The Cat Who Saved Books: 10 Important Lessons for every Book-Lover

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The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa, translated by Louise Heal Kawai is a remarkable tale. This is a story about courage, conviction, making a change, doing what is right, and above all understanding the power of books.

Synopsis

Rintaro Nastuki has just lost his grandfather. He was a quiet, wise and gentle-hearted man who owned a second hand bookstore named Natsuki Books. Since his death, Rintaro feels as though he has lost everything and shrinks even further into his shell. Until one day he is visited by a talking cat named who needs his help. Together, they travel to three different labyrinths to help free endangered books. On these journeys Rintaro learns more about himself and the true meaning books.

Here are 10 lessons about books and reading that I learnt from this novel.

1. It’s not how many books you’ve read, but what you learn from them.

Being able to say you’ve read many books a week, year or month comes with a sense of pride. Of course we should all have goals, however, it’s important not to get to wrapped up in numbers. A man can read 100 books against a man who reads only one book repeatedly. You’ll find that the man who read that one book repeatedly was able to retain more of what he read. Remember, it’s not in the numbers, it’s in the lessons.

2. It’s not about how fast you read.

Lately, I’ve been trying to find ways to read as quickly as possible (through youtube, blogs and so on). But I realized that I need to embrace the natural pace I read. Especially if I read for pleasure. Being a slow reader should not be a negative thing. In fact it may show that you value every sentence the author has to say and you want to make sure you’ve internalized what you’re reading.

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony was not supposed to be listened to on fast-forward. It would be quicker, yes! But think of all the intricate elements you’d miss. The same goes for reading!

3. The bestsellers are not always the best.

Trust me. Most publishers wish to make a profit. Just because a book has sold over a million copies does not mean that it’s a book you absolutely have to read (unless it interests you, of course). Books are timeless. Revisit the old as much as the new. Don’t get caught up in what everyone is reading these days. Read what speaks to you!

4. Don’t let sophistication blind you.

A glossy shelf with leatherbound books with classical background music does not make a man or woman more respectable. It’s in the word: ‘Sophist.’ A sophist is a person who reasons with clever but false arguments. Sophistication can be built on a fallacy. Rather speak to this supposed ‘well-read’ person. Is their reasoning all-encompassing? Do they consider all sides to the coin? Can they point out the flaws of their thinking? That is true sophistication.

5. A book has a soul.

It sounds painfully cliché, but bare with me for a moment. There are books that have shaped society integrally. The Bible, A Thousand Years of Solitude and Things Fall Apart are all examples of books we’ve probably heard of. They’re taught in schools, quoted by politicians, discussed in book clubs and so on. These books are bound to carry a soul, an energy or a power. When we read a book we are all contributing to forming that soul within it and helping it live on. Some people are so aware of this that books become banned. But if a book has already been read, a soul has already been instilled in it, and those banned books are likely to revive again.

6. If it’s difficult to read, then that’s a good sign.

If it’s difficult it means you’re learning! While it’s tempting to only read what we can easily devour, it’s important to challenge ourselves from time to time. Not only does it feel great to finish off that last page and feel like you’ve accomplished something, but it shows that you’ve extended yourself and learnt a lot in the process.

7.Books remind us of values… that we often forget.

Remember all those lessons we learnt when we were younger? Charity starts at home, a friend in need is a friend indeed or kindness is the greatest gift to give someone? Why are these sayings not nearly as performed as they are said? Books keep reminding us how to keep applying them to our everyday life. It’s books that remind me the power of kindness, faith and friendship. They teach what is obvious but so easily forgotten.

8. We can’t live life through books.

Books are a window to the world but we’ve got to climb out the window and enjoy the view sometimes! Books shouldn’t trap us in our comfort zones. We should actively apply what we learn in books, in our realities. Rintaro’s grandfather made a perfect analogy:

Books can’t live life for you. The reader who forgets to walk on his own two feet is like an old encyclopaedia, his head stuffed with out-of-date information. Unless someone opens him up, he is a useless antique

Sosuke Natsukawa, The Cat Who Saved Books

9. Logic doesn’t always explain things

Books show us how the truth is often hidden in the illogical. That’s why for many, it’s in fantasy, magic or the absurd that we feel a sense of greater truth. For more on this, read my blog on why imagination shouldn’t age.

10. Books prove that ideals are as important as reality

As Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream…” That’s how it starts. There is the world we live in, and there is the world we want to live in. Ideals make up the world we want to live in. It starts with us if we want to see the change. And maybe it will only end with us. But who knows? Maybe it won’t!

To wrap up!

I hope that absolutely everyone gets a chance to read this book or at least to watch the movie that it will (because it simply has to) turn into, one day. For more reviews on contemporary Japanese literature, check out this awesome blog page!