This is a very unusual book for children. More of a philosophy book than a story. I liked the friendship between the characters and between Copper and his uncle. It did spend a lot of time on how one should be in the world. I might have liked it as a child. It seemed quite preachy to me as an adult. I could certainly feel for Copper when he made his big mistake. I think we've all been in his shoes. I was glad to have this insight into a Japanese classic for children. My copy didn't have the Gaiman intro. I'll have to see if I can find it in another edition. ( )

I could see how this book could have been incredibly formative for me if I read it in high school. It has an interesting structure, many interesting ideas, and is a nearly perfect YA read. But I have read many books with similar ideas, that were less in-your-face about it.

But I am looking forward to the movie coming out. ( )

This is a lovely, lyrical book on personal discovery, inner growth, and humanity that combines a gentle tale with the heartfelt commentary of a doting uncle; while targeting a middle-school audience as much today as when published, the discussions aren't at all wasted on an adult reader either. Actually, there are textual clues that suggest "How Do You Live?" is meant to be read aloud (i.e., on p. 241 where the narrative interrupts itself with, "When you hear about it, you will see that it was indeed a great big fuss."), and I think it would really _rock_ as a shared experience between a grown-up and child/grandchild. In fact, when Copper's mother relates a story from her youth to him, that story and her aside would be a fantastic starting point for an away-from-text chat!

The writing does lean a bit thick into pedantry at places (not least, the last line), making the whole feel a bit more like a lesson than "The Little Prince" ever does, and that struck a bit distractingly. The setting and social environment feel dated too, but in a very comfortable way, the way you want a good 'once upon a time' to feel. And we can all hope to feel more like Copper every day. ( )

This is a must-read for everyone, especially young adults (not that recommended for teens as they may find it dull and preachy). It teaches you how to live and be human - follow your heart, learn from your mistakes, act, and things will be fine. ( )

How Do You Live? is a classic Japanese middle-grades novel written by Genzaburo Yoshino and translated into English by Bruno Navasky.

The story has two narrators, Copper and his uncle. As young Copper notices things about the world around him, his uncle encourages him with love and care, gently guiding him to become a good person. Copper’s childhood experiences and his thoughts about them are followed with reflections in Uncle’s Notebook, meant for a slightly older Copper to read. This is what makes it such a charming story — Uncle constantly encourages Copper to think about the world and his place in it.

There’s not really a conflict and resolution here. As Copper has typical school boy experiences, the resolution is just him learning more about himself. He learns about friendship and bullying, as well as coming to awareness of social structure. At one point, he realizes that a classmate isn’t lazy or slacking, instead he’s tired at school after doing an adult’s job in the family tofu shop. Copper compares the home above the tofu shop to his own own, and discovers his own luxuries and advantages. He’s also excited, in a sweet, boyish way, when he gets to try some of the equipment for making pressed tofu. Copper’s growing awareness of his place and privileges is touching and effective.

The pacing of How Do You Live? quite slow. There is attention to description, often mentioning clothes and weather to set the scene. The slow pace works with the overall book being less about what happens next in the plot and more about, well, how to live. (Well, there’s one section, about Napoleon, that dragged a bit, but in general I was on board with a gentle unfolding.) I liked Copper considering events and feelings, and I especially liked when his mother and uncle told him stories instead of directly instructing him. Readers are often shown hints, rather than being directly told.