Người Sửa Đàn Dương Cầm

by Natsu Miyashita, Nguyễn Hải Hà (Translator)

Cuốn sách có kỉ lục 7 triệu bản in đã được bán ra tại Nhật Bản.

Đạt danh hiệu giải Naoki danh giá.

Tiểu thuyết được chuyển thể thành phim điện ảnh sẽ công chiếu các rạp vào mùa hè 2018.

Người sửa đàn dương cầm chính là cuốn sách được mong đợi nhất hè này!

Một câu chuyện cảm động được kể và dẫn dắt bởi thứ ngôn ngữ ngữ tinh tế giàu cảm xúc.

Chứa đựng những xúc cảm chân thật về đàn dương cầm – thứ nhạc cụ khiến con người ta mê đắm bởi âm thanh kì diệu mà nó phát ra bởi đôi tay tài hoa của người nghệ sĩ. Cuốn tiểu thuyết đã khắc họa rõ nét sự trưởng thành trong tâm hồn của một chàng trai trẻ, quyết tâm theo đuổi đam mê trở thành một người sửa đàn dương cầm chuyên nghiệp.

Narrator Tomura nhân vật chính của câu chuyện lớn lên trong một ngôi nhà nhỏ tại một làng quê hẻo lánh phía sau ngọn núi thuộc vùng Hokkaido. Vì làng không có trường trung học nên anh chàng đã rời quê nhà để đến học ở thành phố vào năm 16 tuổi. Năm thứ hai tại trường trung học, Itadori – một người sửa đàn dương cầm ghé thăm trường. Bị lôi cuốn bởi sự khéo léo cũng như kĩ năng thuần thục của ông trên những dây đàn, Tomura đã ngay lập tức xin được trở thành học trò. Itadori khuyên cậu hãy học xong trung học rồi đăng ký vào ngồi trường dành riêng cho những người sửa đàn dương cầm trên đảo chính của Honshu.

Ở tuổi 20, Tomura hoàn thành xong khóa học hai năm tại trường, cậu trở về Hokkaido để làm việc tại cửa tiệm nhạc cụ của Itadori. Vẫn còn nhiều hạn chế trong hiểu biết âm nhạc cũng như kinh nghiệm làm việc, Tomura dần dần xây dựng được cho mình ý nghĩa của việc trở thành một người sửa đàn dương cầm trong những lần tiếp xúc với Yanagi – một đàn anh có nhiều hơn cậu 7 năm kinh nghiệm, và cũng là người hướng dẫn trực tiếp cậu trong công việc.

Những hoài bão của tuổi trẻ cùng những tháng ngày miệt mài bên cây đàn dương cầm liệu có được đền đáp xứng đáng cho những nỗ lực đã bỏ ra ?

Liệu con đường trở thành một người thợ đàn thực thụ có dễ dàng? Liệu con đường đi của cậu có đúng đắn không? Hay cũng như bao người trẻ vẫn hoang mang trên đôi chân của chính mình?

Trong số các khách hàng của anh là hai chị em sinh đôi Kazune và Yuni, vẫn còn ở độ tuổi trung học.

Một căn bệnh bất ngờ khiến Yuni không thể chơi piano.

Một người coi piano như nguồn sống bỗng chốc phát hiện ra căn bệnh mình không thể chơi đàn được nữa.

Liệu Yuni sẽ sống ra sao khi chơi đàn là sự sống của cô?

Liệu Yuni có từ bỏ cuộc sống khi cô không còn khả năng chơi đàn nữa?

Với tư cách là một thợ sửa đàn Tomura sẽ phải làm gì để giúp được họ?

Điểm nhấn của cuốn sách chính là việc tiếng đàn dương cầm được người thợ chăm sóc và âm thanh phát ra trưởng thành theo từng ngày, từng giờ. Những âm thanh ngày càng trong trẻo và có hồn ấy tựa như sự trưởng thành trong nhận thức của một con người, nhất là người gắn bó và dành hết tâm huyết cho nó.

“ Tiếng đàn không cầu kì mà lặng lẽ, nhưng những hạt phân tử đó quá nhỏ bé, đến mức lắng sâu vào mọi ngõ ngách trong tâm hồn. Tiếng đàn không mất đi mà còn đọng mãi trong tim. Và đâu đó trong tim, ta nghe thấy có tiếng gõ cửa trong lòng mình.”

Cuốn sách này thích hợp để nhâm nhi vào những ngày thảnh thơi, khi bạn thả trôi tâm trí của mình vào những trang sách đắt giá này, khi đi đến cuối cuộc hành trình, bạn sẽ mỉm cười vì hạnh phúc hoặc rơi nước mắt vì đồng cảm. Nhưng điều đọng lại sau cùng là những bài học giúp bạn trưởng thành hơn.

Hãy dành tặng cuốn sách này cho những ai đang băn khoăn trên hành trình theo đuổi đam mê của mình. Hãy theo đuổi đam mê, thành công sẽ theo đuổi bạn !

Genres: Fiction, Japan, Japanese Literature, Contemporary, Music, Literary Fiction, Asia

Paperback

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

宮下奈都 Natsu Miyashita was born in Fukui Prefecture on Honshu island, Japan, in 1967. She has had a lifelong passion for reading and writing and has played the piano since she was very young. The Forest Of Wool And Steel won the influential Japan Booksellers’ Award, in which booksellers vote for the title they most enjoy to hand-sell. It has also been turned into a popular Japanese film directed by Kojiro Hashimoto and starring Kento Yamazaki.

