Rental Person Who Does Nothing: A Memoir -- Shoji Morimoto, Hardcover

***Now an International Bestseller!***

"Distinctively Japanese musings on meaning and connection."--Observer

I'm starting a service... available for any situation in which all you want is a person to be there. Maybe there's a restaurant you want to go to, but you feel awkward going on your own.

Maybe a game you want to play, but you're one person short.

Or perhaps you'd like someone to keep a space in the park for your cherry blossom viewing party...

Shoji Morimoto was constantly being told by his boss, "It makes no difference whether you're here or not," and that his presence contributed nothing to the company. Morimoto began to wonder whether a person who "does nothing" could still have actual value and a place in the world. Perhaps he could turn "doing nothing" into a service? With one tweet, Rental Person was born.

Rental Person provides a fascinating service to the lonely and socially anxious. This book details thousands of his true-life adventures:

• Accompanying a divorcee to her favorite restaurant
• Waving goodbye to a client from the train platform
• Sitting in the courtroom during a client's trial
• Supporting a client during a difficult surgery

Rental Person is dependable, nonjudgmental and committed to remaining a stranger, and the curious encounters he shares are revelatory about both Japanese society and human psychology.

In Rental Person Who Does Nothing, Morimoto chronicles his extraordinary experiences in his unique line of work and reflects on how we consider relationships, jobs and family in our search for meaningful connection and purpose in life.

Author: Shoji Morimoto
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Published: 01/09/2024
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 7.40h x 5.40w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781335017536

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2023
Publishers Weekly 11/13/2023
Library Journal 12/01/2023 pg. 100
Booklist 12/01/2023 pg. 95
BookPage 01/01/2024
Shelf Awareness 01/26/2024