Books › The Great Passage
The Great Passage
224 pages
A warm, quiet celebration of the meticulous art of dictionary-making and the profound ways language connects us to one another.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a quiet, sunlit office filled with towering stacks of antiquarian books and the comforting hum of dedicated work. It unfolds at a steady, deliberate pace, mirroring the painstaking process of crafting a massive dictionary. The mood is deeply warm and contemplative, laced with a gentle, wry humor as a cast of endearing, slightly awkward linguists and editors navigate their monumental task. Rather than high-stakes action, the emotional texture is built on the quiet thrills of finding the perfect definition, the blossoming of unexpected romance, and the forging of intergenerational bonds. It will thoroughly delight readers who love earnest, character-driven stories about passionate people finding their life's purpose and discovering human connection through the shared love of words.
- Mood
- warm
- contemplative
- cozy
- uplifting
- Tone
- earnest
- gentle
- wry
- reverent
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the power of language · finding one's calling · intergenerational mentorship · human connection · workplace camaraderie
- The writing
- The prose is thoughtful and precise, mirroring the lexicographers' deep reverence for the exact meaning and weight of every single word.
- The arc
- The journey moves from solitary, awkward isolation into a warm, purposeful life enriched by deep friendships, romance, and a shared calling.
- Who it's for
- Readers who delight in quiet, character-driven stories about passionate nerds finding their place in the world through highly specialized, meticulous work.
About the book
"Inspired as a boy by the multiple meanings to be found for a single word in the dictionary, Kohei Araki is devoted to the notion that a dictionary is a boat to carry us across the sea of words. But after thirty-seven years creating them at Gembu Books, it's time for him to retire and find his replacement. He discovers a kindred spirit in Mitsuya Majime--a young, disheveled square peg with a penchant for collecting antiquarian books and a background in linguistics--whom he swipes from his company's sales department. Led by his new mentor and joined by an energetic, if reluctant, new recruit and an elder linguistics scholar, Majime is tasked with a career-defining accomplishment: completing The Great Passage, a comprehensive 2,900-page tome of the Japanese language. On his journey, Majime discovers friendship, romance, and an incredible dedication to his work, inspired by the bond that connects us all: words" --Back cover.
Description from Open Library.
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