What We Are Reading in January

This Korean bestseller, translated by Shanna Tan, is about a mysterious diary left in a laundromat that brings together patrons from all walks of life. Furnished with a coffee machine, a full bookshelf, and warm lighting, the laundromat is a haven of peace and reflection for many locals. And when a notebook is left behind there, it becomes a place that brings people together. One by one, customers start jotting down candid diary entries, opening their hearts, and inviting acts of kindness from neighbors who were once just faces in the crowd. This book uncovers the preciousness of human relationships and the power of solidarity in a world that is increasingly divided and virtual. 

“Homeseeking” follows the separated lovers — recently widowed Haiwen and his childhood sweetheart Suchi —  through six decades of tumultuous Chinese history as war, famine, and opportunity take them separately to the song halls of Hong Kong, the military encampments of Taiwan, the bustling streets of New York, and sunny California. The novel tells Haiwen’s story from the present to the past while tracing Suchi’s from her childhood to the present, meeting in the crucible of their lives. Throughout, Haiwen holds his memories close while Suchi forces herself to look only forward, neither losing sight of the home they hold in their hearts. At once epic and intimate, “Homeseeking” is a story of family, sacrifice, and loyalty, and of the power of love to endure beyond distance, beyond time.