[Author] Haruki Murakami

[saharial]

I am always very greedy with Murakami and his work. I often liken it to gorging myself on words ideas the same way I used to gorge on cake when I was at university. Hopefully though, Murakami will make me intellectually fatter and creatively stout rather than expanding my waistline! Sadly though, I've got one book left to read of his, not including his untranslated works of course,  I really think I will feel quite desolate without any new work (though I think one is being translated right now).  I expect i was get 'south of the border west of sun' next week on my kindle!.

I love the unusual angles he takes on ordinary things, how the unexpected happens to the least suspecting people, the surreal and abstract nature of events and their great coincidences and inexorable conclusion. I evangelise to everyone to hasn't heard of him to read his work; I buy his books as gifts because they really are things to treasure and explore.

Vivid pictures with simple words, and through it all there is music.


 

Comments

[airah4]

I know this name!!! Murakami wouldn't happen to be the author of "Norwegian Wood," would he??? Even if that's not the correct one, I know I've read at least one of his works, though I was only aware of the one I read being translate, not any others!

Wow, this is fantastic! Which ones have you read/liked???

[saharial]

That's the very one!!! 'Norwegian Wood' is his most famous and popular one and the one he is least fond of as it got such a cult following. I've read all but one of his books and picking a favourite is just so difficult! I do love his short stories - in 'After the Quake' is one of my favourites - 'Honey Pie' <3

Jay Rubin, his main translator wrote a book called 'Murakami and the music of words' which i also highly recommend - especially as you study Japanese and also write - it was very revealing for me on how his work is translated and the differences, the way of expressing. I'd also recommend 'Things i think about when I am running' as he does a lot of marathons and its an odd cross between a book on his running and how he writes.

I'm always so fascinated by how other writers write and have found that my method is quite similar to Murakami's at times - He simply sits down and starts and lest it flow when the feeling is right. I'm very much like that too - quite stream of consciousness. :)