Kindle
$7.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$14.99
Paperback
$9.99
Buy new:
-16% $14.99
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$14.99 with 16 percent savings
List Price: $17.95

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Wednesday, May 15. Order within 9 hrs 17 mins
In Stock
$$14.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$12.23
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$14.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

Yoshino Genzaburo
+ Follow
Bruno Navasky
+ Follow
See all
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

How Do You Live? Hardcover – October 26, 2021

by Genzaburo Yoshino (Author), Bruno Navasky (Translator), Neil Gaiman (Foreword)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,507 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$14.99","priceAmount":14.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"xsdV5aYvqvFgUSuPLUle18fXW8DJp4HurL%2FWm1VGlbdGQXJteMDCJPwmYkx60E20ZZAT%2BegQPRR7aWK%2F2TOw3S8FCdno4Dz%2Ft%2FPcKtsLclCR5yz1467NVCGyHn0iNVnosGmGIRjLY1QaisbgEQilEw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$12.23","priceAmount":12.23,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"23","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"xsdV5aYvqvFgUSuPLUle18fXW8DJp4HuohtaQl7J%2Fubx%2BCvxxFDBVy2aqu0jR7a2lIsZB886008FAi7LsVO15W%2BeAvWCgueloXCYNzsloHMWo0MXBxc98Hc9BbEBJvWsE6IONPzstGAlppBepZN06NECZxfn%2BJzcmzQtLqLBYmlzGUcf4lgLfmg4HooWC8lX","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

As featured in the Oscar-nominated Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron:  the coming-of-age novel How Do You Live? is a Japanese classic that become a New York Times bestseller, now with an introduction by Neil Gaiman. 

After the death of his father, fifteen-year-old Copper must confront inevitable and enormous change, including the aftermath of his own betrayal of his best friend. Between episodes of Copper’s emerging story, letters from his uncle share knowledge and offer advice on life’s big questions. Like his namesake Copernicus, Copper looks to the stars and uses his discoveries about the heavens, earth, and human nature to answer the question of how he will live.

First published in 1937 in Japan, Genzaburō Yoshino’s How Do You Live? has long been an important book for Academy Award-winning animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle). Perfect for readers of philosophical fiction like The Alchemist and The Little Prince, How Do You Live? serves as a thought-provoking guide for young readers as they grow up in a world both infinitely large and unimaginably small.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    10 - 14 years
  2. Print length
    288 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - 9
  5. Lexile measure
    990L
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 1 x 8.62 inches
  7. Publisher
    Algonquin Young Readers
  8. Publication date
    October 26, 2021
  9. ISBN-10
    1616209771
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1616209773
  11. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

How Do You Live?
$14.99
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Shuna's Journey
$16.46
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Turning Point: 1997-2008
$14.82
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

From the Publisher

1

2

3

1
2
3

Editorial Reviews

Review

A New York Times Bestseller
An Indie Bestseller

“All classic children’s books are works of philosophy in one sense or another. But few classics for young readers are as entirely philosophical and contemplative, as engineered to instruct, as Genzaburo Yoshino’s How Do You Live? . . . not easily forgotten. . . Some may feel, as this reader did upon closing it, inclined to affirm an unusual truth: ‘I am wiser for having read this book.’”―Adam Gopnik, The New York Times Book Review

“A heartwarming and empathetic text engineered to help kids comprehend the world around them and their places in it . . . Like the best Miyazaki films, [the] lessons are often deceptively simple, but they have implications for every person who comes of age through adversity.”―Vulture

“How Do You Live? is that rare thing, especially in YA: a shamelessly philosophical novel, starting with its interrogative title. It asks its young readers to think about the person they want to be, and its adult readers to reflect on the person they’ve become.”―Wired

“A teen ponders the complexities of life, history, and humanity in this 1937 classic from Japan being animated by Hayao Miyazaki . . . Simple and beautiful seasonal details reflect Copper’s emotional journey. Small glimpses into prewar Japanese life and culture, including tofu making, school social hierarchies, city life, and the intricacies and symbolism of words, contribute to the atmosphere. A foreword by Neil Gaiman perfectly captures the mood and significance of this book, a childhood favorite of Miyazaki’s and one that is sure to find a select, but eager, readership outside its homeland. A quiet, introspective look at life and how to be human.”―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“[A] deeply thoughtful Japanese classic . . . A gentle tale of self-discovery and reflection, and a compassionate guidebook on integrity punctuated by rich sensory details . . . Yoshino’s timeless lessons will resonate with sensitive readers young and old.”―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Thoughtful and hopeful in the vein of classic children's literature. [An] excellent translation, providing insight into Miyazaki's works.”―Anime News Network

