Bibliophobia : A Memoir – Sarah Chihaya

Bibliophobia: A Memoir is a raw and reflective journey through the life of Sarah Chihaya, a self-proclaimed book obsessive whose relationship with literature shapes her identity, struggles, and survival. Chihaya explores how books like Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye became lifelines during her teens, offering language for her experiences as a Japanese American in a predominantly white community. As she pursues academia and becomes a literature professor, her love for books transforms into a double-edged sword, blurring the line between intellectual rigor and emotional exhaustion.
The memoir delves into Chihaya’s mental health crisis, marked by a hospitalization that leaves her questioning whether stories can truly save us. With unflinching honesty, she examines how her quest for meaning through books collided with the chaos of real life, forcing her to confront the limits of literary analysis. Alongside classic and contemporary works—from Anne of Green Gables to A Tale for the Time Being —Chihaya weaves a narrative about the power and peril of letting stories define us.
Chihaya’s writing balances searing vulnerability with dark humor, offering readers a mirror to their own relationships with art and identity. She reflects on the pressure to perform intellectualism, the weight of unread books, and the ways literature can both haunt and heal. Through her journey, the memoir asks: Can we rewrite the stories that govern our lives, or are we forever bound by the narratives we inherit?
The book also grapples with cultural displacement and belonging, as Chihaya reconnects with her Japanese heritage after years of seeing herself through the lens of Western literature. This theme intertwines with her exploration of anxiety and resilience, creating a layered portrait of a woman rebuilding herself after collapse.
Ultimately, Bibliophobia is a love letter to books and a cautionary tale about their hold on us. Chihaya’s story will resonate with anyone who has sought refuge in stories, only to find themselves lost—and then found—within their pages.