Before We Forget Kindness

Kawaguchi’s fifth book in his poignant “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” series (following Before We Say Goodbye) returns listeners to the comfort of Tokyo’s magical café Funiculi Funicula, where customers can revisit the past. Four stories follow different visitors as they learn the rules of the time-traveling café—the woman in the white dress must leave her seat before the customer can embark on their journey, and their one-time visit must be concluded before the coffee gets cold. Kevin Shen narrates, sensitively communicating a seven-year-old boy’s wish to offer his parents solace when they announce their separation (“The Son”); the heart-wrenching grief of a new widow who wants her late husband to name their daughter (“The Nameless Child”); the longing of a woman trying to make amends to her father after eloping without his blessing (“The Father”); and a young woman’s need to apologize to her former best friend (“The Valentine”). Shen’s narration is gentle and unhurried, allowing room for the characters’ complex motivations to unfurl. Whether voicing a young mother or a gruff grandfather, his contemplative tone and nuanced depictions speak volumes.