Haruki Murakami

[Robert]

so in other words there will be no more original threads.all threads will be moved to a corresponding thread?? seems kinda stupid to me.

There will be new threads. If a new thread is orginal then fine, but if there is another thread then we'll merge them. I usually do a search before starting a new thread to look for similar threads.

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

Just finished After dark and wasn't to much taken by it.I liked certain parts,like the big woman of the alphaville hotel,but the rest was like watching and new wave japanese movie,a bit like something by Jim jarmush.Even the writing is very cinematographic,with camera angles,attitude and expressions of the characteres,some of the music too.
It's was, i reconized it, a good literary piece but it didn't give me much pleasure.Grace Kelly is a beautiful woman even if i'm not into blondes.

I picked this up yesterday as a last-minute choice before taking a long bus ride, and I didn't put it down until I'd finished it. I thought it was brilliant - compelling, different and engaging. I personally loved the idea of telling a story as if someone was watching a movie (such as noting the camera angles, and setting up the surroundings as though one were looking at a stage) - it's not something that I've encountered before. Murakami has a real knack for telling a surreal story in a perfectly mundane setting. The characters were completely normal, and yet so unbelievably abnormal at the same time; which, when you think about it, perfectly describes most people that you get to know well.

I'll definitely be picking up more of his work. So far I've only read this and Norwegian Wood, but he's fast becoming one of my favourites. I especially like the fact that he leaves his endings open. I was thinking about this book for a long time after I finished it, contemplating different possible endings. Brilliant stuff.

 

[Sin]

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

This book was a really enjoyable read for me. The style is very simple and friendly, and reading is easy.
And it’s not only about running as the title might suggest. It’s a memoir book about his 25 years of running and writing and traveling around the world.
As I am a kind of runner myself (but not as serious as Mr. Murakami is) I found a lot of inspiration in his book, especially when he talks about mental challenges that all runners have to overcome. There is also an interesting parallel between long distance running and writing a novel. I am not writer myself, but when I was in school it took me so many efforts to write a two page essay.
The book also deals with the fact of aging and how, in the end, you have to accept it as a natural process and to accept all the limits of our “earthly” bodies. We have to continue running (or doing whatever we do) as good (and as long) as we can.
At the end I have to say that I was a little jealous at him. He doesn’t have to slave in the office from 8 to 5, he doesn’t have to commute for 2 hours every day, he has run all these years and all those marathons and he never had a serious injury, he spends every summer at Hawaii, he can go to Greece to run original marathon track from Athens to Marathon and be paid to do that, he has run NY marathon several times…
You can say that he has quite enjoyable life. And I don’t say he doesn’t deserve it.
This was first Murakami book for me and now I want to read more. Most probably “Kafka on the shore”.

 

[Dahlia]

I haven't read any of Murakami's books, what would would you recommend to get started ?

 

[Peder]

I haven't read any of Murakami's books, what would would you recommend to get started ?

For me it was After Dark, which I thoroughly enjoyed and you might also.

South of the Border, West of the Sun was not quite as engaging for me -- not as edgy.

Norwegian Wood, and Kafka on the Shore are still on my definitely intended list, but now 1Q84 has grabbed me first. Start with one of the shorter ones, by all means.

 

[eclair]

Norwegian Wood and Underground.

 

[Dahlia]

For me it was After Dark, which I thoroughly enjoyed and you might also.

South of the Border, West of the Sun was not quite as engaging for me -- not as edgy.

Norwegian Wood, and Kafka on the Shore are still on my definitely intended list, but now 1Q84 has grabbed me first. Start with one of the shorter ones, by all means.

Norwegian Wood and Underground.

Thanks a lot Peder & eclair. Unfortunately, I only found Kafka on The Shore at the local bookstore so I guess I'm gonna start with it.

 

[eclair]

Kafka on the Shore is light and dreamy. The ending, while fitting for the nature of the novel, wasn't very satisfying.

 

[beer good]

Go with Norwegian Wood. Avoid 1Q84.

 

[Peder]

Thanks a lot Peder & eclair. Unfortunately, I only found Kafka on The Shore at the local bookstore so I guess I'm gonna start with it.

Dahlia, please, by all means, let us know your reaction to it. :flowers:

 

[pontalba]

Dahlia, You might also want to try a book of short stories by Murakami. The Elephant Vanishes, a good way to sample in short bursts his various styles.

I'm presently reading 1Q84, about a quarter of the way through, and quite enjoying it. Murakami's sense of humor is delicious.

 

[Dahlia]

Go with Norwegian Wood. Avoid 1Q84.

Norwegian Wood does seem interesting. Thanks beer good.

Dahlia, please, by all means, let us know your reaction to it. :flowers:

I will :flowers:

Dahlia, You might also want to try a book of short stories by Murakami. The Elephant Vanishes, a good way to sample in short bursts his various styles.

I'm presently reading 1Q84, about a quarter of the way through, and quite enjoying it. Murakami's sense of humor is delicious.

Thanks for the recommendation pontalba, but short stories aren't really my thing.


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