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شهرزاد
92 pages, Unknown Binding
About the author
Haruki Murakami
631 books135k followersHaruki Murakami (村上春樹) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Tanizaki Prize, Yomiuri Prize for Literature, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Noma Literary Prize, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Kiriyama Prize for Fiction, the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction, the Jerusalem Prize, and the Princess of Asturias Awards.
Growing up in Ashiya, near Kobe before moving to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, he published his first novel Hear the Wind Sing (1979) after working as the owner of a small jazz bar for seven years. His notable works include the novels Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002) and 1Q84 (2009–10); the last was ranked as the best work of Japan's Heisei era (1989–2019) by the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun's survey of literary experts. His work spans genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction, and has become known for his use of magical realist elements. His official website cites Raymond Chandler, Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan as key inspirations to his work, while Murakami himself has named Kazuo Ishiguro, Cormac McCarthy and Dag Solstad as his favourite currently active writers. Murakami has also published five short story collections, including First Person Singular (2020), and non-fiction works including Underground (1997), an oral history of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007), a memoir about his experience as a long distance runner.
His fiction has polarized literary critics and the reading public. He has sometimes been criticised by Japan's literary establishment as un-Japanese, leading to Murakami's recalling that he was a "black sheep in the Japanese literary world". Meanwhile, Murakami has been described by Gary Fisketjon, the editor of Murakami's collection The Elephant Vanishes (1993), as a "truly extraordinary writer", while Steven Poole of The Guardian praised Murakami as "among the world's greatest living novelists" for his oeuvre.
Growing up in Ashiya, near Kobe before moving to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, he published his first novel Hear the Wind Sing (1979) after working as the owner of a small jazz bar for seven years. His notable works include the novels Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002) and 1Q84 (2009–10); the last was ranked as the best work of Japan's Heisei era (1989–2019) by the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun's survey of literary experts. His work spans genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction, and has become known for his use of magical realist elements. His official website cites Raymond Chandler, Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan as key inspirations to his work, while Murakami himself has named Kazuo Ishiguro, Cormac McCarthy and Dag Solstad as his favourite currently active writers. Murakami has also published five short story collections, including First Person Singular (2020), and non-fiction works including Underground (1997), an oral history of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007), a memoir about his experience as a long distance runner.
His fiction has polarized literary critics and the reading public. He has sometimes been criticised by Japan's literary establishment as un-Japanese, leading to Murakami's recalling that he was a "black sheep in the Japanese literary world". Meanwhile, Murakami has been described by Gary Fisketjon, the editor of Murakami's collection The Elephant Vanishes (1993), as a "truly extraordinary writer", while Steven Poole of The Guardian praised Murakami as "among the world's greatest living novelists" for his oeuvre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 4, 2025
There is always difficult to deal with Murakami and his works, as he sometimes navigates on the thin border between reality and the realm on fiction.
But is his idea about women which makes this work less interesting for myself, as they look to be considered sad, suicidal and weak little creatures, walking and living on thin air. And that's too less for them, too much for me...
But is his idea about women which makes this work less interesting for myself, as they look to be considered sad, suicidal and weak little creatures, walking and living on thin air. And that's too less for them, too much for me...
