Now more than ever, it's essential to foster open conversations about mental health and breaking the stigma. A few lines I penned down: Darkness presses in from every side, I crawl through a narrowing tunnel, The walls inch closer, hour by hour, Each breath a battle, each moment a weight. I try to run, legs and arms thrash, But there’s nowhere to go, The urge to escape grips hard, Pulling at me, begging to flee— But all I can do is twitch, fidget, Small rebellions against a feeling that grows. Who’s coming now? Not another face telling stories of gods or ghosts, No more rituals or lectures on order, On how to scrub your life clean, make it neat. No more promises from gurus who know it all. Not another boss, with threats that loom. How did it begin? A flicker, a spark of doubt— Anxiety’s tiny pulse, swelling into something vast, It spun a world with me at its core, And soon, everything circled around, Until I could see nothing else. But now— A glimpse of light, faint but real. Som...
Title: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop Author: Satoshi Yagisawa Rating: 6.5/10 Translated by: Eric Ozawa Having recently explored various books that delve into Japanese culture, I’ve become familiar with its nuances, names, and customs. "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop" was a spontaneous pick from a list of recent releases, chosen to reignite my reading habits. While it wasn’t groundbreaking, it offered a refreshing yet modest dive into the world of Japanese storytelling. The novel follows Takako, a young woman who, after a heartbreaking experience, moves in with her uncle Sataru who runs a quaint bookstore in Tokyo. For the twenty-five-year-old Takako, who has never been one to lose herself in books, this unassuming shop becomes an unexpected sanctuary after her life is turned upside down. Through Takako’s journey, the narrative explores the subtle intricacies of human emotion and the often unspoken struggles people face. The story’s pacing and writing style are straightforward ...