Weave Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 (edited) Hello, If I have posted this in the wrong place, please move as appropriate, thank you:) I thought I would start a topic about Haruki Murakami, since quite a few of our members enjoy his work. Haruki Murakami, born January 12, 1949) is a popular contemporary Japanese writer and translator. His work has been described by the Virginia Quarterly Review as "easily accessible, yet profoundly complex". Novels ~ (The year shown is the year the book was published in English) 1987 Hear the Wind Sing 1985 Pinball, 1973 1989 A Wild Sheep Chase 1991 Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World 1994 Dance Dance Dance 1997 The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle 2000 Norwegian Wood 2000 South of the Border, West of the Sun 2001 Sputnik Sweetheart 2005 Kafka on the Shore 2007 After Dark Further information can be found Here (Source ~ Wikipedia) I have read so far by Haruki Murakami, 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle', 'Kafka on the Shore' and 'Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman' and they have all made an impact, Haruki Murakami is amazingly talented and his characters are memorable, just an excellent writer. I have on my TBR pile, 'Dance Dance Dance', 'South of the Border, West of the Sun' and 'Sputnik Sweetheart' Edited March 20, 2009 by Weave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 This is one author I keep looking at and looking at at the store, and yet never taking home. Is there a unifying thing to his work, a theme, a method, or are they all induvidual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Dance, Dance, Dance will make more sense after A Wild Sheep Chase, as it's a sort-of sequel. I love the bizarre cyber-punky sort of idiom, but set without any of the techyness that sometimes gets in the way - it's sort of wired, people sort-of get into an alternative web, but which never need to be explained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 (edited) Its hard to explain, the story are really simple but they are just amazingly different, I love 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle', I just got it and I loved it. I am not that great at explaining Haruki Murakami (sorry) x Edited November 17, 2008 by Weave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 It's okay. I guess I'll just have to try him out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 It's okay. I guess I'll just have to try him out. Haruki Murakami takes you into a world ii, that is still this world but he shows a underside to it, which makes really interesting. 'The Wind Up Bird Chronicle' was amazing surreal but not overly surreal, so many themes going through the same book, which gave you a lot to think about, at the end, I was like 'wow' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Norwegian Wood sits apart really, but I guess the unifying thing of the other books is that theoretically very mundane japanese men in very mundane lifestyles get mixed up in weird semi-mythical systems. Sort of like magical realism, but very strictly defined and very Japanese and without the stupidity of a lot of magical realism. It's all very deliberately unexplained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Norwegian Wood sits apart really, but I guess the unifying thing of the other books is that theoretically very mundane japanese men in very mundane lifestyles get mixed up in weird semi-mythical systems. Sort of like magical realism, but very strictly defined and very Japanese and without the stupidity of a lot of magical realism. It's all very deliberately unexplained. ^Exactly, thanks Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I ended up reading After Dark by chance, after I picked it up as the third book in one of Waterstone's 3 for 2 offers. The synopsis sounded interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try, and once I started I couldn't put it down. As I have already said in another thread, his characters are very well written, but he also has a knack for vividly describing locations, without labouring the detail (as some authors do). I've also read Sputnik Sweetheart, and found both this and After Dark to be engaging and interesting reads. I am looking forward to reading more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle several years ago but it left me feeling a bit bewildered and unsatisfied - I felt I'd missed the point, somewhat. However, that was when I purely read 'Women's Lit' which I don't tend to touch these days, so perhaps it's time to try another? Would you say Norwegian Wood would be a good one to 'start' with, Andy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I recently read After Dark, which I enjoyed, although I did wonder if I was missing the point somewhat. But I have been informed by friends who have read lots of his novels, that After Dark is not one of his better ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I'd like to read some Murakami. Also OH is very into Japan and likes reading also. What would be a good one to start with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I guess Norwegian Wood would be a good start, Janet. I think, Janet and Ruth, you are only "missing the point" by thinking there should be a "point" in the first place. To me, a lot of the point of what goes on in Murukami's books is that it can't be explained exactly; there isn't really a narrative "reason" for what's happening. It's just what does happen. It's one of the things I love about it, but it does mean, I think, that it really can't be for everyone. You rarely push through to a single satisfying conclusion that