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Haruki Murakami

I am in the middle of my first Murakami novel, "Kafka on the shore".

It reads smoothly and it different from any literature I've read till now.

Now, I've been through an argument whether Murakami is a US author writing for a western reader. This brought me to read many articles and interview about/with Murakami, and I decided that I like him independenlty on what he is believed to be and what he claims to be (he basically never claims anything, as far as I understood, he is just what he is - himself). However I am interested to hear the opinion of people -

Do you think that:
Is Murakami a US writer, writing for a western reader?

And the other one -

Do you believe that Murakami will become a "classic" author? (like Chekhov or Dickens for instance?)
 
I've only read Kafka on the Shore and Borthday Stories (which weren't written butselected by him) so take this wit a bucket of salt.

I don't think he's a US writer, KotS seemed too grounded in Japan. The details were wonderfully vivd the awareness of culture was strong and the novel had a sort of fairy tale undercurrent to it which seems to stem from the "Tales of Genji" type fairy tale legacy. As to writing for a western audience - I'm not convinced there is such a thing. Readers with open minds who have read widely can easily get a perspective on many things beyond their own experience (one of the reasons we do read surely?). Hence I think he's writing for an audience which is broadminded and willing to accept fusion of contemporary and mythologice ideas in his work.

I wouldn't like to try to answer the second one :eek: for any money. In Dicken's day how many people actually got something published compared to today? Today there are so many prizes, forums and general awareness of authors and their work that we're almost swamped by what's on offer let alone trying to pick out what is a classic - I'll leave that to posterity ;)
 
The waveguide said:
Is Murakami a US writer, writing for a western reader?
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No...? He's obviously a Japanese writer (born and raised in Japan, writing in Japanese about Japanese characters living in Japan...?) and got his breakthrough in Japan before he was translated for Western readers. I know he's been criticized in Japan for writing literature that's considered too populist, but just because his books are relevant to people outside Japan doesn't mean he's a US author, any more than... say, Ian McEwan, Gabriel García Márquez or Fyodor Dostoevsky are. Good literature is universal, to some extent. (In other words, what Phlebas said.)
 
I just started reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles and i'm hoping it gets better. I don't know, i just started it and it reminds me of a young adult book.... The writing seems "simple" or ?? I can't put my finger on it. But i'm plugging along at it, hoping it picks up. :D
 
A lot of writers who use English as a second language write like that....I think he is pretty good though, for all that.
 
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.
 
nataliew said:
I just started reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles and i'm hoping it gets better. I don't know, i just started it and it reminds me of a young adult book.... The writing seems "simple" or ?? I can't put my finger on it. But i'm plugging along at it, hoping it picks up. :D
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I'm curious as to how it turned out for you. It's one of those books that's hazily glided through. It doesn't really "pick up" (as many readers no doubt seem to desire), but after finishing you feel as though you have scaled some sort of climax.
 
hi newbie here with quick question.

Hi there everybody.been stalking this site for awhile.Pretty cool site.I am a semi-avid reader so when i get in the reading zone i can rip through a book but then some times i can't even look at a book.

I read mostly fiction..mysterys, thrillers ,horror and sci-fi and fantasy.but every now and then i read me one of those deep lit. books.

My first question is if I were to pick up a book by the author Haruki Murakami,which do you feel is his best work or most enjoyable.I have heard alot about him and I may enjoy his work.

thanks and see you around.
 
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.
 
j.lazy said:
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.
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Welcome mister,sure start on a good foot here.
We could of course have about 20 threads on every authors to satisfy touchy egos.
 
j.lazy said:
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.
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It depends what the subject is,if there is already a thread on it,it gets merged,if not,then it stays.

If you wanted "original" then you should have picked something that has not been discussed and made a proper thread..

As of stupid...very impolite.At least you added the "kinda" which softens the word up.:rolleyes:
 
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