There is a simplicity to his style that accentuates the originality of topics: a talking monkey, an imagined Charlie Parker Bossa Nova album, and a character named after Murakami who is obsessed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. It would not be difficult to complete this book in a cafe in a couple of hours, or read one story every night before bed. There is something magical about reading Murakami’s work. His most recent work of fiction, First Person Singular, is told in the point of view specified by the title: eight short stories full of the pronoun “I” about reminiscing, memory, and nostalgia. At times, his narrator will casually put on a Joni Mitchell album or make sure to note the background music at a bar.
Murakami includes pop culture references relevant to the time, transporting the reader to Japan in the 70s, 80s, 90s, etc. The overlap of Murakami’s obsession with American and European rock and roll, jazz, and classical music is a prominent subject in his writing. He was born and raised in Japan, where Westernization and modernization over the 20th century heavily influenced his work and continues to do so. Haruki Murakami is one of Japan’s most prolific writers with over fifty short stories, fourteen complete works of fiction, and four nonfiction books.
0 kommentar(er)
