BEST AUTHOR BEST : MARIE KONDO

The maestro of tidying keeps her '' hall of fame '' books separate from those she's reading and maintains she's been misunderstood about a firm limit on how many to save. ''Letter from Japan '' is her latest.

.-  What books are on your night stand?

The Japanese version of '' In Stitches : The Enchanted World of Coral & Tusk,'' the brand book from the embroidery company I adore.

.-  Describe your ideal reading experience.

I love reading at night, after I've finished all the household chores, the children have gone to bed and the house has grown quiet.

I especially enjoy reading while soaking in a warm bath to completely relax.

.-  What kind of reader were you as a child? Which books stick with you most?

It would have to be '' The Art of Discarding, '' which I read at the age of 15. While Japan already had a huge number of books on tidying and organization, this was the first one that truly focused on the theme of '' letting go.''

Even for me, who had been interested in tidying since age 5 and had read countless lifestyle magazines and tidying books, '' The Art of Discarding was a revelation."

.-  Are you still sticking to the 30-book limit you outlined in '' The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up''?

Regarding this, the '' 30-booklimit '' is a mistake. This misunderstanding likely originated from my comment, where I mentioned that I personally was left with 30 books after tidying my own collection.

This comment was exaggerated over time, and somehow turned into the idea that I had created a '' rule '' limiting books to 30.

What is important in the KonMari method is not setting a quantity limit. The main focus is always on choosing what sparks joy for you.

Therefore, whether the result is 30 books or 100 books, it is fine as long as you have chosen the ones that genuinely spark joy.

I actually have more than 30 books on my shelves now, partly because I now have a larger bookshelf than I did then.

.-  What's the last book you read?

'' Meditations for Mortals,'' by Oliver Burkeman, focuses precisely on the idea of living without striving for perfection and accepting yourself as you are, with all your imperfections.

It connects to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi that I discuss in '' Letter From Japan.''

This Publishing continues to Part [2].

The World Students Society thanks The New York Times.