Reviews

[Henk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sensitive story about following a passion, while being unsure of oneself and one’s talent. Love for pianos and music is very apparent, but the story remained quite small and the narrator didn’t develop much in my opinion

A sweet book, with quite some information on pianos I wasn’t aware of. The Forest of Wool and Steel reminds me a lot of The Easy Life in Kamusari, also a book about a young Japanese person who learns a trait. The title of the book is derived from the piano, being a forest (being made of wood), filled with steel (strings) and wool (felt on the hammers that make the strings vibrate).

Tomura, the narrator, is very unsure and awkward socially. Throughout the book he slowly learns how to pick up hints, metaphors and when not to be too honest. How he is captured to tuning pianos, due to a childhood encounter on his school, is almost fairytale like. Also his uncertainty is very pronounced, nearly 1/3 of the book is focussed on Tomura not feeling a good enough piano tuner compared to the other workers of the small firm he is employed at.

Having myself spend most of my time in a corporate setting, where everything is fast moving and pressurised, I found it fascinating how the apprenticing period took quite long, with Tomura only being able to speak to clients after quite some time. One of these clients are twins Yuni and Kazune, who are piano prodigies and to whom our main character starts developing an attraction.

Themes around learning a craft, doubting oneself, true passion and the difference between skill, practice and talent, feature prominently in the book as well.
Small town life also comes back.

This is very much a slice of life book, not necessarily much happens, but the pureness of the narrator makes it enjoyable nonetheless.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forest of Wool and Steel is a story of Tomura who at the age of 17 becomes mesmerised by the sound of a piano played by a piano tuner who just finished the tuning. Tomura suddenly realises that all he wants to do in life is to become a piano tuner. After finishing his piano tuning studies, Tomura starts working as an apprentice in a small city in Hokkaido. Tomura is observing his more experienced colleagues who have many years of experience and can tune pianos to their clients requests. Tomura loves his job but doubts often creep in making him question his capabilities and whether, one day, he can be as good as his colleagues.

This is a beautiful ode to pianos that brought me back to my childhood when I used to play piano. A stern looking man with a mustache would come around every once in a while to tune my piano while I watched him and waited excitedly for 2-3 hours until he was finished and I could try the new sound.

At just 200 pages, The Forest of Wool and Steel is a quick read with a simple, yet captivating story about one man's calling and perseverance. Natsu Miyashita has written a lyrical book that is calming, invoking music on its pages. No doubt this book will speak to more than just piano enthusiasts.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ines · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn’t choose a book that suited me, I was very intrigued by synapses, the idea of a story around a piano tuner. Too bad that the whole thing is really slow until the nervous breakdown; all this dreamlike ideas thrown there, can be held up to a certain point...
Okay, you get to the end of the book ( and I personally had to pray all the Saints in order to finish this book, i have this syndrome,... never being able to give up on shitty books, i have to finish all i read! Stupid me!!) and what do you get out of reading? What does a book like that leave you?
Nothing to me..... In fact, I’m not ashamed to say it, but Tomura ( the main character) I would have gladly beat him up heavily!!.
A fake good book!! (schifo proprio!!)









Proprio non ho scelto un libro adatto a me, mi intrigava moltissimo la sinopsi, l'idea di una storia intorno ad un accordatore di pianoforti. Peccato che il tutto sia veramente lento sino all' esaurimento nervoso; tutto questo ridondare di idee oniriche buttate lì si reggono fino ad un certo punto...
Ok, arrivi alla fine del libro ( e io personalmente devo accendere i miei soliti ceri votivi non riuscendo a mollare libri a metà) e cosa ne ricavi dalla lettura? cosa ti lascia un libro così?
A me nulla..... anzi, non mi vergogno a dirlo, ma Tomura lo avrei preso molto volentieri a mazzate.
Un unico pestone, salva il ragazzo dall' illusione...

[Olivia (Stories For Coffee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a beautifully written, slow moving novel following a new piano tuner navigating the world of music and his ability to heighten the sound of it all. I really enjoyed Tomura’s personality because he deals a lot with imposter syndrome and isn’t quite as confident in his work, which is relatable when one is surrounded by those who are so confident in their craft, leading to a lot of self-comparison issues.

This story greatly touched upon the power of music (and the piano) and how it affects various lives in very different ways. While I am not musically inclined, it was so pleasant to explore this world and this craft that I hardly knew about.

If you’re looking for an atmospheric, gorgeously written, low-stakes novel, this is the one for you.


AT A GLANCE
- Japanese fiction about a man learning to navigate the world of tuning pianos
- Atmospheric, low-stakes

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and RandomHouse UK for a review copy of the book. This is a Japanese novel translated into English by Philip Gabriel (who has also translated Murakami).

The Forest of Wool and Steel tells us the story of a young man Tomura. As a high school student, Tomura was deputed one day to conduct a piano tuner, Mr Itadori to the school gym to tune the piano. Hearing him work, more specifically the sounds that he manages to produce, evokes in his mind images of the forest at nightfall, the forest being the one place where Tomura feels welcome and at peace. This experience affects him so deeply that he decides to train as a piano tuner, even though he has so far never played the piano, nor has much of a ear for music. Once he completes his course, he joins the same company where Mr Itadori works in Hokkaido, and it is here that we follow him as he learns from each little experience—attempts at tuning on his own, accompanying his mentor Mr Yanagi, and other senior tuners from the firm (including the not-so-pleasant Mr Akino), or simply from hearing performances, whether at a concert hall or in a home, as different players (clients) approach the piano differently and require different things from it. In all this, his quest is not simply to become a master tuner or a specific kind of tuner but to achieve the kind of sublime sound from his work that Mr Itadori had, and which inspired him to take up this course in the first place. Among his various clients are twins Yuni and Kazune who are sixth form students, and whose journey with the piano is in a way entwined with Tomura’s own.

