The Cat Who Saved Books (The Cat Who..., #1)

by Sōsuke Natsukawa

This world throws all kinds of obstacles at us; we are forced to endure so much that is absurd. Our best weapon for fighting all the pain and trouble in the world isn’t logic or violence. It’s humor.”

“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 The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone else opens it up, it’s nothing but a useless antique.”

“It’s all very well to read a book, but when you’ve finished, it’s time to set foot in the world.”

“Obviously, the more books you read, the more respect you get. The more well-read you are, the more fascinating and attractive people find you. Am I wrong?” “I couldn’t tell you if you’re right or wrong. But that’s not what I’m talking about.” “What?” The man was totally confused. “What society demands, what kind of people get respect—I’m not talking about any of that.” “So what are you—” “All I’m saying is that you don’t love books. The only thing you love is yourself. As I think I already mentioned, people who truly love books don’t treat them this way.”

Selfishly, he had thought that Sayo had been coming by out of duty.

“You’d better not,” the man shot back. “This is a vast research facility, full of people who look alike, think alike, and are all likewise busy. Of course, everyone is eager to assert their own uniqueness, but since everyone is equally obsessed with asserting it, then there’s nothing unique about anyone. It turns out it’s impossible to distinguish between us.

“Reading a book is a lot like climbing a mountain.”

“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.”

“Reading can be grueling.”

“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.”

“If you’re going to climb, make it a tall mountain. The view will be so much better.”

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.

“You know, if you live your life shut away in your room this way, it’s like giving up completely,”

“I’m sorry if I sound rude, but my grandfather always taught me that it’s a kindness to let someone know when their behavior’s off, even if you antagonize them by doing so.

“Don’t give in to loneliness. You aren’t alone. You have many friends looking out for you.”

“You’re in trouble. That’s enough for me,”

“You can’t stay shut away here forever. I know there’s plenty of stuff that’s not worth the effort, but this is your life—”

“You need to hold your head high and step out on your own.”

“Being able to express shallow words of sympathy in a sweet voice doesn’t make someone a caring, compassionate soul. What’s important is the ability to have empathy for another human being—to be able to feel their pain, to walk alongside them in their suffering.”

“That’s not a special or unusual power,” the cat continued. “It’s a natural ability that everyone possesses. The problem is that most people have lost touch with that ability in the hustle and bustle of their daily lives. Like you have.”

“In our stifling daily lives, we’re all so occupied with ourselves that we stop thinking about others. When a person loses their own heart, they can’t feel another’s pain. They lie, they hurt others, use weaker people as stepping-stones to get ahead—they stop feeling anything. The world has become full of those kinds of people.”

“If you’re worrying about her now, that means you’re finding your own heart again. You’re not just thinking about yourself, but you’re feeling compassion for others.”

“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.”

“A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis.”

“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 out 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.”

Empathy—that’s the power of books.”

“It’s not a question of logic. It’s about being proud of who we are.”

“It doesn’t matter how slight or superficial it is, a change is a change.”

“Yeah, you’re weird. I can’t understand a word of it. It’s too difficult.” “That’s good.” Rintaro chuckled as he knocked the dust off the nearest bookshelf. Sayo stared at him with a puzzled look on her face. “Why’s it good?” “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.” “What are you talking about?” Sayo didn’t look convinced. “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.”

There were many roads to choose from. What was important was not to let yourself roll along aimlessly, but to pick a road.

Problems remained, and he had yet to completely resolve any of them, but now all he had to do was follow the path he had chosen for himself.