From After Dark: In our broad sweep the city looks like a gigantic creature - or more like a single collective entity created by many intertwining organisms. Countless arteries stretch to the ends of its elusive body, circulating a continuous supply of fresh blood cells, sending out new data and collecting the old, sending out new consumables and collecting the old, sending out new contradictions and collecting the old.
Nice group! I have read all of his books except 'The Elephant Vanishes' and 'Pinball 1973' during the past years, and I enjoyed them so much that Murakami has grown to be one of my favorite authors, with 'Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World' being one of my favorite novels. What are your favorite Murakami books? And the ones you didn't think that highly of? For me the latter would probably be 'After Dark' and 'Hear the Wind Sing' (okay, it was his first...)
Hi Boris! Oh, you must be a hardcore Murakami fan! Hard-boiled Wonderland is my favourite. There's just something about it. Poor shadows. I was less fond of Norwegian Wood and South of the Border, West of the Sun. In fact any where he focuses very strongly on a female character so, perhaps, I'd include Sputnik Sweetheart in that list too, but perhaps not. The section about the funfair is very interesting. There's only a few of his books I haven't read; maybe after your comment re Hear the Wind Sing I'll give that one a miss! Still to read After the Quake and Underground. I don't think his earlier novels are available in UK.
i have just read the elephant vanishes and it may be one of my favs so far. a must read of murakami.
I read and loved his novel Hard Boiled Wonderland but I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed reading his collection of short stories Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman more. There's something about every Murakami character that is relatable and the everyday mundane situations that personally strikes close to home for me. But perhaps it is due to the fact that I am also Asian so there may be similarities. That said, I am currently working on a screenplay based on his charming short story "Birthday Girl," which I hope to finish before my 20th birthday. Has anyone tried reading his short stories?
Hi Toni, yes I've read his short stories. I loved After the Quake - all the stories in that collection were really fascinating.