This book was an interesting read, and while nothing major happens—we are basically following Tomura through his everyday experiences, seeing him learn something new about turning though each visit to a client or each observation of another tuner—yet, at no point did I get bored or feel that the book was dragging. In fact, one feels as though one is learning with Tomura, experiencing each little lesson with him, on the quest with him to become good at his work. Throughout, Tomura is plagued by self-doubt wondering if he will ever be good enough, be able to get past the technicalities and achieve what he is looking for, revising at times, what he thinks his goal should be—this is something that I could (and am sure others would too) relate with because it is about trying to be the best that you can be at something you love, and in that, one does experience these feelings. For Tomura, besides questioning his own abilities, he is constantly considering who he is tuning for—the client, the audience, or perhaps, the instrument itself? Reading this book, something that will strike you throughout is how knowledgeable the author is, not only about the piano and music but about various nuances of tuning—humidity, whether the curtains in a room are open or closed, even the height of the stool of the player are as likely to affect sound as parts of the piano like its hammers and strings. We learn a little of the instrument’s history as well—and all of this knowledge flows naturally though the text, no information dump here. Another aspect which makes this book very pleasant to read is the images and sounds that are invoked when one reads it—Tomura is often thinking of the forest (he was brought up in a mountain village)—all very prettily described. A pleasant read about the quest to be the best in one’s calling! (Also, it hardly feels like one is reading a translation.)

The book has won several prizes in Japan and has also been turned into a film.

The book releases on 25 April 2019!

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book is a reference to the internal workings of a piano where wool, in the form of felt covering the hammers, and steel, in the form of piano strings, make the metaphorical forest but also make music.

When Tomura hears a piano being tuned in his school hall, this sets him on a path to becoming a piano tuner himself. It turns out piano tuning, at least in this book, is a lot more complicated than simply ensuring each string on the piano plays the right note. Tomura has to battle with his own self-doubt as he gradually progresses through his apprenticeship: has he got what it takes to be a truly great piano tuner?

I went on a very enjoyable journey with this book. It is deceptively simple in many ways. You can read it as a story of a man learning to tune pianos and of a pair of identical twins who play one of those pianos. But I found myself stopping again and again to wonder if there were other things going on.

To begin with, I felt like I was reading a Haruki Murakami novel. It’s a different type of story to Murakami, but I kept being reminded of all the Murakami books I have read. Then I discovered the translator is Philip Gabriel who has translated a lot of Murakami, so that was one mystery solved. I think this is the clearest example I have noticed of a translator’s style carrying over between authors.

But then, as Tomura’s story develops, I found myself thinking that perhaps this is a story about what it means to be a person who enables the talent of others to show, what it means to learn to be content when you live in the shadows while others live in the limelight:

The ideal sound is in harmony with the person who plays the instrument - a sound that allows the pianist’s own talents and personality to shine most brightly. No one thinks about the skill of the tuner. And that is perfectly fine.

Then again, as the story progresses, I began to wonder if pianos are simply a symbol for people. Some are old, some are new. Some are expensive/wealthy, some are cheap/poor. Some are cared for, some are neglected. We meet lots of pianos and all them seem almost to be metaphors for different people, people who can be rescued when a “tuner” helps to re-tune them and bring them back to life.

There is always the potential even in a long-abandoned piano, cast aside in the worst conditions. If a tuner is called out on a job, that always means someone is planning to play that piano. No matter what its circumstances, it will be ready for action once it has been through our hands.

And so I began, intent on getting this piano back to the best condition possible.

But then I thought that maybe this was a book about relationships and the way that they can re-tune our lives. Tomura has a long discussion with his younger brother at one point and this brother points out a few home truths which cause Tomura to re-think.

Something I’d pushed away from my life had jumped right back into me. It felt as if the outline of the world had suddenly been thrown into sharper relief.

Tomura has been re-tuned!

But then I began to wonder if the author was asking us to consider novelists as piano tuners, novels as pianos and readers as piano players. Novelists take time to pick and choose words, make the books they write sound the best they can. But what comes out of the books is largely down to the reader. This paragraph is almost certainly me playing a tune with this book that wasn’t in the author’s mind when she tuned the words. One of the joys of reading a novel is that you, the reader, have your own interpretation, play your own tune. Some of what you come up with will coincide with what the author thought about, some may not.

The reason I have given this book a high rating is simply because all of these different layers and ideas kept cropping up as I read it. I have no idea how many of these, if any, were the intention of the author, but I don’t think that matters. Natsu Miyashita has given us an instrument on which to play our own tunes and for that we should thank her.

My thanks to Transworld Publishers for an ARC of this book via NetGalley. A comfortable 4.5 stars, if only half stars were an option!

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Whenever I had a spare moment I'd stand in front of the piano, heave open its mighty lid and peer inside. Eighty-eight keys, each with one to three strings attached. The steel strings were taut, and I felt a jolt of excitement each time I contemplated the line of hammers, ranged across the action like an exquisite row of magnolia buds, just waiting to be used. The forest, with everything in perfect balance, was utterly beautiful.”

The Forest of Wool and Steel is an award-winning novel by Japanese author, Natsu Miyashita. Tomura is seventeen when, almost by accident, he hears the old piano in his school's gym being tuned by Mr Soichiro Itadori of the Eto Music Shop. Whatever Mr Itadori is doing, Tomura sees, hears, smells, feels the forest. “He gently presses down on the key and the scent of warm earth and whispering leaves rises up in my mind, drifting from beneath the open lid of the piano.”

Not only is he fascinated and deeply moved by the process, but it immediately becomes his vocation. It makes no difference that his family don't really understand: Tomura goes to the school Mr Itadori recommends, where he works hard to gain the knowledge and skill a tuner will need but, of course, that's just the beginning.