“Important, worthwhile, and surprisingly of-the-moment.”―Asian Review of Books

“A beguiling . . . and ruminative coming-of-age tale . . . to excite interest and—happily—inspire thought.”―Booklist

“Now is the perfect time for the translation of this novel and an even better time for today’s youth to give it a read. This book guides your way of living toward the right path.”
 ―Shelf Unbound

“A thought-provoking coming of age novel that teaches children how to navigate through life…beautiful…engaging.”―YA Books Central

About the Author

Genzaburō Yoshino (1899-1981) was a Japanese writer and publisher. In 1935, he became director of a collection of educational books for young people. When the acclaimed writer Yūzō Yamamoto was unable to complete a book on ethics as part of the series, Yoshino stepped in and wrote How Do You Live?. Since its debut as a novel and guide to philosophy for young people, How Do You Live? has sold more than two million copies, and been re-edited and republished more than eighty times to reflect the changing times and culture in Japan. 

Bruno Navasky is a teacher and writer, whose work as a translator and editor includes Festival in My Heart: Poems by Japanese Children and Poem in Your Pocket for Young Poets, as well as translations published in The New York Times and The Paris Review. He was the founding editor of American Poet, the journal of the Academy of American Poets, where he now serves on the board of directors. He lives and works in New York City.

Neil Gaiman is the author of many bestsellers for readers of all ages, including Stardust, American Gods, Sandman, Anansi Boys, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), The Graveyard Book (winner of the Newbery Medal), and Coraline. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
 

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Algonquin Young Readers (October 26, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1616209771
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1616209773
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 14 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 990L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 8.62 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,507 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Yoshino Genzaburo

    Yoshino Genzaburo

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

    See more on the author's page
  2. Bruno Navasky

    Bruno Navasky

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,507 global ratings
Timeless and charming
5 Stars
Timeless and charming
Bought it due to its appearance in the movie “The Boy and the Heron”; I see its appeal… the lessons and uncle tries to impart to his teen nephew resonate, even in this day and age.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Wendell Hahm
5.0 out of 5 stars Insight into Japanese youth.
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book adds understanding to culture of Japan.
Helpful
 Report
Matthew Douglas
5.0 out of 5 stars Great philosophical story
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
This book was written to be a story to help educate some of the younger readers and students in Japan. It is meant to explore some different aspects of life and some philosophical ideas. That being said I really enjoyed the story and the characters portrayed. There was some great character development. The translation was nicely done and I felt that it conveyed the ideas that were meant to get across. For me it gave me some things to kind of think about and reflect upon. Which is a huge pro for me for any story. I love stories that have me engaged as a reader, having me think about the outcomes and consequences of the choices that are made. In the end it had me caring about the characters and what happened to them, which I can't say is true for a few of the books I have read in the past. I recommend giving it at least one read and if you have children in your life I think this is a great book to read.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Paige G.
4.0 out of 5 stars book review
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2021
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: How Do You Live?

Author: Genzaburo Yoshino , Bruno Navasky (Translator)

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Japanese MC, side characters, and culture

Recommended For…: young adult readers, historical fiction

Publication Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Recommended Age: 13+ (parent death mentioned)

Explanation of CWs: Parent death is mentioned.

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Pages: 288

Synopsis: How Do You Live? is narrated in two voices. The first belongs to Copper, fifteen, who after the death of his father must confront inevitable and enormous change, including his own betrayal of his best friend. In between episodes of Copper’s emerging story, his uncle writes to him in a journal, sharing knowledge and offering advice on life’s big questions as Copper begins to encounter them. Over the course of the story, Copper, like his namesake Copernicus, looks to the stars, and uses his discoveries about the heavens, earth, and human nature to answer the question of how he will live.

Review: For the most part this was a great read. The book was so sweet and charming, as it focused on the questions a curious child might have at a young age. I thought the book was well written and that it had great character development.

However, I did think that some of the topics discussed (not mature ones, but like about philosophy and astrology) would be a bit over the head of some young audience members, but if they want to give it a shot who am I to judge?