March 30, 2022
3.5
"الحياة غريبة، أليس كذلك؟ في لحظة تكون مفتوناً بشئ ما حد الجنون، وعلي أهبة الاستعداد للتضحية بأي شئ لتحظى به، ثم يمر بعض الوقت، أو تتغير نظرتك للاشياء بمقدار ضئيل، وفجأة تشعر بالصدمة من مدى تلاشي بريق ذلك الشئ وتتساءل، ما الذي كنت أنظر إليه ؟"
"الحياة غريبة، أليس كذلك؟ في لحظة تكون مفتوناً بشئ ما حد الجنون، وعلي أهبة الاستعداد للتضحية بأي شئ لتحظى به، ثم يمر بعض الوقت، أو تتغير نظرتك للاشياء بمقدار ضئيل، وفجأة تشعر بالصدمة من مدى تلاشي بريق ذلك الشئ وتتساءل، ما الذي كنت أنظر إليه ؟"
December 3, 2020
I'm so disappointed in Murakami, it's like this story opened my eyes, and showed me that he just loves to make women either into objects or some mystified phantoms who appear within the story only to change the male protagonist. Every single one of his books has this and it's so frustrating, because he essentially isn't profound at all from this perspective, especially when he writes as if he has all women figured out. Plain annoying, presumptuous and ridiculous. The women he creates are some preposterous myths that cater to the male fantasy, reduced to their sexual performance and their ability to transform a sheltered male character. They are suicidal sad creatures trying to fill their lives with as much senseless eruption of emotion as possible, whether it be by drama, sex or dialogues ridiculously overflowing with senseless blabbering. Dear Murakami I don't like the women you write, they are not metaphors, they are not caricatures, they are plain old misunderstandings and creations of writers who think they know all about women. You would be amazing, if you didn't try to figure out women. Wait no! Actually if you WERE trying to figure out, and not pretending to know them, it would be interesting to see you explore all the deeps and curves of their nature and what makes a human person a woman. But no you just pretend that you know and understand everything. I'm sorry but I'm done with this writer. I was trying to figure out what I hadn't liked and what I had enjoyed ever since I read "Norwegian wood", now I know what I hadn't surely liked. And now I can't unsee this in any of his work. The ever-present eye of the male gaze under the layers of exploration of reality and dream. I love the dreamlike surreality of his novels, but I am never picking up a book of Murakami ever again.
December 22, 2020
4.5 STARS
One of the remarkable Frame short story by Murakami.
I thought I would seen some fantastic reviews about it..
Beautiful piece of work where 2 leading characters has been flowing into a romantic ventures where inside stories of their minds outcast comprehensively and emotionally.
One of the remarkable Frame short story by Murakami.
I thought I would seen some fantastic reviews about it..
Beautiful piece of work where 2 leading characters has been flowing into a romantic ventures where inside stories of their minds outcast comprehensively and emotionally.
November 2, 2021
taking my murakami literature virginity w the one short story no one’s even heard about!
July 21, 2019
داستان کوتاهیه در مورد رابطه عجیب عاشقانه بین یک مرد و زن...داستان خیلی غیر منتظره تموم شد و من همش دنبال بقیش بودم...ولی متن داستان مثل همه آثار موراکامی منو جادو کرد...تنها دلیلم برا چهار ستاره دادن اینه که دیگه خدایی خیلی رو آسمون و زمین تموم شد...
January 4, 2024
just needed to write this review to say maybe the mom of the boy had some possesive munchausen thing going on and habara was actually the guy and scheherazade is the nurse that the mom hired while keeping habara away from the society or whatever i didnt see anybody say that and i had to very badly
February 4, 2021
Murakami knows how to write, no doubt about that. But I don't know why I expected a little more from it.
April 30, 2025
The story is about loneliness and transience. Even close human connections are delicate, uncertain. Habara knows this relationship is fragile and possibly temporary. So in the end, by imagining himself as a lamprey, he's trying to prepare himself emotionally—to inhabit the same kind of resilient solitude that Scheherazade described. It's not just consolation. It's a ritual of survival in a world that may at any moment go quiet.
Though their relationship is imperfect, Murakami shows how even fragile connections can anchor us to life and reality.
Though their relationship is imperfect, Murakami shows how even fragile connections can anchor us to life and reality.
April 1, 2022
A brilliant, intriguing narration that leaves you wanting to know more but unsatisfying your needs, leaving you a short time with these characters that seem as real as flesh.
February 20, 2023
In a typical murakami style, Scheherazade leaves you with an aftertaste of questions that you almost asked, questions that almost made way from your throat to the tip of your tongue like melting sugar, but were cut off brutally by pursed lips and unsaid stories- and now linger on hidden tastebuds in hues of fading sweet, that's almost bitter.
