I’ve had this on my shelf a while and I finally got around to feeling like reading something weird. Interesting thing is though, this novel is actually not, at least compared to a lot of Murakami’s other works. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage has a lot of the expected Murakami elements, such as a main character in some kind of life rut, a sort of mysterious female who helps him (that’s Sara), some unusual dreams, and a trip somewhere for literal and […]
Surreal (Other than Dali) Is Not for Me
“I just don’t get it,” was my response to reading my first Haruki Murakami, his six-story collection, After the Quake (2002), set in the aftermath of the Kobe Earthquake of 1995. Prior to reading this book–the result of a work-related book club–all I was aware of was that his novel 1Q84 (2013) was quite the sensation and is still on many’s “To Read” pile. As such, my expectations for this author were high. I quickly began to readjust my expectations, however, after reading the first […]
The first Murakami is….much like any other Murakami
I came to Murakami relatively recently. I’d heard the name before, but, like Margaret Atwood and numerous others, my perception of his work was that it existed on some literary plain far beyond my understanding. So it wasn’t until 1Q84 that I decided to give him a shot. And I don’t really even know why. After devouring every book I could find as a teenager, my reading habits tapered off in college. It wasn’t until 2009 that I really started to pick up the habit again. […]
“If you remember me, I don’t care if everyone else forgets.”
Kafka on the Shore is a strange book, even by Murakami standards. This is my second reading but sadly I don’t remember what I thought about it the fist time I read it 12 years ago because back then I didn’t take notes or write reviews. All I know is that I thought it was a four-star book. Haruki Murakami has been one of my favorite writers ever since I “discovered” him almost 17 years ago. I read a review of The Elephant Vanishes in […]
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”
I picked this one up after reading Matthew Inman’s very different book about running, in which he mentions Murakami’s memoir. I really enjoyed it, and I think even non-runners would, too. “People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they’ll go to any length to live longer. But don’t think that’s the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest.” Murakami runs long distances — like, he […]
Most human activities are predicated on the assumption that life goes on. If you take that premise away, what is there left?
I couldn’t tell you the last time I read Murakami, but I now remember that the last time I read him, I swore I would read all of his work, and I’m making that oath again. He is magnificently imaginative, terrifying, mystical, and believable all at once. He throws you into the deep end and patiently waits for you to swim or drown; he doesn’t care which happens. He moves the finish line just as you’re about to reach it, over and over again. You […]
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