I’ve read most of his stuff, a few years back…. now reading another ‘un & am again reminded of how much I enjoy his strangely dislocated reality – like even the most surreal dreams, the plots tend to have their own weird logic.

Haruki Murakami…what a wonderful phrase…Haruki Murakami.. aint no passing phase….

That reminds me, must go and buy ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’

Is he related to Ryu Murkami? I thought at first it was the same person but google confirms that your reading is somewhat more highbrow than mine. Although TBH I thought “In Miso Soup” was pretty crap.

Overall though still disappointed to discover that this thread is not about Japanese pr0n.

ian, I have a copy somewhere, do you want me to send it to you?

Not read anything from him in ages – what’s his latest stuff like?

Wind-up bird chronicle and Hard-boiled wonderland were top-drawer, but it must be nearly ten years since I read them.

I reckon Norwegian Wood was his best. Any of you guys read Mishima?

still disappointed to discover that this thread is not about Japanese pr0n

HM can be filthy on occasions.

what’s his latest stuff like?

Sounds odd, but it’s almost hard to tell… the plot of Kafka on the Shore is frankly outrageous, but the writing simply draws you in – as ever. The Wind-up bird Chronicle was fantastic, though.

For a while, I was addicted to reading Murakami to the sound of Susumu Yokota – both share the same kind of ethereal, uhh, quality.

Ooooh, I really like Murakami, favourites (so far) probably ‘A Wild Sheep Chase’ and ‘Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World’.

I have read a few that I think fizzled out though.

I loved Kafka on the Shore, but tried reading a book of short stories and had to give up. Enjoyed his book about the Tokyo underground attacks.

David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas, Number 9 Dream etc) is a big fan, so I really want to like Murakami. Must try another full length novel.

Sometimes I hate this place, then I see a thread with a title like this and realise I belong here

First time I read anything by Murakami was during a three week cycling tour of the west coast (of Scotland). About two weeks in, I had read (and afterwards used as firestarters) all my books. It was a solo tour and I was beginning to get a bit stir-crazy.

I was on a ferry – can’t remember which one – and noticed the sarin gas attack book sitting on an outside seat. I kept an eye on it and when I realised it wasn’t going to be claimed, I pocketed it, feeling slightly guilty….

It lasted me a few days and saved my sanity, at the same time almost buckling it!

Since read all the rest of his stuff and although it’s very different from that first odd book, I’ve enjoyed it all. Even the talking cat.

Sometimes I hate this place, then I see a thread title like this a realise I probably shouldn’t be here!

I should re read some of his stuff.. If anyone is interested, I’m about to send a book about him (by his translator) to the charity shop, if you fancy it, its yours (the music of words). I really liked what I talk about when i talk about running, and I don’t even run!

I don’t think Ryu is related, but his stuff is similarly weird, but feels more 90’s techno where Haruki is sigur ros

I have everything that has been translated and published (bar the two that were done for English Students in Japan – soooo expensive when you can find them!) sitting on my book shelf… just waiting for the new one to be translated so I can have something new to read.

I’m now working through Rushdie’s stuff too; Not as “fun”, but equally disjointed worlds that keep you thinking and wondering.

Ryu is not related – read some, seems a bit… try hard at being strange; it comes across much more naturally for Haruki imho

Big fan here, read them all, Norwegian Wood being my favourite.

If you like his style of story telling you might like Tim Winton – Breath. Its very good and similar in the fact its a beautifully told character driven story. Don’t expect an altered reality type thing though.

Anyone fancy a pint?

Is it past 7am? Go on then.

ian, I have a copy somewhere, do you want me to send it to you?

Hi Nick, thanks for the kind offer, but between my last post, and this i’ve been on amazon 🙂

you might like Tim Winton… Don’t expect an altered reality type thing though

Have recently finished Dirt Music – beautifully written, and eerily evocative of coastal Oz.

Altered reality: what I love, love about Murakami is his ability to tweak the ordinary world. The stories may be utterly outlandish, but in the small details he perfectly captures what it means to fall in love or wander around an unfamiliar city at night. Or indeed, to talk to cats. 😀

Hmmm, only vaguely aware of this author and his work, but it sounds like something I’d be interested in. Just had a look for ebook versions, and Feedbooks are doing them for $14-16 each (eeek, how much), but Books on Board are doing them for $9-11. Going to check some of these out soon, provided they’ll sell them to me, not having a US addressed credit card. The Tokyo stories one looks interesting, I’ll follow various suggestions on here and keep adding to my ever growing electronic library. I love this forum…

No worries Ian, hope you enjoy it.

Another fan here. Read ‘What I talk about when I talk about running’ last year. Was amazed to find it was actually a beautifully written book that just happened to involve running.
Since read a few novels and really love his style – deceptively simple writing but really distinctive and seems to have that skill of making the ordinary extraordinary.

Love Murakami. read all of his work and coincidentally re-reading “A Wild Sheep Chase”. Have to agree with the posters evoking the dream like quality of his novels. However when I finish one of his novels, just like in “real” dreams, I always feel like I’ve missed something.

I love Murakami, I can find something new in his novels every time I read them – not such a fan of his short stories but my wife likes them and can’t seem to stand reading his novels. Perhaps you can’t like both. Dance Dance Dance is my favourite. I really like After Dark too.
I want to get hold of copies of “Hear The Wind Sing” and “Pinball 1973” just to see what his first attempts at writing were like but the price the English translations sell for is ridiculous.

I’ve got a copy of Hear the Wind sing that I bought in Tokyo a few years ago. It’s quite good, and some of the characters from his later books are introduced.

I’ve just seen an ebay ad for it – going for about 11 quid.
Proper bargain

eBay item number 390240398157

Kafka on the shore left me needing another fix, so last night I read After Dark. ‘Note perfect’, as one review described it.

Liked the mind-wandering stuff from long runs in ‘Things that…