Book: The Housekeeper and the professor

Author: Yoko Ogawa

I bought this book because of its title and the critics I read. Mathematics was the final push.

I’m happy that I ordered it. The style of Yoko Ogawa has a similarity to the one of Kawabata. It flows and captures you with its simplicity and beautiful writing. The book has just a few characters and they are all very well contoured.

The professor who lives in the past in his world of numbers is an amazing character not only because he can’t remember more than 80 minutes from the present but because he embraces everything differently and positively. He is my favourite character as he is in love with numbers but also has a certain humanity and simplicity.

Solving a problem for which you know there’s an answer is like climbing a mountain with a guide, along a trail someone else has laid. In mathematics, the truth is somewhere out there in a place no one knows, beyond all the beaten paths. And it’s not always at the top of the mountain. It might be in a crack on the smoothest cliff or somewhere deep in the valley.

However I don’t understand why the author fell in the trap of adding too many stereotypes to her character: mathematician, afraid of crowds, lives isolated, etc.

His relationship with the housekeeper and her son is special. They fit like a glove as he needs special care and affection, but he can also offer them comfort, friendship and an introduction to his world of numbers.

She’s also open to learn everything about mathematics and invest her time into developing her knowledge. It’s commanding and inspiring how their relationship evolves with time.