I read about The Housekeeper and the Professor on my sister-in-law's wonderful book blog, My Cozy Book Nook, where she quoted the review from Bookmarks Magazine's May/June 2009 issue:
"The success of Ogawa's 'deceptively elegant novel' (New York Times Book Review) was a surprise, considering its lack of action, romance, melodrama, and even character names (none of which are ever mentioned). However, there is enough suspense and sly humor to keep readers enchanted by this slow-paced, delicate novel - even those with bad memories of high school math class. Ogawa makes a crucial choice not to minimize the impact of the professor's brain injuries; she portrays his limitations and daily difficulties realistically, but also with warmth and affection. Critics praised Stephen Snyder's seamless translation and compared Ogawa's graceful prose to that of Japanese writers Kenzaburo Oe and Haruki Murakami. This touching story of a devoted friendship may captivate Western readers as well." (page 35)
I don't think you need to read much more than "brain injuries" and "Murakami" to know that I immediately requested this book from the library. What a lovely read. If you're looking for a quiet, kind story, this could be for you.
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