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I read Kafka on the Shore at my father's request at the beginning of the summer, and was completely taken up by the story. It was unlike anything I'd read before, with characters so strange, yet human; an old man who spoke to cats, a villain who takes the souls of cats in order to make a flute. And yet all these character's behaviors are so familiar. It's strange to say the least.
Since then, I've read The Wind Up Bird Chronicles and saw the play After the Quake at UCSD, which is based on a synthesis of Murakami's works. I'm currently reading Norwegian Wood, and I'm noticing the similarities between this story and the play.
Anyone else read his stuff? I'd recommend it.
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The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is the best book I've read since Lord of the Rings. Astonishingly beautiful, especially a lot of the scenes involving the war in China.
Kafka on the Shore was a bit of a repeat after Wind-Up Bird, and so lost a little in my estimation. Still a fantastic book, though.
Norwegian Wood was a truly pleasant read.
Murakami's books are always so strikingly sensual. His people are always eating, drinking, listening to music and making love.
He's my favourite author.
Posts: 1515 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Has anyone read his new book, After Dark? I saw that it came out in May, but I haven't picked it up as I want to read Norwegian Wood and A Wild Sheep Chase first.
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I've only read some of his short stories (in The Elephant Vanishes), and I liked some of them a lot.
One of my friends has almost all of his books, so I can borrow almost any of them. Does anybody have a recommendation on which novel to start with?
Posts: 1592 | Registered: Jan 2001
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Norweigan Wood was his "break through" novel and firt critical success. I'm just reading it now, however, so I don't think there's one you absolutely need to start with.
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Just bought Wild Sheep Chase, Dance, Dance, Dance, and After the Quake last week. Can't wait to get to them.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jan 1999
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Finished A Wild Sheep Chase earlier this evening. It ended, at least for me, on something of a confusing note. I mulled it over over a bowl of leftover chicken stew, but things are still not falling into place for me 100%. Has anyone else read this one? Perhaps I should start a new thread about it.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jan 1999
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I had to read Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World for my manga/anime class. It was an interesting read. I'd like to check out some of Murakami's other books, but I just don't have time (and I've got a massive stack of reading material as it is).
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It's been a while since I read them, but Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World is probably his most weird book and also one of his best.
According to the list on Murakami's wiki page I've read all but the first two (well, one wasn't translated in English anyway) and the last three (same thing, the very last isn't translated yet). I haven't been impressed by his short stories that much, maybe because I read most novels before them and some stories are clearly the grains that started those more elaborate novels. after the dark seemed a little dry after all the other more fantastic stories. Underground on the other hand, though a documentary, is very powerful and I definitely include it between his best works.
Frankly, A Wild Sheep Chase and its continuation Dance, Dance, Dance are in my opinion simply good but nothing special. They are a bit confusing in places indeed, and unlike with others the confusion doesn't always seem to be a deliberate decision of the author... I hope I'm not confusing anyone with this.
So, except for those I haven't read, of course, I'd recommend: -Norwegian Wood -The Wind-up Bird Chronicles -Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World (in this order) plus Underground.
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