The Housekeeper and the Professor (2003)

This was a beautifully written book with great characters. It was a moving description of the relationship between people despite the difficulties of a mental disability. It makes the reader think about friendship and how you can know the people that you love, even if you can't remember them. It was a sweet story that the perfect feel good read for stressful times. ( )

A heartwarming story. What I remember is the kindness the characters show towards one another. The housekeeper tries not to remind the professor that he has only a memory of 80 mins. The professor is kind towards the housekeeper's son, Root, who reciprocates with unwavering trust. Even when the professor has to be admitted to an institution, the housekeeper and his son continue to visit him monthly, even though the professor no longer remembers them. ( )

A beautiful and unusual story about a mathematics professor who received a brain injury in an accident many years ago and whose memory now cycles in 80 minute lengths of time. He remembers everything pre-accident but post-accident only remembers within 80 minute windows of time. A new housekeeper is assigned to look after him during the day and she resolves to get to know him better than the previous housekeepers (who never lasted very long). Each morning she has to introduce herself again - by answering questions with mathematical answers, such as her shoe size, date of birth, and so on - but despite this fresh start every day she seems able to build a rapport and provide some stability in his daily routine. Can her baseball-loving 10-year-old son help to bring him out of his shell further?

The story features a lot of maths, demonstrating a beauty in numbers I hadn't previously given much consideration to. It's beautifully written (and translated) and might be an interesting read for teenagers considering pursuing maths, or even for young adults who love to read but who are struggling to make a connection with maths. In a way the book reminds me of Gaarder's Sophie's World and yet the science is a lot more gentle and subtle in this novel. Highly recommended for all readers who enjoy a thoughtful, gentle read. ( )

This book is about a brilliant math professor that needs the help of the housekeeper to take care of him as he is getting older. His memory only lasts 80 minutes which poses a challenge for the housekeeper and her son, Root. This heartfelt book follows the everyday challenges posed by the diminishing memory of the professor and the ever-growing friendship from Root and the Professor, nonetheless. I would keep this book on the shelves in my middle school classroom. It is a beautiful book that is an easy read, but interesting enough to stay engaged and reading. ( )

Slight, pleasant, good if you like math puzzles. My book group all loved it, I found it fairly meh. The whole book hinged on the developing relationship of a housekeeper with someone with anterograde amnesia and a memory of 80 minutes, but any such relationship would be a one-sided illusion, something I don't think was properly explored. Either the writing or the translation made the prose artless and it read like a children's book. Apparently sold 4 million copies in Japan. ( )