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Murakami/Japanese fiction

S

starchild42

New Member
Yet another newbie here. I've posted my intro over on the Introductions board but no time like the present to dive in.

I've recently discovered Haruki Murakami and frankly, he's blown me away. Fantastic stuff. "Norweigian Wood" got me hooked, and I'm slowly working my way through his previous novels ("Sputnik Sweetheart" and "South Of The Border, West of the Sun" done so far) before getting started on "Kafka On The Shore".

Anyway, I guess my question is, when I'm done with the Murakami "to be read" pile, I'd like to explore some other Japanese writers. Any recommendations? You know, in true Amazon style - "If you like Murakami, you'll like (x,y,z)?"

Thanks for any input,

L2
 
this is not a japanese author, lian hearn,( i think that is his pseudonym though) but he has a trilogy out, tales of the otori, set in a fictional japan, during the time of the samurai. it is great. i highly recommend it.
 
Some Japanese authors whose work I have enjoyed very much, for different reasons, are:

Yukio Mishima, The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea. He's written a lot that's been translated into English, this being one of his best known. He's famous also for a ritual, political public suicide.

Banana Yoshimoto. She's very modern and young, part of the new Japanese wave of writers. I've read Lizard, Kitchen, and Sleep, liked all very much.These are short reads with a lot of insight into culture.

Kazuo Ishiguro. I've read When We Were Orphans, which is a bit strange. He writes in English, but was born in Nagasake. He also won the Booker for Remains of the Day. I think he has a new book out now.

Other authors you might look into if you like Murakami:

Kobo Abe, who became famous after his Woman on the Dunes was made into a movie. His more recent, better known book is probably The Ark Sakura.

Kenzaburo Oe, who won the Nobel for his collective work. Haven't read him, but seems to have some things in common with Murakami.


All of these seem to share an apocalyptic view, IMO, except maybe for Banana, who can be fatalistic and funny at the same time, melancholy yet hopeful, and full of great details of modern Tokyo.
 
Novella, thanks for the recommendations. Much appreciated!

Banana Yoshimoto is someone I'm just starting to look into, so it seems as if I may be on the right track.

Thanks again,

L2
 
Wooow, that’s exactly what I’m into right now, preparing to read Kobo abe and being quite a fan of Murakami. I read Norwegian wood and South of the border….I’ve recently bought Sputnik Sweetheart, but I haven’t read it yet.

What I like about Murakami is his combination of apparently lightweight literature and profound meditations , intricate symbolism, nostalgic atmosphere.

Is there anybody else who read something by him?

Oh, and The Remains of the Day is one of my top ten films ever.;)
 
As I think I said once somewhere else, I've read The Wind-up Bird Chronicles and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. I liked both very much. Hard-Boiled Wonderland is, I think, his first book, and is quite odd, but one of those books that just sort of sticks with you.
 
Thanks, Novella! I've been meaning to look into subscribing to the Paris Review for a while, this has pretty much made up my mind for me.

I believe this is an exerpt from "Kafka On The Shore" - I have this, but haven't read it yet. Nice to see what I've got to look forward to.

As a slightly-related aside, I had an email from a friend of mine about Murakami today. Apparently it doesn't hurt to read his stuff in chronological order, as there are recurring charaters that crop up, and apparently "hidden treats".

So by that reckoning, it'll be ages before I get around to "Kafka" :D
 
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