Reading in Times of Turbulence

In times of turbulence and when one can’t bear to face the news, readers like ourselves know the best means of escapism is into a good book. Equally, pets and their loyal companionship allow us solace and reassurance when we can be at our lowest.

Reading has become ever more of an accessible hobby, and escapist genres such as fantasy and romance were big sellers in 2024, with authors like Sarah J. Mass topping the charts (1). They are predicted to continue to grow. Is it any wonder reading to remove ourselves from what’s happening in our own world and entering into realms different from our own has exploded? 

I was struck in reading The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa earlier this year, how much of a sense of comfort it brought me. Japanese translated literature has exploded into bookshops, with Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and other big names becoming ingrained in many of our minds, many of which have a fantastical element. The premise of the story is a simple one, where a boy’s grandfather dies, and in a time of mourning and uncertainty, he spends increasing time in the place his grandfather loved most - his bookshop. Rintaro then meets a talking cat who takes him on quests, exiting through a mystical doorway in the back of the shop to defeat various entities who are destroying books, but believe they are doing a great justice. 

I myself have a cat Fluffy, who is pictured, and thought the merging of two great comforts was a brilliant notion. I’m sure those who have pets all talk to them as if they can understand, and this book imagines if a cat, sarcastic and pompous (as all somewhat are!) could talk back.

Already, you can see that this book is an extended metaphor for many of us going to bookshops and finding escapes when times in our lives are rough, not through literal portals in a back wall, or a cat actually speaking to us, but through the books themselves being wholly transportive. As Rintaro completes his challenges and overcomes grave, impossible obstacles, it becomes clear that when times are toughest, books can get us through anything with the stories they tell and the pleasure they bring.

I look forward to exploring more of this emerging genre, especially with the recent publication of The Cat Who Saved the Library by the same author, and embarking into more stories where two great comforts, books and cats are united together.  

James Phillips

1) ‘Bestsellers & trends in the UK & Ireland in 2024’, NIQ, 9th January 2025. https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/commentary/2025/bestsellers-trends-in-the-uk-ireland-in-2024/