★★★☆☆

Have you heard what that Shoji Morimoto does for a living? He does nothing. And doing nothing has proved to be such a success that he’s written a book about how he came to be the famous Rental Person Who Does Nothing. Morimoto describes himself as a ‘delicate’ person, and he’s certainly sensitive to the needs of others. Asking for only travel expenses (although he won’t say no to a gift-card reward), Morimoto allows himself to be hired out to strangers. 

He might be found standing at the finish line of a marathon, or in the arrivals hall at an airport; whether his client wants him to share a coffee, show up in a courtroom or be around another person as part of their rehabilitation, Morimoto plays his role, with Twitter being the social medium through which he’s hired, and then shares his experience. So Morimoto isn’t really doing nothing at all; he’s providing a valuable function, and that kindness seems to be appreciated.

Written in a flat, dispassionate and yet serene prose, his memoir demonstrates an original, professional approach to social interaction. Midway through the book, Morimoto makes an analogy to creatures such as peacocks or jewel beetles that have structural colour rather than pigmentation: ‘maybe that’s what Rental Person is like; someone whose appearance varies according to the viewer’s angle or wavelength.’

Mention is made in passing that Morimoto’s sister killed herself after failing to get the job she wanted, and while no direct catharsis for this loss is suggested, it’s clear that his dislike of exams, occupations or labels reflects an evolved point of view. This is a slight yet thought-provoking book. If Morimoto can achieve so much by doing almost nothing, what results are the rest of us getting for our endless activity? 

Out Now.