Beautiful Distance
Translated from the Japanese by Charlotte Goff
Before the hospital, we had often raised our hands towards each other as we’d gone through life together.
A man sits in a cafe, sipping a green juice and watching the world go by. A white butterfly flutters through the air; a calico cat jumps onto a wall; cherry blossom petals fall, softly, to the ground. Life, momentarily, stands still. Our unnamed narrator is preparing to visit his terminally ill wife in hospital.
A prize-winning bestseller in Japan, Beautiful Distance is a profoundly affecting and intimate story that looks with honesty and tenderness at the journey towards the end of a life. It explores what family means, how we think about death, and the power of quiet acts of love.
‘An intimate and meditative look at love at the end of life, considering the minutiae of the daily moments that define a precious life together.’ Service 95
‘Readers will cry, and smile, and hold their family close.’ Sarah Jessica Parker
‘Beautiful Distance is a gem of a book – tender, devastating, and beautifully written, it speaks of the experience of caring and love in their purest forms, in a way that touched me deeply. It will stay with me for a long time.’ Cecile Pin
‘Quietly moving, sad, surprising . . . it all felt so true to life.’ Sharlene Teo
‘Beautiful.’ Jessica Stanley
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Book Dimensions: 819.8 cm, 12.9 cm, 0.8 cm
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Publishing has a diversity problem. There are less 'diverse' books being published which limits the discoverability and reach of those authors.
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An anti-racist social enterprise bookstore specialising in BIPOC books.
Only about 11% of books published are by BIPOC authors — so unless you specifically seek out books by BIPOC authors, you aren't likely to find very many of them organically. At Amplify, BIPOC authors are highlighted and celebrated. Here, they don't have to fight to be seen, and you don't have to fight to find them.
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