This earnest young man, solemn and respectful, is grateful to be taken on as a junior tuner at the Eto, and his reverence for the instruments on which he works and his respect for the tuners from whom he learns is apparent. After he has tuned all the pianos in the Eto (multiple times, on his own initiative), he is permitted to accompany Mr Yanagi to client homes and watches spellbound as he efficiently tunes the instrument to the client’s satisfaction (and more).

Tomura wonders if he will ever gain Mr Yanagi’s standard (let alone Mr Itadori’s: “…Mt Itadori’s tuning was to be revered. Truly, his gift was to arrange the soundscape of a piano so that its music would shine light into the shadows, revealing even those things that would rather remain out of sight.”) Tomura knew “I wasn’t ready yet, but I looked forward to the day I could help at these places where children would be encountering a piano in the music room or gym for the first time.”

About the tuning philosophy of the other master tuner, Tomura is conflicted. Mr Akino maintains that there’s no need to tune to a standard higher than the client’s ability dictates: “A person who usually rides a 50cc motorbike won't be able to manage a Harley.” But he finds that, ultimately, there is something to be learned from this master, despite his spiky attitude, too.

He messes up several times and strives to become a good tuner, but it’s such an incredibly nuanced and intuitive craft, he wonders if he will get there. Mr Itadori gives Tomura a tuning philosophy to which he can aspire. Eventually he faces the challenge of tuning for the pianist he most admires, for an audience he truly respects.

Miyashita gives the reader some exquisite descriptive prose (in fact, it’s difficult to choose when quoting): “A sound that sends a shiver through the heart…” and “The scenery of the sound” and “How can she make such beautiful chords, like bells ringing in heaven?” and “…the particles of sound were so fine, they sank directly into the heart, and stayed there” are a few examples.

“This must have been the standard A above middle C, but I could immediately picture scenery opening out before me, with a path extending through a crisp silvery forest. A young deer seemed to frolic in a hidden glade.”

Each of four parts is prefaced by a successively altered line drawing of a piano, and the whole is contained within a gorgeous blue watercolour dustjacket that illustrates the enigmatic title. Which is also explained thus: “Hammers made from sheep’s wool, striking strings of steel. And that becomes music.” It is flawlessly translated from the Japanese by Philip Gabriel. Most readers will find it impossible to reach the last page without feeling a little uplifted, without a smile on the face.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Penguin Random House Australia

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic novel - moving and powerful, both a coming of age story and a wonderful exploration of music. I highly recommend it.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forest of Wool and Steel is a melodious novel about a young man, Tomura, at the beginning of his career as a piano tuner. He's filled with self doubt and thinks he'll never measure up to other masterful piano-tuners.

This is a character-driven novel, where nothing much happens, Tomura's journey being more important than the destination. It felt a bit too slow at times, as it goes into quite a few details about pianos, tuning, ways of playing. I enjoyed learning a bit about this magnificent instrument, although I suspect some might find the technical details tedious.

The writing was accessible, occasionally, seasoned with some outstanding descriptive passages.

Now I'm in the mood to listen to some classical piano music.

I've received this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Booksellerreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not interested in Pianos, nor in tuning them, and for sure not in classical music. The only piano centered music I know is Yiruma.That being said I was absorbed into the apprenticeship of Tomaru and his struggle in becoming a good enough Piano tuner. I feel as if it is a typically japanese concept, to find so much pride in your work, even if it is a small task to do, you want to do the best work possible.Tomaru's Journey in finding peace with his calling was very touching. Feeling like you´re never good enough, but still love what you do and never give up doing your very best struck a chord with me. Alongside Tomaru you get to learn a lot about Pianos and its tuning, but don't worry, I thought the main storyline was universal enough to enjoy it even with no interest in these topics.  Natsu Miyashima writes lyrical pictures that stay in your mind for a long time, even after you finished the book. It is a dreamlike state I experienced reading this, pictured from Hokkaido clashing with what was really in front of me. Till the last page I was rooting for Tomaru to find peace.

[Ayesha (Seokjin's Version) ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
This is the stuff that Ghibli movies are made of. This book feels like a slow moving river under a beautiful moon. You don't just read the words but they seep into your skin. I'm sure I'm not going to listen to piano the same way now. This book has definitely added a layer to an instrument that I have desired to played but couldn't.

[Vishy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Natsu Miyashita's 'The Forest of Wool and Steel' through my friend Nilmanie's review of it. The book was about the piano and its music and I couldn't wait to read it.

Tomura is in high school. One day one of his teachers tells him that a man will arrive in the afternoon at school, and asks Tomura to take this man to the gym. When this man arrives, Tomura takes him to the gym and leaves him there. While Tomura is leaving the gym, this man opens the piano there, presses down some of the keys and plays a few notes, and something beautiful, magical happens in Tomura's mind. It is like someone opened his heart to a Narnia filled with music, in which when each musical note is played, Tomura sees the warm earth, whispering leaves, the forest, the trees. And Tomura comes back while this man is tuning the piano. And that is the end of life as he knows it. The boy from the mountains, Tomura, now wants to dedicate his life to the piano, he wants to become a piano tuner. What happens after that forms the rest of the story.

'The Forest of Wool and Steel' is a beautiful love letter to pianos, piano tuning, music. I loved it. I am happy that I discovered a new favourite book, a new favourite writer. I love how Japanese writers take delightful things, sometimes even everyday things, and compose a beautiful book around them – the way Yoko Ogawa wrote a book about mathematics and baseball, Ito Ogawa wrote about the pleasures of food, Banana Yoshimoto wrote about the seashore and the beach, Hiromi Kawakami wrote about the thrift store, Haruki Murakami wrote about running, Sayaka Murata wrote about the convenience store, Shion Miura wrote about the dictionary, the way Takashi Hiraide, Hiro Arikawa and Genki Kawamura wrote about this beautiful being called the cat. Natsu Miyashita's book is a beautiful addition to this wonderful list of Japanese books which sing a song in praise of all this beauty that surrounds us.

