Have you checked libraries? They'll even transfer it to your closest branch if they have it at one of the other branches.

I don't read Japanese and love every single Murakami I've read (I think I'm up to 8), so I'm grateful for any translation. To me, it seems very natural as to what I've experienced visiting contemporary Japan, but I read for visuals and overall story more than I read for language - although language has a lot to do with my enjoyment. I'm just not very interesting in writing in a craft as much as storytelling as a craft.

And I'm more a "the story is IN the telling," kind of girl. I can love an idea even if I don't care too much for how it's expressed. But I will be left wishing it was expressed differently.

Take "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and Bladerunner (the film it's based on) for example. The story, in both, is essentially the same, and I LOVE the story. But the film does a much better job at telling the story than Philip K. Dick does, IMO. That's usually not the case with most film adaptations, but I think the screenplay is superior to Dick's writing in a lot of ways.

It's like folk tales, as well. One version of the same folk tale can be a marvel, and another can be a bore. It's all in the telling.

So, though I love the story in The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, I'm sure I'd prefer reading it in its original Japanese, or reading an improved English translation. If he's written a book in English, I'd certainly be curious to read that.

It was probably all the humping that distracted you in the first place.

If I'm reading a book to discuss it I prefer to be at liberty to maul and spindle it. But I did look. All five copies in the possession of the Alamade County Library are well-over due and there is a queue. The Oakland Public Library does not have it in English, though they do seem to have pretty complete collections of his books in Japanese, Russian, Korean, and Chinese.

Ou local Borders had three or four copies tonight as well as most of his other translated books. Get thee to another bookstore - stat.

I've been to Borders and Barnes & Noble and the local new/used store with a more eclectic collection. B&N says they have 2 copies but they can't find them.

No biggie. It'll happen or it won't.

I got the last copy at my bookstore. But if a local book club wanted to read Kafka on the Shore, my bookstore's so ready.

Yeah, all of my spots had multiple copies of Kafka on the Shore as well.

Maybe it's a sign that you should read that one instead.

Or Oprah's about to choose it for her book club.