A few years ago, someone on IRC discovered Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami and went around recommending everyone in the channel to it. I made note to download an ebook version of it but gave up after a while.
This summer while I was in HK, I was browsing in a book store and came across a rather odd titled book. It was called "Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World." Read a few pages into it convinced me to get the book and after finishing it, I bought book from the same author, Haruki Murakami.
Eventualy, as I was searching for more books by him, I came across Norwegian Wood again and bought it instantly (actually, I buy all Murakami books I encoutner instantly now). A bit over the top but quite enjoyable. He has a bit of lofty way of storytelling and makes otherwise boring situations interesting. Especially his dialogue, they're odd but never stagnant.
I'm a pretty big fan of Murakami now but just wondering, of the more Japanese culture-influenced 4chan population, has anyone else heard or read of this books? What do you think of him?
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Anonymous2005-10-07 6:30
Should I go see Tony Takitani or whatever its called?
Apparently it's based on something by Murakami.
Thanks, I didn't even think to look for it online!
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Anonymous2005-10-11 21:42
I read Norwegian Wood yesterday. It's not as good as Wind-Up Bird, but I suppose he has an excuse since it's earlier.
It also seemed very Japanese, presumably because the following things in the book are very Japanese:
* people commiting suicide
* underage sex
* loneliness
* Murakami going into hiding (in the Author's Note) because he was famous
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Anonymous2005-10-17 14:23
Tony Takitani is a lousy film. The screenwriter didn't adapt the book but simply ripped off some quotes from the short novel and filled the movie with them as voice over explanations of what is going on. The graphical symbolism throughout the whole movie is pretty interesting and it is photographically beatutiful; but as a whole it ends up being kinda dull.
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Anonymous2005-11-10 11:44
I think Hard-Boiled Wonderland was my favorite, it was written so nicely and had a great surreal quality to it. The whole part in the sewers with the inklings really reminded me of Lovecraft for some reason. The ending was fantastic as well.
Murakami's my favorite author. I really didn't like Norweigen Wood all that much, I prefer his more surreal stories. He wrote a short story for the NY TIMES a while back that was fantastic, and After the Quake, specifically UFO OVER KUSHIRO remains one of my favorite books of all time.
once you get over the whole ZOMG WRITERS FROM JAPAN thing, kenzaburo oe is the only one of them with lasting integrity.
I see Oe books in the library, and so far they have all either been one that was The Lord of the Flies, and therefore can be immediately dismissed, or books about his son the retarded pianist savant, and I don't want to read about retarded pianists. I'd much rather read Murakami books where all the main characters have meaningless sex constantly for no apparent reason.
god, there were tons of parallels with murakami's and camus' protagonist in 'sheep' and 'the stranger'. both of which i loved. they are novels which make you feel good yet the characters aren't all sunshine and puppy dogs.
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Anonymous2006-04-12 22:01
I read Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. very bizarre, im still not sure if i liked it or not. i think my favorite asspect was the was the two stories were arranged and intertwined. i also just love cyber-punk.
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Anonymous2007-11-23 21:59
a message from the future has arrived now
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Anonymous2008-07-01 14:03
WOO HOO BUMPING OLDEST THREAD IN /book/
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Anonymous2008-07-06 2:32
FUCK Murakami. Every nerd, geek, gay, lesbian, "indie", progressive, scene, cynical, wannabe-liberal, perv, otaku, bastard, or fatty I know drools over Murakami. FUCK FUCK FUCK. You wanna be unique or non-conformist? PUT DOWN THE FUCKING BOOK AND GET A CLUE ASS-WIPE.
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Anonymous2008-07-06 7:16
>>52
There's nothing wrong with being a conformist in some things.
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Anonymous2008-07-06 7:49
lol @ people complaining about things being too popular.
looks like YOU are trying too hard being non-conformist.
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Anonymous2008-07-06 19:50
>>53 >>54
Completely missed the point of the rant. Everyone I know who reads Murakami reads it in some part because it makes them feel progressive, liberal, and unique. That's bullshit.
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Anonymous2008-07-06 20:44
>>55 I only know faggots, therefore all people are faggots. Q.E.D.
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Anonymous2008-07-06 21:56
>>52 >>55
6/10
so then what makes you feel that way progressive and unique?
it could be argued that's why anyone picks up a book in the first place, and it's not like you are ever going to be the first one to read anything, so what's the fucking point of arguing that Everyone who reads a certain author is a certain way?