I'll leave you with one of my favourite passages from the book.

"And here was another thing : 'beautiful', like 'right', was a totally new word for me. Until I'd found the piano I'd never been aware of things that you might call beautiful, which is a little different, of course, from not knowing they exist...The delicate frown lines between the brows of a crying baby. The bare mountain trees beginning to bud, and the ecstasy of the moment when the tips of the branches reflect a reddish hue, casting a warm glow across the mountain. The mountain on fire with these imaginary flames would stop my breath and fill my heart to bursting.
It liberated me to have a word for these things – for the trees, the mountains, the seasons. To call them beautiful meant I could take them out any time I wished, exchange them with friends. Beauty was everywhere in the world. I had just never known what to call it or how to recognize it – until that afternoon in the school gym, when it flooded me with joy. If a piano can bring to light the beauty that has become invisible to us, and give it audible form, then it is a miraculous instrument and I thrill to be its lowly servant."

Have you read 'The Forest of Wool and Steel'? What do you think about it?

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forest of Wool and Steel follows Tomura, a seemingly unassuming young man, on his journey to being a piano tuner and manages to be inspirational and empowering in the process. It has a simple fable-like quality to it which works so beautifully and led to a rich, rewarding reading experience. I always tend to find great works of Japanese writers serene and almost calming and this was definitely the case here. Sometimes the translation can skew the original meaning, but I feel it has been carried out with precision, in this case by the delectable Philip Gabriel who has translated works of my favourite author - Murakami.

This is one of those books where nothing much actually happens, you are merely accompanying Tomura on his life's journey, but you learn so much from him. I never felt bored or as though the story was dragging. It is actually quite reminiscent of Mr Murakami's work in that respect. Exquisitely written, with great wisdom and a small but detailed cast of interesting characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The nuances and subtleties associated with both playing and tuning a piano are described so wonderfully that it's clear the author knows this instrument inside and out. It's also no surprise to discover that this is the mega-bestselling winner of the influential and prestigious Japan Booksellers Award and was adapted into a movie released in 2018.

At its heart, this is a compassionate, uplifting novel which encourages you to be the best you possibly can be. To find your purpose, follow your dreams and reach for your ambitions, and to persevere through the peaks and troughs along the way. The sky is the limit. Many thanks to Doubleday for an ARC.

[farahxreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I were to compare The Forest of Wool and Steel with something, it would be a literary equivalent of a soft piano melody, which was designed to be calming, reflective and meditating. In this quiet exploration of self, the author chronicles the life of Naoki Tomura whose life has changed through an enchanting sound of a piano being tuned in his school. Feeling motivated, Tomura decided to set about discovering more about piano tuning under the tutelage of three master piano tuners.

To be honest, this book was a mixed bag for me. I really loved the themes running through the book but I was a little less enthusiastic about the subject matter (piano tuning) which make it very difficult for me to fully enjoy Tomura’s journey in becoming a piano tuner. But overall, it was a genuinely reflective read that you can finish in a day. Give it a shot if you fancy something inspiring and uplifting about finding your life’s purpose in this messy, unpredictable world.

I was kindly given the review copy of this book by Times Reads in exchange of honest review. You may find this book at all good bookstores around you.

[SueLucie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an appealing story. Knowing next to nothing about pianos and still less about tuning them, I was fascinated by all the detail involved in a piano tuner’s job. What clients mean when they want a ‘bright’ sound, for example, and how people’s perception of sound varies. I was particularly taken with the narrator’s likening of the nuances of tone and pitch to the sounds of the forest he grew up in - many opportunities for gorgeous descriptions here. Interesting, too, are his thoughts on the Ancient Greeks’ ideas about the interdependence of astronomy and music.

In a way I could agree, though, how astronomy and music could be considered foundational to understanding the world. You extract some stars from all the countless ones and make them into constellations. Tuning is similar. You select things of beauty that have dissolved into the fabric of the world. You gingerly extract that beauty, careful not to damage it, and then you make it visible.

Seven sounds - do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do, or twelve if you include semitones - are teased out, named, and then they sparkle just like the constellations. And it’s the tuner’s job to pick these out with precision from the vast ocean of sound, arrange them delicately and make them resonate.

A thoroughly enjoyable book, with a beautiful cover artwork that reflects the story perfectly.

With thanks to Random House Doubleday via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Natsu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m at a loss. I can’t come up with the exact words that describe precisely how I felt upon finishing this ethereal novel. Sublime. Angelic. Unearthly. Transcendental. All expressions of praise seem inadequate, and even if I try my best to put my perceptions into words, I am afraid my review will still be utterly incomplete.

Tomura, a fledgling piano tuner, struggles to pave his path to becoming a distinctive tuner with a unique flair of his own. He takes his first step down a long apprenticeship road, full of ambition to become an exceptional tuner. Along the way, he finds himself in difficult situations like not being able to tune a piano according to a client’s request, clients canceling on him and asking for his superior to adjust instead, and so on. Miyashita makes use of the forest as a symbol of a labyrinth, an obstacle that one has to go through to become who they want to be. As Tomura questions his capability as a tuner, he symbolically finds himself in a forest, where there’s hardly any light to discern his whereabouts or which way to go. The trail ahead is obscure initially, but it gradually becomes clear as he hones his skills through interactions with colleagues and clients and gains hands-on experience as a novice tuner. As seasons change and the days go by, each step he takes becomes more determined as he walks down the path towards becoming a phenomenal piano tuner.

