So, I still haven't read any of his books, despite this intrigument and also despite the fact that he's Japanese which clearly makes him awesome, and I really should have gone and bought all of his books after reading that first review. STUPID ME! I have, though, read a short story of his in The New Yorker (which is most likely part of one of his novels because they like to do that instead of making people actually write short stories, it seems) and I liked it. This all bodes very very well for reading Norwegian Wood!
The only actual things I know about Norwegian Wood are: 1) Its title is because of the Beatles song of the same name, which clearly means that it has to be awesome, and 2) The trailer for the film, which I watched for some weird reason on a DVD, is actually stunning and makes me really want to see the film, which I guess is the job of film trailers, so GOOD WORK whoever put it together! I realise that neither of these is a really good reason for reading the book, but, you know, shut up. And also, hello, READALONG. It's all about the camaraderie and reading the same book and then saying fun/actually mean things about it (you all watched me read The Help, right?). So there.
So, yeah. This was really a bit of an introduction to the readalong that Alice is hosting this month (you should probably go and read her post right now, because past experience teaches us that it will be awesome/hilarious) and now you all know I'm a Murakami virgin. My horrifying secret is out! January will clearly deflower me, and hopefully it will be pleasant! And if not, well, I guess it'll still be better than The Help. Because most things are.
Er...my post is not hilarious this time around but HERE'S HOPING FOR NEXT WEEK. This is why I don't review books usually. But you said all the stuff I was thinking but didn't realize until I read it! Because YES his name is everywhere on book blogs, but I've read nothing of his. This shall fix that for us. Oh yes. It shall fix that very well.
ReplyDeleteIf the New Yorker story was recent then it was probably "Town of Cats" (http://nyr.kr/tpJKrF, which is an excerpt of 1Q84.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think I'm one of the few people in the readalong that's already pretty familiar with Murakami, so I'm really excited to see how you all react to the book!
@Reading Rambo- Hey, it was amusing enough! Didn't fall asleep reading it or anything, which is always a good sign! Yay for me saying things that were your actual thoughts though. That was pretty clever of me.
ReplyDelete@brooks- It was Town of Cats! And I KNEW it must have been an extract from something! I don't necessarily mind it, but they don't really tell you that's what they've done, which feels sorta sneaky to me. And if/when I read 1Q84, I'll be all confused/freaked out when there's a part I feel like I've already read, so boooo to that. Also, exciting for you observing us poor (Murakami) ignorant fools! Hopefully we'll say things that are clever and that amuse you :)
Those are perfectly good reasons to pick up a Murakami. I love his books. The author has a great fondness for Western music and literature and this shows in his own books. He's actually been criticised for it and it wasn't until Norwegian Wood that he really became accepted in his own country. Norwegian Wood has little of the surrealism that surrounds his other books but it is one of his best (at least I think so). It's also supposed to be semi-autobiographical. But then I think he puts himself into a number of his main characters. Hope you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteOoh, Town of Cats was quite creepy I thought. It's a short story written by someone within 1Q84. One of the main characters read it to his father who seemed to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteAh, ok! That makes Town of Cats kind of more interesting to me! Also, your endorsement of Murakami is lovely! You've made him sound basically more awesome than everyone else, so I'm really looking forward to starting Norwegian Wood (especially more) now :)
ReplyDeleteHurray for the synchronized deflowering of us Murakami virgins! What a lucky guy he is.
ReplyDeleteThat he is Megs, that he is.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I've got a sneaky feeling you're going to really like it :)
ReplyDeleteI dig your *duh, it's a beatles song so it must be good* theory. Here here! Or is it hear hear!
ReplyDeleteI also am looking at Norwegian Wood as friendly because of its Beatles-derived title. Certainly much friendlier than The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, which has been glaring at me from my TBR for over a year. Maybe it'll happen after this readalong.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the first few chapters!
Hey, so I have nothing worthwhile to say, except YAY for being Murakami newbies and hurrah for the readalong!
ReplyDelete@Brenna- I hope so! I trust your bookish word, so I'll believe you :)
ReplyDelete@Christina- I think it's hear hear! Actually I don't know now. But either way, yay The Beatles/my solid theory :)
@Rayna- Hopefully! You'll be so overwhelmed by Norwegian Wood that you'll simply have to read all the Murakami in the world!
@Sarah- Huzzah! Go us! etc :D