Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa - Book With Me скачать в хорошем качестве

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa - Book With Me

Sentaro Tsujii, once an aspiring writer, now works in a confectionary shop making and selling dorayaki, a Japanese sweet made with pancakes and sweet bean paste. He was previously in jail and is now working in the confectionary shop to pay off some debt. But he puts no heart into it at all. Sentaro doesn’t have much appreciation for life and spends most evenings drowning his sorrows with alcohol. One day he meets seventy-six-year-old Tokue Yoshii, a Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) survivor who has lived in a sanitarium, cut off from the society since she was diagnosed at the age of fourteen. She wants the job at his shop, but Sentaro is hesitant to hire her because he worries about what the customers will think and say if they get a glimpse of Tokue’s disfigured hands, her paralyzed face. She convinces him to let her work alongside him, making sweet bean paste with care and precision – a sweet bean paste that elevates the reputation of the shop and has customers lining up for more. Among the customers is schoolgirl Wakana, who befriends Tokue and Sentaro. However, Tokue’s medical history becomes an issue that affects business and eventually results in her quitting. However, their unlikely friendship continues, and they continue to meet, correspond, and positively impact each other’s lives. Besides shedding light on the stigma and prejudice faced by leprosy patients, the author through this story addresses a very important point. How do we live our lives? What is the true meaning of life? Is it just being of service to society or the usual parameters that we use to define what a successful life should look like? The author leaves you with a possible answer. Perhaps life is about simply living in ways in which you take notice of things and take time to listen to others. I loved the characters and cherished Tokue’s wisdom. Besides teaching Sentaro how to make the best bean paste, she helps him on his journey of self-discovery and teaches him how to truly listen and be patient. The writing is very simple and straightforward. I strongly recommend you pick this book up and read it.