The plot is unhurried, so there is enough time for Tomura’s introspections to be explained in full detail. Yet, the emotional contemplations do not make the story dull or the pacing sluggish. It also gives enough room for readers to create their images of the mountains and forest, imagine the sounds of the wind, snow falling from tree branches, and of course, the piano.

As an amateur pianist that enjoys playing the piano for fun, I found so many quotes I want to hold dear and close to my heart; one such example is: “ Music is there to help us enjoy life, not as a means to outdo everyone else. Even if you compete and a winner is picked ——the person who enjoys himself the most is always the real winner. “

Music by Bach and Satie kept popping up in my mind throughout the story. I am looking forward to rereading this book in the original language.

[nanws · Rating 5 out of 5]

ยกให้เป็นเล่มโปรดตลอดไป อ่านง่าย วางไม่ลงอ่านได้เรื่อยๆ

เกี่ยวกับพระเอกที่วันนึงได้ฟังเสียงช่างจูนเปียโนแล้วหลงใหลขึ้นมา
เลยอยากจะเป็นช่างจูนเสียงเปียโน ไปเรียนจบสายนั้นแล้วมาทำงานเป็นช่างจูนที่ร้านนึง แต่ก็คิดว่าตัวเองนั้นทำได้ไม่ดี แต่ก็ยังพยายาม ไม่ละทิ้งความฝัน ศึกษา หาความรู้ ประสบการณ์อยู่ตลอด

เล่มนี้พูดถึงการไล่ตามความฝันได้ดีมาก บางทีคนที่มองว่าเราทำได้ไม่ดีอาจจะมีแค่ตัวเราเอง

เป็นห้าดาวที่ห้าดาวจริงๆสำหรับเราค่ะ อ่านแล้วเหมือนได้ปลดล็อคอะไรบางอย่าง อยากไล่ตามความฝันอีกครั้งหลังจากที่กลัวอยู่นาน

[Elvina Zafril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an appealing story. Translated by Philip Gabriel.

This book is split into five chapters. Everything about this book is just perfect. I was fascinated by all the detail involved in a piano tuner’s job.

Seven sounds - do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do, or twelve if you include semitones - are teased out, named, and then they sparkle just like the constellations. And it’s the tuner’s job to pick these out with precision from the vast ocean of sound, arrange them delicately and make them resonate.

This book was calming. It’s always good if you can find this feeling in Japanese literature. Like when you read it you feel calm. You can find that feeling in this book.

Tomura is really a beautiful man with beautiful personality. It’s flattering when Tomura questions himself and his abilities. Like he knows he's not perfect but he wants to do what he wants because that is his dream to become a piano tuner. Following Tomura’s journey, I learned so much from him. it's really inspiring. The story was a bit dragging but please stay, you won’t regret it.

This is a compassionate novel which encourages you to be the best version of yourself. It was well written and well translated. If you like Japanese Literature, I highly recommend this book.

Disclaimer: Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy of The Forest of Wool and Steel in exchange for an honest review. This book is available in all good bookstores.

[Kelly Furniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

The synopsis of this book pulled me in straightaway and as a fan of Japanese translated literature plus the accolades of this winning the 2016 Japan Booksellers Award and the translator been Phillip Gabriel who translates for one of my favourite authors Haruki Murakami I quickly got a copy.
Our main character Tomura is at school and witnesses the piano undergoing a tuning session.
Tomura is completely absorbed with the intricacies of the process and right there and then decides that this is what he will do when he leaves. He is taken on as a student at a piano tuning firm and goes out to jobs with different experts who all offer different perspectives and approaches to the tasks they have to deal with. The advice he receives contains analogies about every day life and often leave him quite perplexed about the correct direction. Tomura finds himself at a job of an identical pair of twins whose style is very different and how they want to express themselves through the piano contrasts and here we see the underlying messages of beauty been within the eye of the beholder, the confusions of growing up e.g. frustrations & attraction. And so the piano tuning becomes a way to explore the feelings of becoming your own person. You don't have to like piano's or be fascinated with music to enjoy this, it's a story told to cleverly deliver life messages that will make you momentarily ponder.
A very evocative tale that I enjoyed very much.

[Shaimaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

كان أَولى بهذا الكتابِ أن يُسوَّق كأدب لليافعين (YA)، لا كنصّ أدبي (literary fiction). لا لأنّه عملٌ موجّهٌ بالضرورة لجيلٍ صغير، ولا لأنّه نصٌّ غير مفتوح للتأويل، إنّما لأنّ ثيمته الأساسيّة تستهدف هذا الجيل وتهّمه. يحكي الكتابُ عن بحثِ المرء عن نقطة انطلاقٍ تبدأ من شغف، وتناقش فكرة الصراع بين الموهبة والجهد الذي يُبذَل كي تُكتَسَب "الموهبة" من جهة أخرى. تحاول القصّة طمأنة المرء الباحث والجادّ في بحثه عن سببٍ يعيش لأجله، ولا تفتحُ كثيرًا من الأسئلة الّتي تتحدّى عقل القارئ (وهو سبب رئيسٌ لحبّنا لشكل الرواية). وعليه، فهذا نصٌّ جميل، لجيله، لحينه، للجمهور الّذي يمكن أن يستلهم شيئًا ما من هذا الكتاب.

