Momo

Michael Ende, Momo, (London: Penguin), 1985.


Michael Ende - Momo
Somewhere I read that Michio Hoshino's favorite book was Momo, and so, on a whim, I ordered a used copy. What a delightful discovery I have made. I can't wait until my grandson is old enough for me to read this wonderful book to him. The story is a fanciful tale of how a homeless girl saves the world with her ability to listen and give others the gift of her time. It clearly demonstrates, in a simple story, how our efforts at efficiency often are self-defeating.

Suspending disbelief for the story is easy because the descriptions of characters are probably like no one we have ever met. Certainly the men in gray are exaggerated to make a point. All the same they seem genuinely threatening by the end of the book. The notion of time takes a bit of concentration to understand but it is worth the effort.

This is a book I will read again and again.