“The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World” by Laura Imai Messina; translated by Lucy Rand, fiction, available at Virginia Beach Public Libraries. Digital versions of books, audiobooks and music are also available. Visit www.vbgov.com/libraries for more information.
Review by Sandra Hopkins
Takeshi, a surgeon, and Yui, a radio show host in Tokyo, meet at an unusual place — a garden known as “the countryside which is not on a map.”
Both are grieving. Within the open garden is an old telephone booth with a black telephone inside.
“The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World,” an international bestseller by Laura Imai Messina, is translated by Lucy Rand.
Imai Messina lives with her family in Japan. She was inspired by a real place near Otsuchi, which was devasted by a natural disaster.
In March 2011, an earthquake in the epicenter of the Pacific Ocean (registering 9 on the Richter scale) lasted six minutes. The resulting tsunami waves quickly swept inland. Relatives and friends by the thousands vanished as the floodwaters retreated to sea.
How does one say goodbye to a loved one when any tragedy occurs?
One character, Shio, finds solace in the biblical story of Elijah, who experienced God’s voice as a whisper in the wind. Another survivor can only digest his grief by looking at the world through a sky-blue picture frame — in segments.
Imai Messina captures the essence of grief — which, no matter the circumstances, may feel like an emotional tsunami to those experiencing loss. The Wind Phone, while disconnected, is a metaphor for connection, providing comfort to the grief-stricken who journey there to speak into it to their lost loved ones.
The trip to Bell Gardia is both magical and spiritual. Is it a miracle that love survives? Who created the wind, which caresses in a gentle breeze yet may at times devastate?
Take time to sit still with this book. It’s an insightful look at Japanese culture written in a lyrical style. The author includes a glossary of Japanese words.
Other books written in a lyrical style with themes of grief and hope are “Brood: A Novel” by Jackie Polzin and “The Most Precious of Cargoes: A Tale” by Jean-Claude Grumberg, both available at Virginia Beach Public Library.
New/Coming Soon
Adults: “The Last Guests” by J.P. Pomare; “Philly Girl” by Marcus Weber; “Several People Are Typing: A Novel” by Calvin Kasulke
Teens: “How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love With the Universe” by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland; “The Last Words We Said” by Leah Scheier; “Act Cool” by Tobly McSmith
Juvenile: “Dovey Undaunted” by Tonya Bolden; “Otter: Best Cake Ever” by Sam Garton; “More Ryan’s World of Science” by Aubre Andrus
Picture Books: “Geraldine Pu and her Lunchbox, Too!” by Maggie P. Chang; “I Love Insects” by Lizzy Rockwell; “Bright Star” by Yuyi Morales
Entertainment DVD: “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” “French Exit,” “Zola”
TV Series DVD: “Young Sheldon: The Complete Fourth Season,” “Doctor Who: Fury From the Deep,” “Triple Feature: Three Tales of Murder & Mystery”
Audiobook CD: “Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, “Black Girls Must Die Exhausted: A Novel” by Jayne Allen, “Crossroads: A Novel” by Jonathan Franzen
Downloadable audiobooks: “The Girls in the Wild Fig Tree” by Nice Leng’ete, “Three Sisters” by Heather Morris, “Baggage” by Alan Cumming
E-books: “How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days” by K.M. Jackson; “The Donut Trap” by Julie Tieu; “Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos” by Michael Imperioli & Steve Schirripa
Hoopla Music: “KIDZ BOP 2022? by KIDZ BOP Kids, “Wide Awake” by Sonny Fodera, “A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle” by John Coltrane