من تجربتي المُخجلة جدًّا في الأدب الشرق آسيويّ، أعتقد أن هذا الكتاب مُبرّرٌ رواجُه في ذاك المناخ الأدبيّ. نصٌّ محلّيّ جدًّا، يسهل تخيّله كفيلم من أفلام جيبلي اللطيفة، بشخصيّات قليلة، محدودة، وتتكلّم في موضوعٍ بعينه؛ ما أدّى إلى شعوري بأنّ جناح الحقيقيّة في القصّة مكسور - وإن كان جناحَ الخصوصيّة الآسيويّة ذاك متين.

أحببتُ قراءة القصّة كأليجورية (allegory) لعملِ الكتابة؛ فإن كانت القصّة تتبّع شخصيّة تومورا المتدرّب في عمل دوزنة آلات البيانو (piano tuner)، سيُعجبكَ مقارنة الأمر بعمل محرّر الكتب - أحدهما يكون ضلعًا في الخلق الأولي للمعزوفة، والآخر يكونُ ضلعًا في تخليق أو إكمال نحت النصّ الأدبي المكتوب. إذا كنت مهتمًّا بعمل الكتابة، فأنصح بقراءة القصة من هذا المنظور.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quiet little Japanese novel for a while, but then it began to pall on me and seemed to be going nowhere – very slowly. It tells of a young man who is inspired to become a piano tuner and follows his quest for excellence in his chosen path and for self-fulfilment and meaning in his life. For me, there was just too much about the art of piano tuning, a subject in which I have minimal interest. It’s a character–driven novel but I couldn’t relate to the hero of the tale, and although some of the other characters are interesting up to a point, none of them particularly engaged me, and this, coupled with the slow pace and lack of incident, although I appreciated the author’s skill in conjuring up a whole little world, meant that I sighed with a certain amount of relief when I got to the end.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I’m not that sociable or friendly, but with a piano I could feel a closeness I lacked with people. 'How have you been?' I wanted to say aloud. 'It’s been a while.' "

This is a quiet and reflective story of a young person discovering a passion and pursuing it. Tomura, our protagonist, is unexpectedly started and mesmerized by the beautiful sound of a piano one day, a sound that will change the course of his life. He decides to pursue piano tuning, despite having no knowledge of music or instrumentation.

The reader joins him on his journey as he learns from three master piano-tuners, meets and gets to know his clients, and ponders whether he has what it takes to excel at his chosen profession. We are treated to Tomura's internal ponderings on music, on nature, and on musicians and tuners and the sounds that they are able to coax out of an instrument together.

You're not going to get action or adventure in this book. What you will get is a character who slowly grows in his assuredness and ability, starting as a socially awkward and uncertain person who makes small but consistent strides in his personal and professional progress. There are themes revolving around passion vs. skill, big cities vs remote towns, and imagery that circles back to forests and mountains and being swept away by music. It's a simple yet captivating read, both calming and lyrical in its language.

[emkart_andbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Przepiękna, głęboko wrażliwa opowieść o muzyce i prawdziwej pasji; niby taka prosta, a niepowtarzalna. Historia, która przypomina nam i uczy poszukiwania własnej drogi, czerpania z samego dążenia do celu, dostrzegania tego, co niewidoczne… i wiele więcej. Oferuje naprawdę dużo i na wiele sposobów można ją postrzegać i odczytywać.
Ta książka dotkliwie poruszyła moje serce i obudziła w nim sentyment do muzyki i fortepianu. Dla mnie to było wspaniałe i niezapomniane doświadczenie literackie!

[Sandra || Tabibito no hon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sama historia może i nie zostanie z nami na dłużej, ale to co wyciągamy z lektury zakorzenia się w nas. Czuję, że w pewnych momentach będę mogła usiąść i wspomnieć tę oczywistość życia, o której przypomniała mi ta książka.

Jest prosta, jest tak niezwykle prosta, a przy tym tak bardzo magiczna i piękna. Nie jest też długa, nie ma nawet 300 stron, czyta się ją bardzo dobrze, więc lektura nie zajmuje dużo czasu. Z autorką spotkałam się po raz pierwszy, ale mam nadzieję, że nie po raz ostatni, ponieważ jej odbiór świata bardzo mi się spodobał i chętnie zagłębię się w jej inne książki.

O czym opowiada Las z wełny i stali?

-> Jest to historia licealisty, który właśnie ukończył szkołę średnią i w zasadzie nie wie co dalej zrobić ze swoim życiem. Na swojej drodze napotyka stroiciela, początkowo może się to wydawać zupełnie nieistotne, ale kiedy chłopak zaobserwował jego pracę przy fortepianie, to nagle wszystko wskoczyło na swoje miejsce, był oczarowany i odkrył drogę, którą chciałby podążać. Tak właśnie rozpoczęła się jego przygoda jako stroiciela.

Przyznam, że od razu byłam zachwycona pomysłem na historię, która skupia się na stroicielach, czyli na tym co znajdziemy za kulisami. Dzięki temu możemy dostrzec istotność działań, których nie widać. Nie chodzi tu tylko o strojenie, na tym przykładzie pokazano jak wszystko na tym świecie ma swoje znaczenie, jak wszystko jest od siebie zależne. Mamy w zwyczaju dostrzegać tylko to co widać, pomijając przy tym wszystko to, co przyczyniło się do zaistnienia tego co podziwiamy. Piękna nauka albo po prostu przypomnienie. No i przy tym każdy z bohaterów reprezentuje inną osobowość, a wspólnie tworzą pewną całość w tym świecie.

Książka opowiada o kroczeniu własną drogą, o znalezieniu własnego celu, o wyobcowaniu, o zmaganiach, a przede wszystkim - co uderzyło we mnie najbardziej - o byciu niezwykłym w swojej przeciętności. Przy okazji uczy, naprawdę można z niej dużo wynieść, jest uniwersalna i każdy może dostać w niej to, czego akurat potrzebuje.

