The Phone Box at the Edge of the World - Laura Imai Messina
About the book
A sweeping and moving novel based on an incredible true story.
When Yui loses her mother and daughter in the tsunami, she wonders how she will ever carry on. Yet, in the face of this unthinkable loss, life must somehow continue.
Then one day she hears about a man who has an old disused telephone box in his garden. There, those who have lost loved ones find the strength to speak to them and begin to come to terms with their grief. As news of the phone box spreads, people travel to it from miles around.
Soon Yui makes her own pilgrimage to the phone box, too. But once there she cannot bring herself to speak into the receiver. Then she finds Takeshi, a bereaved husband whose own daughter has stopped talking in the wake of their loss.
When you've lost everything, what can you find . . ?
About the author
Laura Imai Messina has been living in Japan for the last 15 years and works between Tokyo and Kamakura, where she lives with her Japanese husband and two children.
She took a Masters in Literature at the International Christian University of Tokyo and a PhD in Comparative Literature at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
The Phone Box at the Edge of the World has been sold in over 21 territories.
Discover more about the book and author
Our Librarian’s Review
“I chose this book the way I often choose my books – by looking at its cover. You shouldn't do that, but I do. I was drawn by its subdued colours and the picture of a telephone booth on its cover. For some reason I've always been fascinated by telephone booths. I read the blurb and found other things I liked: a story taking place in Japan and a telephone box where people can speak to their lost loved ones. While reading the book, I discovered two interesting things.
The first is that the author, Laura Imai Messina, is actually Italian, like me, she has been living in Japan for years, and the original title of the book was Quel che affidiamo al vento (What We Entrust to the Wind). The second is that the telephone box actually exists in the small town of Ōtsuchi, which was destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
This book was a soothing read, like a caress after a stressful day, a celebration of all the small moments that make our lives meaningful. The author managed to capture the spirit and the voice of Japanese culture and weaves characters, personal stories and feelings in a flawless, delicate narration.”