The heroine of a short novel by contemporary Japanese writer Banana Yoshimoto loves more than anything else... kitchens. Probably because being alone with the kitchen is much better than being alone. At the center of this story is the human soul, the kitchen of human relationships with loved ones and the outside world. Banana Yoshimoto prepared her dish with extraordinary skill: her prose is distinguished by hidden sensuality and depth. And the ability to turn little things into something significant gives her gift of writing a special charm.

Translation from Japanese by Alexander Kabanov.