Was habara underhouse arrest? If so ( it's VERY likely), why? Did Scheherazade ever complete her story? Is her teenage crush now her husband? Can we ever dream about our past life, as vividly as we end up dreaming about hers? Are we all, eventually, alone, and hungry for incomplete stories, and fleeting companies?
Ultimately, this short story leaves you with a lot to think about, and you're left with the essense of Scheherazade- both the woman, and the story- for a long while.
Was habara underhouse arrest? If so ( it's VERY likely), why? Did Scheherazade ever complete her story? Is her teenage crush now her husband? Can we ever dream about our past life, as vividly as we end up dreaming about hers? Are we all, eventually, alone, and hungry for incomplete stories, and fleeting companies?
Ultimately, this short story leaves you with a lot to think about, and you're left with the essense of Scheherazade- both the woman, and the story- for a long while.
January 13, 2022
شهرزاد هرشب برای هابارا داستان تعریف میکند اما قرار نیست صبح فردای قصههایش کشته شود. شهرزاد پرستاریست که برای هابارا شبها بعد از روابط جنسی داستانهایی تعریف میکند اما امشب قصد دارد داستانی از دوران نوجوانی خودش و زمانی که در دبیرستان بود را برای هابارا تعریف کند....
اینکه موراکامی از اسم شهرزاد استفاده کرده و از ایدهی داستانهای هزار و یک شب بهره برده خیلی لذت بخش بود. داستان رو خیلی دوست داشتم اما باید بگم کاملا +۱۸ است. کلا موضوعش اینطوریه. اصلا اگر ماهیت اصلی شخصیتها و کارهایی که میکنن رو متوجه بشید مختون سوت میکشه. جالب بود.
اینکه موراکامی از اسم شهرزاد استفاده کرده و از ایدهی داستانهای هزار و یک شب بهره برده خیلی لذت بخش بود. داستان رو خیلی دوست داشتم اما باید بگم کاملا +۱۸ است. کلا موضوعش اینطوریه. اصلا اگر ماهیت اصلی شخصیتها و کارهایی که میکنن رو متوجه بشید مختون سوت میکشه. جالب بود.
March 1, 2025
Murakami's writing envelops the reader, drawing them into his mesmerizing world. The desire for the narrative to continue is palpable. His prose is both creative and refreshingly unique quality that sets him apart from others. Additionally, the ambiguity woven into his short stories is unmistakable.
August 18, 2021
Another masterpiece short story by the fantasy king writer, beautifully described life of two distinct characters coming together for helping each other in their own ways to fill in the gaps of their more so dull life... very relatable for introverts ... the title is as unique as the story is!!!
December 12, 2022
"لست عالقًا في جزيرة مهجورة , أنا نفسي جزيرة مهجورة"
تعد هذه القصة هي الأطول في (حدائق موراكامي 2), وأعتقد أن "موراكامي" فعلها مرة أخرى, ربط قصة أخرى مع بعضها.
لسبب ما تذكرني بطلة هذه القصة "شهرزاد" في زوجة الكاتب المسرحي المشهور في قصة "قودي سيارتي". ولكن طبعاً "موراكامي" لم يذكر ذلك بشكل واضح, هو فقط أحساسي الداخلي.
لسبب مجهول طبعاً يظل بطل القصة "هابارا" حبيس منزله الخاص, ويحتاج الى مساعدة "شهرزاد" بين فترة واخرى.
تقريبًا هي المساعدة الخاصة به. تساعده في الكثير من الأمور المنزلية والشخصية كذلك.. وايضًا تتحول الى "شهرزاد" خاصة به.
ولكن طبعاً "هابارا" لن يقطع رأسها اذا لم تحكي له هذه القصص, التي نجهل مصدرها, لا نعلم هل هي حقيقة أو خيالية, او ربما مذكرات شخصية خاصة بها.
