The Housekeeper and the Professor
by Yoko Ogawa
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Book Reviews of The Housekeeper and the Professor
Book Review: A Treasure!
Summary: 5 Stars
The book reads as if the Housekeeper is retelling the story of how she (with her son) came to work in the Professor's little home and the way the three interacted. The Professor's mind is stuck in 1975, with only a plethora of numbers to keep him occupied, and the housekeeper and her son try not to disturb the professor with the reality of the present day, 1992. The trio connect through mathematics and baseball, and the housekeeper herself soon finds comfort in numbers as the book relays the formulas and equations with a poetic thrust that even those who dislike mathematics gain a respect for a number's own mystery.
I had no idea how much of an impact this simple story of being a housekeeper could make. I adored this book, and as I finished this I immediately thought, "5 stars! New favorite!" This is a quick read about the relationships and bonds that are formed even when one loses his memory after eighty minutes. Surprisingly I did not want to put it down, and barely did I have to. Full of sweet nuances of whimsy, hope and friendship the story is so poignant I cannot do justice to the book with my words alone. This is a keeper.
Book Review: knowing the neuro-science helped me appreciate the novel
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a charming novel, touching without being sentimental. Knowing something of the science behind the professor's problem made the book more accessible to me, though the author might quarrel with my take.
Experiments have been done with individuals who cannot remember people due to problems in the cerebral cortex. The experiments show that in fact the individuals, if not suffering from more pervasive cognitive issues, recall their emotional reactions to the people even while not being consciously aware of having met them before. The people in the experiments are graduate students, told to behave in certain ways, and care is taken to insure the subjects are not simply reacting to the personality of any specific student. An analogy is "blind sight" in which blind people, whose problem is due to the visual cortex, not the eye, display some visual capability, although they are unaware of their capability and deny it (but still negotiate objects in their path, etc.`).
Book Review: beautiful story on Japanese culture and math!
Summary: 4 Stars
A housekeeper goes to work for an elderly man whose memory resets to 1975 after 80 minutes. The professor has a gazillion notes on his suit to help him remember or at least know about things that have happened, such as the most important note he sees every morning: Memory lasts only 80 minutes.
He's a professor of mathematics and as such he only relates to the world through numbers. The housekeeper tries to relate to the professor by learning about his world of numbers and Ogawa lets us begin our own math journey along with the housekeeper, complete with equations and real world connections.
How does the housekeeper and her son form a relationship with the professor when he can never remember them the next day? Ogawa explores what it really means to love others and how we hold onto those relationships even when it seems impossible to do so.
There are so many layers to this novel and many will find their own treasures here.
Book Review: A beautiful story of memory, love and experience
Summary: 5 Stars
The narrator is a young woman employed by a housekeeping agency, who is assigned to work in the cottage of a retired mathematics professor in 1992. The Professor suffered a traumatic brain injury after a motor vehicle accident in 1975. His long-term memory prior to the accident is intact, but his short-term memory is limited to 80 minutes.
She is a single mother of a 10 yr old boy, a latchkey child, and she has little time to spend with him, though she loves him deeply. The Professor insists that the child, who he calls Root, accompany his mother after school. The Professor takes to Root as if he was the son that he never had, and Root for the first time has an adult figure in his life who can provide him with love and attention.
This is a beautifully told, metaphorically rich story of memory and experience, and the characters are adorable and unforgettable. It is a novel to be savored and revisited.
Book Review: A quiet beautiful novel.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an elegant, calm read that will most likely never appear on any bestseller lists. There is no emotional roller coaster or highs and lows, only excellent prosaic writing and a simple elegant story with real characters. It's about living in the moment and the meaning of family and true friendship. It does deal with some complex issues, but the tone is quiet and subdued never hurried. I think the concept of a person's memory only lasting eighty minutes is unique and beautifully portrays the meaning of unconditional love. The professor's limited means of communication is through numbers so the book has some mathematical descriptions. Don't let this deter you from reading the book if you hate math; it's a common ground for bonding, not about learning or comprehending math. I recommend this book to those who love character driven books replete with compassion that leave you pondering life and your own good fortune.