This slim novel caught my eye the day it arrived in the bookstore. The title alone captivated me, as did the soft pink cherry blossoms set against the sky blue cover with mathematic equations floating gently in the background. But the clencher came in an email from a dear friend with whom I've shared books for more than 30 years. She insisted I "run, not walk" to the bookstore for this new release. Thank goodness I followed her advice. The Housekeeper and the Professor is an elegant story with a small handful of characters, each beautifully crafted with just the right amount of detail. The professor is an aging man, a brilliant mathematician who has suffered a severe head trauma leaving him with only 80 minutes of short-term memory. The housekeeper is a single mother who is sent by her agency to care for the professor. Each day the professor greets her as if she is a complete stranger, asking her shoe size and phone number. These simple mathematical elements are the beginning of their extraordinary friendship. The professor introduces the housekeeper to an amazing world of mathematics. Though forbidden by the agency, the housekeeper's son joins his mother daily after school because the professor insists that mothers must be with their children when school lets out. Adored by the professor, Root brings youthful energy and his passion for baseball, which becomes the cornerstone of the gentle and loving relationship that develops. As I neared the story's end, I actually put myself on a reading ration, trying to make the book last as long as possible. I'm not a math person on any level, but I was so intrigued by the understanding the Professor brought to the topic. So now I pass along these sage words of advice: Run, don't walk to the bookstore for The Housekeeper and the Professor. It will be a gift to yourself, and everyone else you share it with. ~Wendee