The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

Ogawa weaves a beautiful, enchanting story of a family formed by unlikely circumstances. A single mother of a ten year-old son takes a housekeeping job caring for an elderly handicapped professor. The professor has suffered a brain injury in an accident, which left him with a memory of only eighty minutes, yet his brilliant mind of mathematics is still in tact.

The professor introduces the boy and his mother to the magical, logical world of number and equations and genuinely develops a loving, caring bond with them that he hasn’t felt in years. The boy and mother deeply appreciate and respect the professor’s brilliant mind and also grow to love him. A strange but beautiful relationship develops that lasts throughout the rest of the life of the professor.

This is a delightful read revealing an intimate, refreshing, wonderful side to life that you will definitely enjoy! I recommend this work of fiction to all ages of adult readers!

Reviewed by Robin Rusco

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