Verdict: It’s good!
Helpful
 Report
I. Levy
5.0 out of 5 stars A book for the young at heart
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
Verified Purchase
A thoughtful exploration of a how a young person might make sense of life. With the help of his family and friends, 15-year-old Jun’ichi begins to widen his horizons and gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the people and things around him. He’s also widening his inner horizons and learning who he is and what it takes to become a truly great person.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Nina's Gift Closet
5.0 out of 5 stars Suggest for all ages
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2024
Verified Purchase
I ordered 3 copies of this book for my 3 adult children to share with the grandchildren. The letters to Copper were wonderful teaching moments. How Do You Live belongs on every bookshelf.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Guest
5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless and charming
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
Bought it due to its appearance in the movie “The Boy and the Heron”; I see its appeal… the lessons and uncle tries to impart to his teen nephew resonate, even in this day and age.
Customer image
Guest
5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless and charming
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2024
Bought it due to its appearance in the movie “The Boy and the Heron”; I see its appeal… the lessons and uncle tries to impart to his teen nephew resonate, even in this day and age.
Images in this review
Customer image
Customer image
Helpful
 Report
Etana K
5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenonal
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
Excellent book! If you like Ghibli and Miyazaki this is a must read!
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
That one guy
3.0 out of 5 stars A glimpse of Japanese life between the wars, but probably not for everyone
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
I may have missed the boat on this one. I may have also missed something in translation.

How Do You Live? is a coming-of-age novel that seems to occupy a space in Japanese culture akin to, say, Catcher in the Rye for American readers. I picked it up because I’m a fan of Hayao Miyazaki, and I’d read that he was planning a new film based on it. (The film is due out in July 2023.)

On the plus side, How Do You Live? has an interesting structure, with long passages dedicated to letters written between the main character, Copper, and his uncle. Copper is transitioning from childhood to adolescence, and he spends a great deal of time thinking about what kind of man he will become. His letters to his uncle, and his uncle’s lengthy responses, explore what it means to be a good person and an active, beneficial member of society.

On the downside, there’s a tad too much philosophizing in these pages for my tastes. If the novel’s ethical questions were grounded in the plot—as is one instance involving Copper’s action (or inaction)—they would’ve been more concrete and relatable. But I don’t have much tolerance for abstract discussion of philosophy for its own sake. Perhaps if I’d been able to read the novel in Japanese, the writing would’ve felt more natural, but as it was, it often seemed stilted and precocious.

It’s also hard to read the book without considering the state of the world—and Japanese politics—at the time of its publication in 1937. So much of what Copper and his uncle valorize is altruism, service to others, forsaking one’s own needs for those of the community. Those same ethical imperatives fueled the nationalism that drove Japanese expansion throughout the 1920s and 1930s and that ultimately led Japan to ally with Germany and Italy in World War II. (Obviously, none of this is meant to excuse nationalism or militarism anywhere else in the world, including my home country of the U.S.)

Maybe if I’d read How Do You Live? when I were younger, I’d have loved it. But just as with Catcher in the Rye (which I didn’t come to until I was in my 30s), the central character and his philosophy turned me off. In Holden’s case, that’s because he’s an insufferable, entitled, self-centered bore, and in Copper’s case, it’s because he comes across as a philosophy machine, interested only in abstract ideas, with none of the real-life questions that teenagers typically ask.
16 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Luciana C. Franceschini
5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom
Reviewed in Brazil on April 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
Livro interessante.
Report
A. M
4.0 out of 5 stars A nice edition
Reviewed in Mexico on June 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
I wish Amazon could protect the books better, cheap editions only have paper cover on them so if tha tone gets damaged you end up with a naked book, mine came a big damaged

Aside that it's a wonderful work, really comfortable to read, big font
Report
Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Wunderbarer Autor
Reviewed in Germany on April 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
Ein in seiner Einfachheit auch sehr berührendes und philosophisches Buch.
Report
Jaina Shah
5.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking
Reviewed in Sweden on May 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
It is written so beautifully, I have ended up buying more copies as presents for family and friends. Delivery was quick and efficient.
Report
Anastasia
5.0 out of 5 stars story of a young boy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book is a classic representative from Japan literature.
We have a slice of life. We are following a boy, his daily activities, his meetings with friends, their discussions.

it's a nice book which left me with warm and slightly uncertain feeling. why uncertain? i think this book came to my life later, it's an ideal read for YA and middle grade readers,- and for me it was a little bit naive, but worthy read nevertheless.
7 people found this helpful
 Report