The Housekeeper and the Professor

by Yoko Ogawa
The Housekeeper and the Professor cover
Good Books rating 4.12
Literary Fiction
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Paperback • £9.99
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  • ID: 418
  • Added: 2025-09-11
  • Updated: 2025-10-19
  • ISBN: 9780312427801
  • Publisher: Picador
  • Published: 2009-02-03
  • Formats: 33
  • Reviews: 4

The Housekeeper and the Professor tells the story of a brilliant mathematician who, after a traumatic head injury, can only retain memories for eighty minutes. Each morning, he must be reintroduced to his housekeeper and her young son, creating a unique and poignant dynamic. Despite his memory loss, the professor's mind is alive with mathematical equations and a deep appreciation for the beauty of numbers. The housekeeper and her son find solace and wonder in his world, as he connects simple quantities to the vastness of the universe, weaving their lives together in unexpected ways. This enchanting tale explores the meaning of living in the present and the profound connections that can form even in the face of memory loss. Yoko Ogawa's novel is a poetic and moving exploration of family, love, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

Reviews
The Bookbag · 2025-09-11
lovely 4.00

The review appreciates the gentle, domestic nature of the story and the poetic way mathematics is presented, making the characters and their connections feel deeply engaging.

The reviewer found the story lovely despite its slow pace and lack of dramatic action, becoming attached to the professor and the trio's lives. They emphasize how the professor’s passion for numbers makes math sound poetic and fascinating, exploring concepts like zero and perfect numbers in a way that almost invites the reader to share in the discovery. The narrative’s charm lies in the quiet moments and the emotional warmth that math and the characters’ interactions bring, which may inspire readers to appreciate mathematics anew.

Quick quotes

    He makes them sound interesting, poetic, almost giving them characteristics.

    I became very attached to the Professor through the book, and embroiled in the lives of these three characters.

    You almost feel the same sense of achievement as she does in solving some of the puzzles.

Goodreads · 2025-09-11
enchanting 4.00

The story is praised for its enchanting portrayal of living in the present and the unique way it uses mathematics to create a sense of family and connection despite memory loss.

This review highlights the novel's beautiful exploration of how relationships can form and thrive even with severe memory limitations. The professor's short-term memory loss challenges traditional notions of family and memory, but his love for mathematics and the bond with the housekeeper and her son create an emotionally rich narrative. The mathematical elements serve as a poetic and sheltering world, bringing the characters closer together and illustrating profound human connections beyond conventional memory.

Quick quotes

    The Housekeeper and the Professor is an enchanting story about what it means to live in the present.

    The numbers, in all of their articulate order, reveal a sheltering and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her young son.

    The Professor is capable of discovering connections between the simplest of quantities and the universe at large.

Reading with Delaney · 2021-09-07
affecting 4.50

The story is a beautiful exploration of humanity and the impact of even tenuous connections. The reviewer is touched by the emotional resonance and the profound message about loneliness and hope.

This review emphasizes the story's exploration of humanity and the impact of even the most tenuous connections. The reviewer is particularly moved by the emotional resonance and the profound message about loneliness and hope. They appreciate how the story highlights the importance of human connection and the lasting impact it can have, even in the face of adversity. The overall tone is one of warmth and reflection, making it a deeply affecting read.

Quick quotes

    It's a story about humanity, and about how although we may feel hopeless or lonely, even the tenuous connections we build with others can have a lasting impact.

    The story highlights the importance of human connection and the lasting impact it can have, even in the face of adversity.

    The overall tone is one of warmth and reflection, making it a deeply affecting read.

stargazer-online.com · 2020-11-29
heartwarming 4.00

The book is celebrated for its heartwarming depiction of unusual friendships and the professor’s transformation through his passion for mathematics, which brings vitality despite his memory loss.

The reviewer was immediately drawn to the book due to its combination of Japanese fiction, existential themes, and love of math. They describe the professor as transforming from a frail old man to a passionate and engaging figure when discussing mathematics, which captivates both the housekeeper and her son. The bond formed is touching and built on understanding and acceptance of the professor’s condition, making the story both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant.

Quick quotes

    When talking about math he transforms from a small, shabby and frail elderly man to a passionate and engaging personality.

    Math and numbers are the foundation for the professor’s life and the subject in which he seeks comfort.

    The housekeeper’s 10-year old boy develops kind of a bond with the professor; a bond which relies on the boy’s ability to understand the professor’s condition.

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