Haruki Murakami/Banana Yoshimoto (1 Viewer)

[Benny_]

Hey all, Haruki Murakami and Banana Yoshimoto are two of my favourite writers. They're 2 Japanese writers whose stuff is really fantastic for people around 15-25. Haruki's stories generally appeal to guys more, while Banana's are more geared towards girls, nevertheless, they're both pretty damn good. My favourites are "Dance Dance Dance" and "Sputnik Sweetheart" by Haruki Murakami, and "Moonlight Shadow" by Banana Yoshimoto, but all their other stuff is great too.. except possibly for the very much critically acclaimed "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" by Murakami, which I found a tad boring. Anyway, has anyone read their stuff or are they Japan's worst best secrets that Australia's just not interested in knowing about?

 

[walrusbear]

hey!
sorry to reply to this so late

i haven't read anything by yoshimoto, but i really love murakami

funnily enough, the only books i've read you've mentioned already.
loved dance dance dance and sputnik sweetheart. i'd have to disagree with the call on wind up bird though.

i love how surreal they can get, although sputnik sweetheart was largely a departure from that.

even though he recycled all his plot elements, the atmosphere he creates is very absorbing.

i wanna read norwegian wood next.

 

[Benny_]

Wow a reply! Must say I had almost given up on it. I've read everything by Murakami except A Wild Sheep Chase and the non fiction Underground. If you like surrealism, I'd go for the noirish "Hard Boiled Wonderland", which takes Windup Bird a step further, hilarious and engrossing read. "Norwegian Wood" is the book that propelled him to celebrity in Japan, and it's probably his most conventional book. It's quite nostalgic and sentimental, but I found I could really relate to the main character (well.. all his main characters, since they're all more or less the same person). The romance is sweet and it's a pretty good read. If you're ever to read his "South of the Border, West of the Sun", you'll find it's quite similar to "Norwegian Wood".

Anyway good to get a reply, tell me what you think when you've finished NW, because I really struggled a bit to find meaning in the ending.

 

[walrusbear]

Wow a reply! Must say I had almost given up on it. I've read everything by Murakami except A Wild Sheep Chase and the non fiction Underground. If you like surrealism, I'd go for the noirish "Hard Boiled Wonderland", which takes Windup Bird a step further, hilarious and engrossing read. "Norwegian Wood" is the book that propelled him to celebrity in Japan, and it's probably his most conventional book. It's quite nostalgic and sentimental, but I found I could really relate to the main character (well.. all his main characters, since they're all more or less the same person). The romance is sweet and it's a pretty good read. If you're ever to read his "South of the Border, West of the Sun", you'll find it's quite similar to "Norwegian Wood".

Anyway good to get a reply, tell me what you think when you've finished NW, because I really struggled a bit to find meaning in the ending.

yeah that's a very strong appeal he has.
the main characters are very easy to identify with, for me. even though they're usually 30
i enjoy the relationships the main character usually involves himself in. a weird range of often young-to-pubescent girls, mysterious women with lovely ears and the missing lover.

 

[walrusbear]

this will probably spark no interest

but has anyone else read the first two murakami novels (pinball, 1973 and hear the wind sing)?? there are translations by birnbaum but i read somewhere that murakami doesn't want them published in the west. anyways, i was very happy to obtain copies of both from fischer library.

anyone read them and have thoughts?

 

[Ghazi]

hey

I love Murakami's work. It seems to be fairly popular in my school, although generally among the guys considered 'weird' (myself included) .

I've only read Norwegian Wood and Th Elephant Vanishes so far, but I'm sure I'll get around to the rest evntually.

I love the way everything he writes feels so tremendously important. It feels like every object is symbolic of something, and all we have to do is find what it is.

 

[biancaaa]

I'm halfway through The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and I don't find it boring at all. Usually I like straight forward, realistic plots but Murakami knows how to blend the surreal with the everyday. It's strangely satisfying to read his stuff.

What's everyone's favourite book by him? I want know what to read next.

 

[Born Dancer]

finished kafka on the shore not too long ago and absolutely loved it.

 

[Nurse Clancy]

I love Haruki Murakami!

 

[1610839335]

Haruki Murakami is great!

There are hardly any people around my age that read his books. I feel so different sometimes when everyone else is so into that twilight series right now -_-"

 

[molmont]

The Wind-Up Bird chronicle is one of the most amazing books i have ever read. His books, along with those of Franz Kafka, changed the way I look at writing. For my Ext. 2 Eng major work I am working on a critical analysis of 'A Wild Sheep Chase', "The Wind-Up..", and 'Underground'.

 

[sirfeathers]

I've read Murakami, not Yoshimoto yet although she's been on my "to read" list for ages. Kindof have a love-hate thing with Murakami, I can get really into them but have usually had enough with them by the end of the book. Kafka on the Shore is probably my favourite. The last one I tried to read was the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle but I got really bored about halfway through and am therefore abstaining from Murakami for a while.