explains all that has preceded it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 'The Wind Up Bird Chronicle' had a very open end but I was left satisifed that it would work out for the main character. Haruki Murakami books are to me, very much take them as you find them, I have only read three books but I am planning to read more, especially 'Norwegian Wood' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I recently read After Dark, which I enjoyed, although I did wonder if I was missing the point somewhat. But I have been informed by friends who have read lots of his novels, that After Dark is not one of his better ones. The reader comments on Amazon back that up as well, but I like it (especially the wonderfully laid-back character of Takahashi). I think, Janet and Ruth, you are only "missing the point" by thinking there should be a "point" in the first place. To me, a lot of the point of what goes on in Murukami's books is that it can't be explained exactly; there isn't really a narrative "reason" for what's happening. It's just what does happen. Personally, I've found his books inetersting precisely because things aren't explained, and that it is left to the reader to make of the story what they will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted December 8, 2008 Author Share Posted December 8, 2008 My copy of 'A Wild Sheep Chase' arrived today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
user24 Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 I really love murakami. I first read "hard boiled wonderland" and it just blew my mind. Nothing else has quite matched up to the sheer surreality of that one for me. I've read kafka on the shore, wind up bird and some of a collection of short stories I forget the name of. There's also an illustrated short story by Murakami here, the 100% perfect girl. Wondering now whether to read Norweigan Wood or to re-read hard boiled wonderland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 I have other books to read yes but I keep pining over Murakami books and I don't have any money to buy them yet......hopefully be able to get one by mid april I want them all, I've only read one so far ' a wild sheep chase' but I can't stop thinking of it and others I want to read. I have them all in my amazon basket ready to buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 I have read (so far) by Haruki Murakami ~ A Wild Sheep Chase Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman Kafka on the Shore South of the Border, West of the Sun The Wind Up Bird Chronicle And on my TBR Pile ~ After Dark Dance Dance Dance Sputnik Sweetheart I also have the Murakami Diary 2009, its lovely, it has extracts from his books and lovely pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 You've got me very jealous now Gyre I'm interested in the diary too, is it worth it? I'm not that interested to read after dark or south of the border, west of the sun compared to the others, the storylines don't interest me as much although I may end up reading them anyway. Order of what I'm interested in reading next: Kafka on the shore The Wind up bird Chronicle The Elelphant vanishes Hard-boiled wonderland and the end of the world Blind willow, sleeping woman Norwegian wood Dance dance dance Sputnik sweetheart Hoping to aquire pinball and hear the wind sing from somewhere when I get some money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 You've got me very jealous now Gyre I'm interested in the diary too, is it worth it? I think it is worth it Chrysalis, its very pretty, so pretty infact, I hate writing in it Product Description~ Cats slink across the pages; the seasons are marked by cherry blossom and Japanese maple; spaghetti strands or telephone cords separate the days; and a generous selection of quotations and extracts from Murakami's novels and stories appear on almost every page to inspire, amuse or entertain. This is a diary like no other, faithful to all that is witty, surreal, sexy and beautiful in Murakami's work. A must-have for fans of Murakami, fans of Vintage fiction and fans of unique design, this diary will appeal to everyone as a quirky companion for 2009. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I bought 2 Murakami books on the weekend: Dance Dance Dance South of the Border, West of the Sun I haven't read any before, so was thrilled to find them. Any recommendations as to which one I should read first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seiichi Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I'd start with South of the Border, West of the Sun and save Dance, Dance, Dance until after you've read A Wild Sheep Chase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) As Seiichi said Kylie, read 'Dance Dance Dance' after 'A Wild Sheep Chase' but if you don't want to wait, 'Dance Dance Dance' can be read as a stand alone book. 'South of the Border, West of the Sun' is really good, I hope you enjoy it. I would recommend reading 'The Wind Up Bird Chronicle' next Happy reading Kylie Edited March 23, 2009 by Weave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I'm afraid I don't "get" him either? I was given "Norwegian Wood" by my big sis ages ago, because the title is a Beatles song (I am a big Beatles fan) so she thought the song might prove crucial to the story, thus interesting me. Back then I read the first 50 pages or so and got very confused; I get the feeling from you guys' posts that that's part of the whole point (i.e. that there isn't one) but I like points in books... am I wasting my time in planning to give it another go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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