(tent) To Pick Up a Cat

The latest short story collection from Hiromi Kawakami, brimming with her signature magic—21 exquisitely crafted tales that range from quietly surreal to deeply moving. In To Pick Up a Cat, the ordinary world is gently tilted, revealing the unexpected just beneath the surface. Stories include: — “Travel Is Free”:“When I fell in love, I thought it would last forever. But before I knew it, the passion faded, and the man I once couldn’t bear to be apart from became nothing more than a bulky nuisance. Each time, I declared, honestly and optimistically, ‘Let’s break up.’” A story of a woman’s bold new journey. — “To Pick Up a Cat”: Set in a near-future Japan where the population has been rapidly declining for 50 years, this subtly dystopian tale explores a quiet crisis in a society running out of young people. — “Haniwa”: The mother of beloved character Shūzō—an openly gay man familiar to Kawakami readers—reflects on the deepest regret of her life: “That my son turned out to be gay.” — “Hot Cocoa with Chocolate”:“You can’t get married unless you’re half-crazed with love. If you start thinking too clearly, it’s just too terrifying.” A woman breaks up with a nearly perfect man and begins to understand the quiet shadows in her heart. — “The Bright Blue Room”: A mysterious shop appears—one only accessible to people with romantic troubles. The shopkeeper always solves the problem… but at what cost? — “Minmin”: A young boy befriends a person no bigger than both his palms put together—tiny, but undeniably human. — “The Night of My Birthday”: Three cranes and a pair of tanuki drink beer while grumbling. In the kitchen, a blurry, pale-blue extraterrestrial washes the dishes with great care. Yes, it’s that kind of birthday party. — “Nobunaga, Yōjiya, Ajarimochi”:“After all, Kyoto is the Mecca of vengeful spirits,” says my colleague Nitta, who may or may not be a psychic. Their screaming duet with Oda Nobunaga’s ghost echoes through the ancient city. These stories and more—21 in total—offer a rich, whimsical, and emotionally resonant collection that showcases the full range of Kawakami’s literary brilliance. A treasure trove of short fiction: strange, elegant, and unforgettable.