Hey, welcome back to NPR's book of the day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. Interview enough authors and ask,

oh, you know, why did you choose this or why did that character do that? And you're bound to hear an

answer. That's some variation of a, oh, the characters just told me that's where they wanted to go.

Not going to lie, as a reporter, it's kind of a

frustrating answer most times. But when author Ruth Ozeki talks about hearing her character's

voices in her conversation with NPR host Scott Simon, it actually makes sense. In her novel,

the book of form and emptiness, books have voices of their own as a boy learns to navigate his grief over the loss of a parent.

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Benny O hears things.

Things have spoken to him since he was 13, and his father died. As Ruth

Losecchi writes near the opening of her new novel, The Book of Form and Emptiness, books are especially

talkative.

Shh, listen. That's my book, and it's talking to you. Can you hear it? It's okay if you can't, though. It's not your fault. Things speak all the time, but if your ears aren't attuned, you have to learn to listen. You can start by using your eyes, because eyes are easy. Look at all the things around you. What do you see? A book,

obviously, and obviously the book is speaking to you. So try something more challenging.

The chair you're sitting on, the pencil in your pocket, the sneaker on your foot, still can't

hear? Then get down on your knees and put your head to the seat, or take off your

shoe and hold it to your ear. No, wait. If there's people around, they'll think you're mad,

so try it with the pencil first. Pencils have stories inside them, and they're safe,

...