LoT Book CLub - Book 2 - Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

[Prudence]

Originally Posted by Matterhorn Fan

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

Eeep! I hope not. The LoT selection is really engaging so far, and I'd hate to have to stop reading because another work became an Oprah selection. I refuse to read Oprah books.

[Not Afraid]

Kafka's the latest book and recently came out in paperback.

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Prudence

Eeep! I hope not. The LoT selection is really engaging so far, and I'd hate to have to stop reading because another work became an Oprah selection. I refuse to read Oprah books.

What she said.


I'm sure Oprah is a perfectly nice person and a wonderful judge of .....whatever; I just prefer to pick my reading material the old-fashioned way- without celebrity endorsement.

I still like the story, but I fear it is veering into an area that annoys me greatly: the gratuitous beating- over-the-head with symbolism area. I shall persevere because I really like the style of writing (even though I know it's likely diluted by translation) and the characters thus far. I was surprised by an earlier comment regarding the nature of the prose- it absolutely does not strike me in the same manner. I am used to reading translations, so I suppose I give leeway for any difficulties in that area, but I really like his writing thus far. I am sure I will buy more of his works, and that says something. I seldom purchase modern literature; I tend to either borrow or get from the library, but authors I enjoy I purchase for our own little library.

Thanks to all who recommended this book.

[Alex]

I was in San Francisco last Tuesday and found a copy at a bookstore. I'm currently around page 400 (of the trade paperback edition).

This is concerning two paragraphs on page 329.

Spoiler:

The text in question is:

The first day, I spent two full hours sitting on the low brick wall that ran along the edge of the raised flower bed outside Shinjuku Station, watching the faces of the people who passed by. But the sheer numbers of people were too great, and they walked too quickly. I couldn't manage a good look at any one person's face. To make matters worse, some homeless guy came over to me after I had been there for a while and started haranguing me about something. A policeman came by several times, glaring at me. So I gave up on the busy area outside the station and decided to look for a place better suited to thee leisurely study of passersby.

I took the passageway under the tracks to the west side of the station, and after I had spent some time walking around that neighborhood, I found a small, tiled plaza outside a glass high-rise...

This isn't a comment of any particular depth but it is amazing how a small touch of familiarity can really bind you more to a book. I'm by no means a familiar of Japan but I have watched the mass of people and crazy people at that location outside of Shinjuku Station. I know exactly what "passageway under the tracks" he is talking about and have walked that path myself (though late at night, giving it somewhat more edge since it was lined with construction walls and makeshift homes for the homeless).

I'm enjoying it anyway, but with just these two paragraphs I felt the story swisting itself tighter within me.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

I was in San Francisco last Tuesday and found a copy at a bookstore. I'm currently around page 400 (of the trade paperback edition).

This is concerning two paragraphs on page 329.

Spoiler:

The text in question is:



This isn't a comment of any particular depth but it is amazing how a small touch of familiarity can really bind you more to a book. I'm by no means a familiar of Japan but I have watched the mass of people and crazy people at that location outside of Shinjuku Station. I know exactly what "passageway under the tracks" he is talking about and have walked that path myself (though late at night, giving it somewhat more edge since it was lined with construction walls and makeshift homes for the homeless).

I'm enjoying it anyway, but with just these two paragraphs I felt the story swisting itself tighter within me.

Spoiler:

I didn't take the path under the tracks, but I spent a morning on that wall waiting for the Shinjuku Tower Records to open - great people watching place.

[wendybeth]

Okay, I was at the library and found myself looking for any copies of his other works. (There were none). I only do that, and very rarely, with authors I like. I'm nearly finished with the book- I read at lightspeed up until the last 1/8th of the book, and now I keep falling asleep while reading. (Not a comment on the book- just been working a lot and not sleeping well). I am not familiar with any of the locales he writes of, yet the book seems very familiar to me. I don't know why, perhaps it's the state of mind of some of the characters? I think maybe I'll know by story's end, or not. I don't really care- I'm just glad I've found something I like in the modern world.

[€uroMeinke]

Dang I just finished part one today in my re-read - I'm going to need a longer commute to catch up to you.

[Not Afraid]

Yeah, I'm reading magazines again instead of reading my book. Fits and starts. Fits and starts.

[Scrooge McSam]

I need to start this. It's been sitting on the corner of my desk for the last week.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Originally Posted by Scrooge McSam

I need to start this. It's been sitting on the corner of my desk for the last week.

I finished, I hope we discuss it before I forget.