A Tale for the Time Being follows an alone and isolated Japanese teenager in Tokyo who writes a diary to record her thoughts and escape the bullying of classmates. When her diary washes ashore across the Pacific in British Columbia, the writer who finds it decides to try and discover what happened to its author.

A meditation on loneliness and human connection, the book was shortlisted for the 2013 Man Booker prize. It's a beautifully written and realised tale fans of Sofia Coppola's heartbreaking film will enjoy.