Genzaburō Yoshino (1899–1981)

Creo que es un libro muy valioso del que se pueden extraer muchas enseñanzas. Escrito con una limpieza y una sencillez muy cálidas, te consigue acercar tanto a los primeros pinitos de madurez de Koperu, como a las reflexiones llenas de sabiduría de su tío. Koperu y Kitami, Urokawa o Mizutani, así como la hermana de Mizutani o la madre de Koperu, serán personajes que no podré olvidar. Esta novela entra de lleno a mis libros favoritos. Ha sido tan agradable como comprometido con hacer de la madurez un valor alcanzable para todos, lejos del rechazo a la responsabilidad de esa mirada reflexiva y valiosa que existe en nuestros días, donde se diluyen aquellos valores que demuestran la altura moral que debería ser aspiración para cualquier persona que se precie de serlo.… (meer)

This is a very unusual book for children. More of a philosophy book than a story. I liked the friendship between the characters and between Copper and his uncle. It did spend a lot of time on how one should be in the world. I might have liked it as a child. It seemed quite preachy to me as an adult. I could certainly feel for Copper when he made his big mistake. I think we've all been in his shoes. I was glad to have this insight into a Japanese classic for children. My copy didn't have the Gaiman intro. I'll have to see if I can find it in another edition.… (meer)

This is a lovely, lyrical book on personal discovery, inner growth, and humanity that combines a gentle tale with the heartfelt commentary of a doting uncle; while targeting a middle-school audience as much today as when published, the discussions aren't at all wasted on an adult reader either. Actually, there are textual clues that suggest "How Do You Live?" is meant to be read aloud (i.e., on p. 241 where the narrative interrupts itself with, "When you hear about it, you will see that it was indeed a great big fuss."), and I think it would really _rock_ as a shared experience between a grown-up and child/grandchild. In fact, when Copper's mother relates a story from her youth to him, that story and her aside would be a fantastic starting point for an away-from-text chat!

The writing does lean a bit thick into pedantry at places (not least, the last line), making the whole feel a bit more like a lesson than "The Little Prince" ever does, and that struck a bit distractingly. The setting and social environment feel dated too, but in a very comfortable way, the way you want a good 'once upon a time' to feel. And we can all hope to feel more like Copper every day.… (meer)