December Haruki Murakami Group Read
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1mathgirl40
Welcome to the Haruki Murakami group read!
Here are some links that may be helpful:
The Wikipedia entry for Haruki Murakami
The author's own Web site
The LT page: Haruki Murakami
There are numerous novels, short stories and non-fiction works from which to choose. Those of you participating in the SFFCAT this month might consider Kafka on the Shore, which won the 2006 World Fantasy Award.
2mathgirl40
I'm planning to read Norwegian Wood. Who else is joining me in this Murakami group read in December?
Murakami has written a lot of short stories, so if you don't have time to fit in a novel, do consider reading one of his stories.
Murakami has written a lot of short stories, so if you don't have time to fit in a novel, do consider reading one of his stories.
3VioletBramble
I thought the Murakami group read was in September. The wiki has it listed for then.
I read The Strange Library.
I read The Strange Library.
4mathgirl40
>3 VioletBramble: It had been originally scheduled for September, but when I asked about it in the group reads general thread, there didn't seem to be any interest. So I suggested moving it to December. I'd still love to hear your thoughts on The Strange Library!
5klarusu
>3 VioletBramble: I thought The Strange Library was a beautiful little book.
Not sure which Murakami to pick. Hmmm, decisions!
Not sure which Murakami to pick. Hmmm, decisions!
6VioletBramble
>4 mathgirl40: LOL. I guess I should stop by the group more often. I've been very bad about keeping up this year. I actually read two by Murakami - one fiction, one nonfiction.
I'll post my reviews here:
63) The Strange Library - Haruki Murakami
Fiction, Slipstream, Libraries
Pages: 96
Rating:
A young boy goes to the library to return some books. While there he decides he'd like to check out some books on tax collecting in the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately he must read these books in the library. An old man takes him down to the basement reading room, through a labyrinth, to a cell. He's told he will be kept there for a month. He must memorize all three books or the old man will suck out his brains. In the basement there is a sheep man who brings the boy meals. There is also a strange woman. The boy asks the sheep man the the woman to help him escape.
This book is the typical Murakami nightmare with creepy illustrations. Pretty much what I expect from Murakami -- just in short form.
66) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running- Haruki Murakami
NonFiction, Writing, Running, Memoir
Pages: 192
Rating:
When Haruki Murakami decided to become a full time writer -- selling his bar/jazz club- he realized that he would need to adopt some form of physical exercise to keep him from gaining weight due to the decreased level of activity. He took up running. He started out running on tracks at a school near his home. Over time he wanted to try running longer distances. In this memoir Murakami compares the discipline that it takes to write daily with the discipline needed to run long distances. As Murakami started running longer distances, participating in yearly marathons and even a few triathlons, he realized he wanted to stretch his writing by attempting longer works.
Recommended for those into running and Murakami completists.
I'll post my reviews here:
63) The Strange Library - Haruki Murakami
Fiction, Slipstream, Libraries
Pages: 96
Rating:
A young boy goes to the library to return some books. While there he decides he'd like to check out some books on tax collecting in the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately he must read these books in the library. An old man takes him down to the basement reading room, through a labyrinth, to a cell. He's told he will be kept there for a month. He must memorize all three books or the old man will suck out his brains. In the basement there is a sheep man who brings the boy meals. There is also a strange woman. The boy asks the sheep man the the woman to help him escape.
This book is the typical Murakami nightmare with creepy illustrations. Pretty much what I expect from Murakami -- just in short form.
66) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running- Haruki Murakami
NonFiction, Writing, Running, Memoir
Pages: 192
Rating:
When Haruki Murakami decided to become a full time writer -- selling his bar/jazz club- he realized that he would need to adopt some form of physical exercise to keep him from gaining weight due to the decreased level of activity. He took up running. He started out running on tracks at a school near his home. Over time he wanted to try running longer distances. In this memoir Murakami compares the discipline that it takes to write daily with the discipline needed to run long distances. As Murakami started running longer distances, participating in yearly marathons and even a few triathlons, he realized he wanted to stretch his writing by attempting longer works.
Recommended for those into running and Murakami completists.
7mathgirl40
>6 VioletBramble: Thanks for the reviews! I haven't read either of these but they both look intriguing. I've never run anything longer than a 10K race, but I'd be interested in hearing Murakami's thoughts on running. Maybe it would inspire me to start running again. :)
8LittleTaiko
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is the one I plan on reading. Looking forward to finally reading something by him. The review for his book about running intrigues me. There was a spell for about two years when I ran (jogged really) and did do a half-marathon. Overall it wasn't something I loved but am fascinated by the people who get so much out of it.
9klarusu
>7 mathgirl40: & >8 LittleTaiko: I loved What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - it makes me believe I too can run an Ultra-marathon ... then I run my usual 10K ... slowly ... and reality sets in ;-)
10LittleTaiko
Well, I finished Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage and am left wondering what all the fuss about Murakami is. It's not that it was a bad book by any means, I did enjoy it overall, it's just that I was expecting to be wowed and most definitely wasn't. Maybe I'll have better luck next year when I read 1Q84.
11mathgirl40
>10 LittleTaiko: I've not read either of those books so I can't comment. However, I did just finish Norwegian Wood and loved it. It's more of a straightforward story, compared to the other Murakami novels I've read, and it doesn't feature the magical realism of the other works, but I found it a very touching story with some beautiful moments.
