A book filled with lessons and important aspects to pay attention in life. Great message. Lovable characters. Even the town seems like a character in developement itself

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

I found so many life quotes from this book. This book taught the readers about basic things in life as well as encouraging the readers by using its easy to understand narration.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

"How Do You Live?" follows the story of a fifteen-year-old boy nicknamed Copper who was born and raised in Tokyo, and his uncle from whom Copper seeks advice after the death of his father to cope with everything that begins to change. The story consists of many different lessons to take about life and who we are, and how we can recover from our mistakes. "How Do You Live?" is a beautiful, heart-warming book that leaves the reader with many thoughts and emotions, a story that keeps lingering long after you close the book.

HOW DO YOU LIVE? by Genzaburo Yoshino is a Japanese children’s classic that has just been translated into English for the first time. It tells the story of a fifteen year old boy who goes by the nickname Copper. Having lost his father a few years ago, Copper looks to his uncle for guidance. His uncle is keeping a journal for Copper that goes into a deeper examination of the events they discuss. The uncle’s notebook also provides historical information he thinks Copper should know.
I found HOW DO YOU LIVE? quite thought provoking. At first I thought this might be too mature for a young reader but then THE LITTLE PRINCE came to mind. I think HOW DO YOU LIVE? is the type of book you can read at any age and take something new away from it.
I will be reading HOW DO YOU LIVE? again and recommending it to any fans of THE LITTLE PRINCE young or old.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced digital edition of this book.

'You and I, too, because we are human, must live with only our value as human beings in mind, not thinking we are unimportant if we happen to be poor or that we are great because we lead a wealthy life.'

I can understand why some reviews talk about the book being quite slow, and that for a younger reader it might be a struggle to keep interested. But I am reviewing this as an adult, and by God everyone should read this.

A tale of a boy named Jun'ichi, nicknamed Copper by his uncle, whose life experiences make up the basis for the moral lessons that the book teaches us. Alternately with his story is the journal kept by his uncle in which he expands on the life lessons and leaves behind a legacy for Copper to follow in his future years. It is a story of boys growing up and playing games, of outsiders being befriended and of cowardice in the face of bullying. Sounds preachy? It's not.

I found it endearing, profoundly affecting and just a joy to read. Given the universal awfulness of everything that has been and is going on in the world, we all need a book to live by. This is a book to believe in, which gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, the best of the human spirit will prevail.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

“You take many things from the world, but I wonder what you will give back in return?”

This was such a highly raved book last year but sad to say, I am not feeling this one. I did like the concept of the story but I just felt that the whole story was quite long-winded and very slow.

This story follows fifteen year old Copper living in a small suburb during the 1930s in Japan and how he views life as he tries to make sense of the world around him. Copper is learning to come to terms with his father’s death and he found himself confiding in his Uncle who in turn guides him through his thoughts and life. Copper also has three best friends whom he shares a close bond with. The chapters mainly focuses on how Copper deals with certain experiences and his thought process, and how he reflected on these with his Uncle’s advices.

I really enjoyed reading Copper’s part in the story but not so much his Uncle’s which felt boring and a little unnecessary. It got too philosophical for my liking. One thing I love is how Copper navigates his friendship with his close friends and how his thoughts changes as he tries to understand things from different perspectives. There is just that innocence left as they are caught between youth and adulthood. I especially love how Copper always managed to stand his ground and become his own person.

There are many reflections on social issues, ethics and life lessons learnt as Copper grows. Being in Copper’s head does remind me of myself when I was his age as we all struggled to find our footing and identity in life.

"The things that you feel most deeply, from the very bottom of your heart, will never deceive you in the slightest.”

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the arc.

A boy adventures with his friends and his uncle, a classic Japanese novel for young readers written by Genzaburo Yoshino, in the time that made it a crime for anyone to say or write things that were critical of the government.

"The world is full of people who are not bad, but weak, people who bring unnecessary misfortune upon themselves and others for no reason but weakness."

The story has two narrators, Copper, his daily life, thought, feeling, and relationships with his three best friends. And his Uncle’s Notebook for his nephew and his advice and lessons to him to grow up good, and be a good person.

"I can become a good person and create one good person for the world. And I think that if I can just do that, then I might become a person who can create even more than that."

Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada via NetGalley for giving me the chance to read How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino, Neil Gaiman (Foreword), Bruno Navasky (Translator) I have given my honest review.

I don't know what to think about this. I enjoyed some aspects of this novel while also feeling detached by others. I can see this being a Ghibli film and cant wait to see it. But, idk I think this just wasn't for me.

This is a story about a fifteen- year old boy, Kun’ichi “Copper”, living in Tokyo with his family. He attends a good school, and enjoys the fun and games he has with his friends, but this book is about so much more.

This book could be called: ”what kind of person do you want to be?”, considering the wide-ranging conversations between Copper’s uncle and the adolescent. This is fiction, but covers so much real-world analysis using Copper’s story as the frame around discussions on science, economics, leadership, history, ethics and respect. It is engaging, profound and elegant in its examination of society and personal responsibility.

Genzaburo Yoshiro created a thoughtful, philosophical, kind, compassionate and wise book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Meant to be instructive. To teach the next generation of Japanese kids the importance of considering and respecting the needs of others and being brave in the face of bullies.

It's sweet, very philosophical and thought-provoking. It has a tone like the author is using this story as a mere allegory or vehicle for the message behind it. Reminds me of <i>Le Petit Prince</i> with its strange, peaceful purpose. I don't typically gravitate to these sorts of books but I do enjoy them from time to time. Certain chapters / messages I liked more than others while others were pedantic and wore out their welcome by being too repetitive or long-winded.

I especially enjoyed the portions discussing class and the inequality of education and childhood innocence between the kids who are upper-class and those who have to work from a young age. Considering the age of this story too, this was surprising. I liked Copper's empathy and sense of humility in these chapters. Our protagonist is thoughtful, tender, and endearing.

For fans of philosophical narratives like <i>Le Petit Prince</i> or <i>The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse</i>, and for Studio Ghibli fans who are hoping to read the book before the film debuts!

**Thank you to the publisher for the eArc provided through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.**

The book is a classic in Japan, which wasn't translated before now. The reason for the translation is an upcoming anime. While I enjoyed the book as an adult, as a child I'm afraid I would have found it too slow. This is a retelling of a school life of a boy and his friends with vast philosophical entries from his uncle about humaninty and values. And although the values have not changed with time, modern kids need way more to keep them reading.
Still, it can turn into a wonderful warm anime movie.
All in all, a good book, which seems sadly dated now.

I can appreciate the pedagogical intent and also place it in the context of the years in which it was written (before World War II), but if Miyazaki had not decided to make a movie out of it after such a long time that he did not draw anything, I doubt that anyone would have taken the trouble to republish it almost 100 years later.

Posso apprezzare l'intento pedagogico e anche inquadrarlo nel contesto degli anni in cui é stato scritto (prima della seconda guerra mondiale), ma se Miyazaki non avesse deciso di farci un film dopo tanto tempo che non disegnava nulla, dubito che qualcuno si sarebbe preso la briga di ripubblicarlo a quasi 100 anni di distanza.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.