tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post8398149129865480566..comments2024-03-27T05:13:25.241-05:00Comments on The New Dork Review of Books: Unrelated Thoughts About Reading Haruki MurakamiGreg Zimmermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08122230426442946518noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-25244277179833737822011-08-22T15:02:47.031-05:002011-08-22T15:02:47.031-05:00I just think the man is "fucking amazing&quo...I just think the man is "fucking amazing" (but you know that already). He's sewing up together those highly metaphorical stories with such seamlessness, I find it beautiful. Suddenly, you're reading what seems to be a waking dream and you're like "oh, it's cool" and devour the next thirty pages. KOTS wasn't my favorite, but it's still a damned good book.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11483490020980574428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-23197417256268392442011-08-18T02:56:22.559-05:002011-08-18T02:56:22.559-05:00I haven't read any of his novels; however I do...I haven't read any of his novels; however I do approve of your reading exactly 1.87 of his novels. Way to represent :)Sarah Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11423028529910207739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-76582754058774890562011-08-17T08:40:53.620-05:002011-08-17T08:40:53.620-05:00@Harvee - I like the premise of After Dark, too - ...@Harvee - I like the premise of After Dark, too - seems to be one of his more poorly review novels, though. And yes, you need to clear your schedule to be able to concentrate on WUBC, I've heard. <br /><br />@Katie - Yep, I loved Kafka - I'll post some thoughts tomorrow. And, yes, I keep hearing TWUBC isn't easy, but it's also his most rewarding novel, if you can handle it.<br /><br />@Trisha - I was surprised how much I liked it, too. I wish I'd had a book club to puzzle out all the riddles - hopefully the blog's commenters will help with that when the review/reaction thing is posted tomorrow.<br /><br />@Sandy - Thanks for the recommendation - I'm in!<br /><br />@Biblibio - Well, two things. 1) Yes, there are some rather R-rated sex and violence scenes. 2) To label adult literary fiction as YA actually does demote it, in my mind (and probably that of many others, too). But I think your second paragraph is right on the mark - I was the same way: didn't get the hype until actually reading him. Now I understand.<br /><br />@Amanda - Thanks for the second on that recommendation - definitely will check out the memoir.Greg Zimmermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08122230426442946518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-39771088483907333872011-08-15T20:02:31.915-05:002011-08-15T20:02:31.915-05:00I'm a huge Murakami found and devoured all his...I'm a huge Murakami found and devoured all his works (in English) while I lived in Japan. I don't think I'd say I have a favourite - it would depend on my mood. But I second what Sandy said about reading his memoir, that's also fascinating.Amanda Kendlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05178108297108834609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-76695560600872810372011-08-15T19:20:27.825-05:002011-08-15T19:20:27.825-05:00Maybe the reason Amazon labeled Kafka on the Shore...Maybe the reason Amazon labeled <i>Kafka on the Shore</i> as young adult reading level is because it may be recommended to young adults. That doesn't necessarily demote the book, though, so unless there's something inherently wrong with the assessment (like... really explicit scenes or something), I'm not sure it's <i>that</i> bad.<br /><br />These thoughts definitely make me want to finally read something by Murakami. But I figure it'll take some more time until I pick up one of his books... He seems like the kind of author who once you don't start reading him, you don't get what the fuss is... but it takes you "forever" to get around to him...Meytal Radzinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15805413335735169073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-31672398792316457982011-08-15T18:49:58.184-05:002011-08-15T18:49:58.184-05:00To further your love affair of this amazing guy, y...To further your love affair of this amazing guy, you should read his memoir "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running". This is as close as anyone's going to get into Murakami's mind.Sandyhttp://sandynawrot.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-5567221291654219782011-08-15T16:20:57.543-05:002011-08-15T16:20:57.543-05:00Oh, I'm looking forward to reading your though...Oh, I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on KAFKA, the only Murakami I have read. I enjoyed it quite a bit, much to my surprise. Thank goodness for book clubs, with their accompanying expanding of reading tastes.Trishahttp://bookpage.com/the-book-casenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-85564223348829916862011-08-15T12:13:15.241-05:002011-08-15T12:13:15.241-05:00Kafka on the Shore is my favorite of the four Mura...Kafka on the Shore is my favorite of the four Murakami books I read (so I love that you're enjoying it), and I'm beginning to think a lot of that is because it was translated by a different person. I hope that's not the case, and that I'll like his other books a lot once I get to them, but The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was such a chore for me to get through. I'm excited to read 1Q84, but I hope the translation is good.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08986037474152101242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-53142600344750397752011-08-15T11:15:27.254-05:002011-08-15T11:15:27.254-05:00I like best his shorter novel, After Dark, about w...I like best his shorter novel, After Dark, about what goes on in Tokyo after dark and after the trains have stopped running. See a young woman sitting in the 24 hour Denny's! I'm still trying to make time for The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, which takes some quiet time and concentration! I do like Murakami!Harvee/Book Dilettantehttp://bookbirddog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com