Uwielbiam takie życiowe książki, w których przepadam całą sobą, nad którymi rozmyślam i które po prostu pomagają mi poczuć się lepiej.

Las z wełny i stali pokrzepia i uspokaja. Polecam tę pozycję każdemu, bez względu na wiek. Może nie w każdego uderzy tak bardzo jak we mnie, ale nie sądzę, by ktoś mógłby się na niej zawieść, a w najgorszym przypadku po prostu przyjemnie spędzicie czas, bo głównego bohatera otaczają zabawni i konkretni ludzie.

8/10 i oby więcej takich książek!

"Rzecz, której większość odmówi wartości może być dla kogoś niezastąpionym skarbem"

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of contemporary fiction that I love. Spare prose, deeply reflective, and about ordinary people leading ordinary lives. Tomoru is a 20-something year old man who has trained as a piano tuner. Coming from a poor village in the mountains of Hokkaido, the large island north of Japan's largest island, Honshu, where Tokyo is located. In the mountains, Tomoru led a solitary life with his parents and brother. The forest was his refuge. He was very fortunate to discover in his teenage years a career he would love. He saw a piano tuner at work in his school, and approached the man to ask to be his apprentice. He was advised to go to a school for piano tuners and when he completed his studies, he was taken on at the company where the piano tuner he admired, worked.

This simple story tells of Tomoru's work to master a craft and find a place for himself in this world. I do not play piano, nor do I listen to a lot of piano music. But Tomoru's observations and meditations on this world were captivating. I loved his comparisons of the sounds of the concert hall and the forest of his home. This young man, from a simple background, who grew up in isolation from the larger world, show profound depths in his meditations on work and life. It is a moving novel that I recommend highly.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out so well I thought I might love it but sadly it just didn’t deliver. I was left feeling really disappointed.

This was, at least at the start, a charming tale about a young man growing up and his love of the mountainside forests of his family home and the piano which bring joy to his otherwise quiet life. It was quite well written albeit a little clunky at times, a little wooden perhaps is the right word to describe it, I suspect this might be the translation and the way Japanese literature often comes across (from what I have read).

We have some nice characters too, although I think our young protagonist was particularly naïve and childish at times, over simplified perhaps.

The real problem is that nothing very much happens. It was nice, even lovely on occasion, but it is very slow and monotonous as the author repeats the same comments over again, often in exactly the same wording.

Overall this is a ‘nice’ book but it lacks substance for me. I feel terrible for giving it the low score I have but there is not enough here to justify more, charming can only get you so far.

[Lauren | laurenbetweenthelines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik las nooit eerder een boek als dit en kan het maar moeilijk onder woorden brengen wat ik er nu precies van vond. Het hele verhaal staat in het teken van muziek – en dan meer specifiek pianomuziek – waarbij de klanken zowaar tot leven worden geschreven. Het verhaal blijft naar mijn mening heel bescheiden net als hoofdpersonage Tomura. Dit is een echte slowread, maar daarom niet minder mooi. Heel speciaal en eens wat anders dan de doorsnee Vlaamse/Nederlandstalige roman.

Ik heb weinig tot geen affiniteit met pianomuziek maar het boek deed er wel mijn interesse naar opwekken. Af en toe werd het mij net iets té gedetailleerd/technisch en bleef het maar doorgaan over het pianostemmen. Er zit niet veel vaart in het verhaal en dit blijft tot het eind zo, je hebt tijdens het lezen al snel door dat het verhaal oppervlakkig zal blijven.

Al bij al een prima slowread roman die je op één dag makkelijk wegleest en blij dat ik dit boek dankzij een boekenbox mocht ontdekken. Ik kan het boek wel aanraden aan mensen die van Japanse fictie houden.

[Gardy (Elisa G) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il primo ricordo ben nitido che ho di Natsu Miyashita è il commento un po’ nostalgico e un po’ amaro che fece di lei un professore inglese che insegna in pianta stabile in Giappone da più di 30 anni.
Quando sono arrivato qui – ricordava sui social – lo scrittore più amato dai miei studenti era Dazai Osamu, ora quando leggono al di fuori delle consegne scolastiche (sempre che lo facciano) sfogliano i romanzi di Natsu Miyashita.

A lettura terminata di Un bosco di pecore e acciaio confermo in toto quel tono vagamente rammaricato che aveva la constatazione di quel docente. Non si può dire certo che sia un brutto romanzo e anzi la parte dedicata al mondo dell'accordatura e al "dietro le quinte" della creazione del suono di un pianoforte è pregevole. Tuttavia, come molti altri titoli nipponici contemporanei, si mescola perfettamente a quell’amalgama di narrativa dal tocco così lieve da rischiare di essere inconsistente.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short novel (and the third unexpected book - all excellent, though this was the best - I picked by chance in a British bookstore on my recent visit there) and it was just awesome; the first half is among the best ever reading experience as it is magical and enthralling (the story is simple, a boy from an iso9lated mountain village in Japan gets to watch a piano tuner at work by chance when he is deputized by the principal of his school to greet him and show him around to the school piano, and seeing for the first time the "forest of wool and steel" that is the inside of the piano, he just finds an unexpected harmony with it and decides to become a piano tuner himself); the second half while still excellent is a bit more mundane as things settle down and become more predictable; great characters, lyrical prose (and of course translation) and a reading experience not to be missed

Highly, highly recommended

[Booklunatic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne

Ein sehr ruhiges, poetisches, typisch japanisches Buch. Die Handlung plätschert sanft dahin - das muss man klar mögen und auch in der richtigen Stimmung dafür sein. Ich empfand es als beruhigend und erdend, es gibt aber sicher auch Leser, denen es schlicht zu langweilig sein könnte...