Extraordinary Ways of Life by Shinobu Yoshii, published by Wenhui Press

"The road has narrowed, but it's still passable"

New work by Japanese-Chinese writer Yoshii Shinobu

In less-than-perfect days, hold on to that "beyond standard" freedom

[Synopsis]

In a society that relentlessly pursues efficiency, there will always be those who stand at the forefront of their times, serving as pioneers and role models, writing inspiring and motivational stories. But in life, we also encounter a type of person who makes you marvel: that such choices can be made for one's own life.

Writer Yoshii Shinobu walked through the streets and alleys of Japan for seven years, interviewing ordinary people from all walks of life, exploring 12 extraordinary ways of living outside the mainstream order.

Some people pick up trash on the streets of Tokyo in the morning and tell jokes in the theater at night, making everyone laugh, saying, "There's no such thing as trash in the world, but once it's thrown away, it becomes trash."

Some left Japan's largest bookstore to open Japan's smallest used bookstore on a southern island, discovering that "once I left my corporate job, I was truly alone."

Some spent 19 years building a house, starting by pouring concrete themselves, becoming a "creator" in a society that only encourages people to be "consumers"...

These people might be your neighbors, or the owner of a small shop in a corner of the shopping street. Faced with countless daily trivialities and annoyances, they are not in a hurry to find answers but choose to accept their ambiguous selves, facing uncertainty with their existing abilities, and reserving space for free thinking – continuing to ask questions and delve deeper into life.

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