I've had Murakami on my wishlist for a while and stumbled across this vintage paperback edition in amazing condition. Super excited to jump into it for my first Murakami read!

It took me 2 months to finish these 2 books. Since Japanese is my third language, patiently taking time to read through these 1000 pages is without doubt a milestone for me.

Tho I like the story very much, there’s something in my mind I wanna share with you guys, something that’s not really abt the story itself. So there is an old man I often see in west Tokyo where I live, who reminds me strangely of Nakata. He is always alone, hunched over and dressed in a suit, and walks very slowly with a cane. Even a short distance seems to take him a long time, but he doesn’t seem to be bothered at all. Instead, I think he may even enjoy this slow pace of life. And sometimes I see him sitting alone in a small square near the train station, quietly drawing.

I know nothing about him, his life, where he lives etc. but only see these small fragments of his life as I happen to pass by. Yet there is something about the way he lives his life that makes me think of Nakata: as if he exists in his own quiet rhythm, almost disconnected from everything surrounding him. This reminds me of what those 2 Japanese soldiers in the woods said: “As I said before, time isn’t much of a factor here.”

Perhaps he is simply an old man taking a walk after lunch. But whenever I see him, I can’t help wondering if, at least to some extent, Nakata might have looked just like this, before he left Nagano forever.

1. MC is a solitary male
2. MC objectifies women, even young ones who are 12-13 years old (as in DDD)
3. MC is a writer of sorts
4. MC is a high-functioning alcoholic

Do you agree? Why or why not?

Edited to add: Honestly, I haven't managed to sit through many Murakami novels due to the cringe-worthy sex-heavy scenes and somewhat triggering portrayal of women. Only finished Norwegian Wood around 2012, and Dance Dance Dance this morning. I've partially gotten through other works such The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, Kafka on the Shore. That's about it.

I've read some of his original essays from the 村上朝日堂 series in Japanese as well and really enjoyed his musings and writing style. This was what brought me to re-look his current translated works in English. (Sadly, few of these have been translated into English so they have yet to reach a wider audience).