty and borrowed.’
‘Books can’t live your life for you. The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopaedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone else opens it up, it’s nothing but a useless antique.’
‘In today’s world, a lot of what should be obvious has been turned upside down. The weak are used as stepping stones and those in need are taken advantage of. People just get caught up in this pattern. Nobody stands up and calls for it to stop.’
‘Reading isn’t only for pleasure or entertainment. Sometimes you need to examine the same lines deeply, read the same sentences over again. Sometimes you sit there, head in hands, only progressing at a painstakingly slow pace. And the result of all this hard work and careful study is that suddenly you’re there and your field of vision expands. It’s like finding a great view at the end of a long climbing trail.’
‘Of course it’s good to enjoy reading. But the views you can see hiking on a light, pleasant walking trail are limited. Don’t condemn the mountain because its trails are steep. It’s also a valuable and enjoyable part of climbing to struggle up a mountain step by step.’
Hurrying means that you miss out on many things. Riding a train will take you far, but it’s a misconception to think that this will give you more insight. Flowers in the hedgerow and birds in the treetops are accessible only to the person who walks on their own two feet. Rintaro pondered all this before stepping towards the scholar.
The figure of the cat dissolved into the soft blue light and was replaced by the old wooden back wall of the bookshop. Although there wasn’t a single customer in sight, the door bell rang once, bright and clear.
‘Books have a soul.’
‘A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is mere scraps of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul.’
‘Books have souls,’ repeated the cat softly. ‘A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis.’
‘Farewell, my brave friend.’ The perfect parting words.
‘Books teach us how to care about others.’
‘Books are filled with human thoughts 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 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.’
‘I think the power of books is that – that they teach us to care about others. It’s a power that gives people courage and also supports them in turn.’
‘Because you seem to have forgotten,’ he resumed with all the strength he could muster, ‘I’m going to say it as loud as I can. Empathy – that’s the power of books.’
‘Walk with courage the path you have chosen. Don’t be one of those bystanders who complain that nothing ever changes. Continue your journey, just as Melos kept running to the end.’
‘Thoughts alone can’t change the world,’ she repeated. ‘But don’t you think we should give it a try?’
‘It doesn’t matter how slight or superficial it is, a change is a change,’
‘If you find it difficult it’s because it contains something that is new to you. Every difficult book offers us a brand-new challenge.’
‘If you find a book easy to read, that means it’s all stuff that you already know,’ he went on. ‘That’s why it’s easy. If you find it difficult, then that’s proof it’s something brand new.’
As he stood there seeing Sayo off, he suddenly heard a deep voice in his ear. ‘Good luck, Mr Proprietor.’ Startled, Rintaro turned and looked around, but of course there was nobody to be seen. He thought he might have caught a glimpse of the back of a tabby cat disappearing over the fence across the street but he couldn’t be certain. The street seemed just the same as it always was. He stood there for a moment before giving a little smile. ‘I’ll give it my best,’ Rintaro said. He looked up at the sky.