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Anonymous2008-07-06 22:45
>>57 it could be argued that's why anyone picks up a book in the first place
Not successfully, it couldn't.
>>57
Wut? You misunderstand my point. I don't give a shit whether i'm progressive. I hate people that read Murakami to be quasi-intellectual.
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Anonymous2008-07-07 4:18
>>55
>Everyone I know who reads Murakami reads it in some part because it makes them feel progressive, liberal, and unique.
Oh really? Did they actually tell you "I read Murakami because it makes me feel progressive, liberal and unique"? Or did you just figure that part out yourself?
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Anonymous2008-07-07 4:19
>>55 Everyone I know who reads Murakami reads it in some part because it makes them feel progressive, liberal, and unique.
Oh really? Did they actually tell you "I read Murakami because it makes me feel progressive, liberal and unique"? Or did you just figure that part out yourself?
I haven't read Murakami's books, though I may parooz around and look for some torrents or something.
As for the ney-sayers, I have a bit of a situation for you to tend.
Everytime you tell someone they are less than shit or likewise, you do so to yourself. The solution to this is...well, you probably already know all this stuff anyway, right? That old common knowledge thing called, 'respect'. Yeah, you guys all know how to behave, what am I talking about, nevermind.
Just...i-g-n-o-r-e m-e. :)
spoiler: there, curse is complete, well not really, just forget everything I said, it doesn't really matter anyway. lol
I just finished Norwegian Wood? Why did I read it? Because of this board, possibly because of this thread, I don't remember, all I remember is perusing through this board months ago, before I wanted to read books, and the only thing that stuck with me was that title: Norwegian Wood. So I found it at a store, and I bought it, and I read it. And now here it is written. The End.
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Anonymous2009-02-02 13:02
>>68
The only book I've read by Murakami. It's very enjoyable, a nice quick read.
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Anonymous2009-02-02 15:24
>>66
i know i'm about six months late and should have noticed this post long before the thread was bumped, but holy shit.
i hope by now you are back on your meds and although it's unlikely you remember making that comment, allow me to respond with a sympathetic doooooooooooooooooooooood!
i mean seriously - dooooooooooooooooooooooooooood!
i mean, c'mon.
doooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood!!1one dood
>>72
no. you're wrong.
he is trying to communicate, but the mind is bouncing off at tangents, speaking vagueries without lucidity.
a non-english speaker would have some message at the foundation, but the poster we're discussing had lost cohesive thought at the time of writing and is using words not to convey expression but rather as symbols of emotion.
tl;dr dood was fruitlooped.
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Anonymous2009-02-04 19:55
>>73
No. He was trying to make jokes and speak in an informal style that would have made perfect sense in the context of his native language's traditions.
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Anonymous2009-02-05 3:36
>>74
no.
he is quite clear in that he has never read any of the works being discussed and goes on to address an audience that bears no relevance to the subject discussed ITT.
his mispelling of the words 'peruse' and 'nay-sayer' indicate that he lives in an environment where English is spoken and that he has heard these words.
that he speaks to an imaginary audience on a theme that has no bearing and then speaks of a 'curse' are strong indicators of diminished mental capacities.
tl;dr doolally
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Anonymous2009-02-05 15:42
>his mispelling of the words 'peruse' and 'nay-sayer' indicate that he lives in an environment where English is spoken and that he has heard these words.
That's the most retarded thing I've ever read.
>>77
yes.
it is, isn't it.
i'm not sure why >>76 feels the need to degrade the argument by resorting to a personal attack upon myself by calling me retarded nor why he seems obliged to defend anon's position on language as the cause for the ramblings we've witnessed, when it's quite obvious that the person i've been corresponding with is more than capable of stating his case without aids.
tl;dr >>76 needs to shush and let the big boys talk.
also; i still say that doood was a mentalist at time of writing and i hope he feels better now.
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Anonymous2009-02-07 9:43
>>78
All I'm trying to say is that it's ridiculous to assume someone speaks English as a first language BECAUSE he misspells. I don't care much whether >>66 is or isn't a nutcase, and for what it's worth also doubt it's just an inability to make his point in English without looking like one.
If you want to take what I said as a personal attack though, be my guest.
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Anonymous2009-02-07 13:14
I've read Wind Up Bird Chronicles, Norwegian Wood, and Kafka on the Shore so far. All are great books. I'd say NW is the best, with Kafka following and WUBC at the end.
Did anyone else dislike WUBC's ending? I found it to be too sudden with many open ends.