هي فقط تتمكن بسحرها الخاص بسرد هذه القصص بكل تشويق ومهارة, وطبعاً تتوقف كل مرة عندما تبلغ القصة ذروتها.
لتترك الشاب المسكين وحيداً مع خواطره بخصوصها وبخصوص القصص التي تحكيها له.
"الحياة غريبة، أليس كذلك؟ في لحظة تكون مفتوناً بشئ ما حد الجنون، وعلي أهبة الاستعداد للتضحية بأي شئ لتحظى به، ثم يمر بعض الوقت، أو تتغير نظرتك للاشياء بمقدار ضئيل، وفجأة تشعر بالصدمة من مدى تلاشي بريق ذلك الشئ وتتساءل، ما الذي كنت أنظر إليه ؟"
تعد هذه القصة هي الأطول في (حدائق موراكامي 2), وأعتقد أن "موراكامي" فعلها مرة أخرى, ربط قصة أخرى مع بعضها.
لسبب ما تذكرني بطلة هذه القصة "شهرزاد" في زوجة الكاتب المسرحي المشهور في قصة "قودي سيارتي". ولكن طبعاً "موراكامي" لم يذكر ذلك بشكل واضح, هو فقط أحساسي الداخلي.
لسبب مجهول طبعاً يظل بطل القصة "هابارا" حبيس منزله الخاص, ويحتاج الى مساعدة "شهرزاد" بين فترة واخرى.
تقريبًا هي المساعدة الخاصة به. تساعده في الكثير من الأمور المنزلية والشخصية كذلك.. وايضًا تتحول الى "شهرزاد" خاصة به.
ولكن طبعاً "هابارا" لن يقطع رأسها اذا لم تحكي له هذه القصص, التي نجهل مصدرها, لا نعلم هل هي حقيقة أو خيالية, او ربما مذكرات شخصية خاصة بها.
هي فقط تتمكن بسحرها الخاص بسرد هذه القصص بكل تشويق ومهارة, وطبعاً تتوقف كل مرة عندما تبلغ القصة ذروتها.
لتترك الشاب المسكين وحيداً مع خواطره بخصوصها وبخصوص القصص التي تحكيها له.
"الحياة غريبة، أليس كذلك؟ في لحظة تكون مفتوناً بشئ ما حد الجنون، وعلي أهبة الاستعداد للتضحية بأي شئ لتحظى به، ثم يمر بعض الوقت، أو تتغير نظرتك للاشياء بمقدار ضئيل، وفجأة تشعر بالصدمة من مدى تلاشي بريق ذلك الشئ وتتساءل، ما الذي كنت أنظر إليه ؟"
February 8, 2021
I really struggled with Norwegian Wood when I was younger, so I've been really wary of trying any more Murakami. I think, now I have a better understanding of magic realism from Garcia Marquez, and that you don't need to understand each and every fact behind a story, I was ready to try some more. This short story might be what gets me back into Murakami.
Just with Norwegian Wood, I was enticed by music, since Scheherazade is possibly my favourite piece of music in the world. Understanding the premise of Scheherazade and the way she told stories to the king put me in awe of the way that Murakami imitated the style in his story. I was almost ready for a cliffhanger at the end since the beginning!
I loved this, and I'll be trying out more Murakami soon!
Just with Norwegian Wood, I was enticed by music, since Scheherazade is possibly my favourite piece of music in the world. Understanding the premise of Scheherazade and the way she told stories to the king put me in awe of the way that Murakami imitated the style in his story. I was almost ready for a cliffhanger at the end since the beginning!
I loved this, and I'll be trying out more Murakami soon!
January 9, 2022
اول باید بگم که انتظار بیشتری داشتم هرچند طرفدار نوشته های هاروکی موراکامی نبوده ام هیچوفت. داستان راجع به مردی است که به مکان جدید منتقل شده و از اونجا نمیتونه خارج بشه؛ زنی به عنوان همیار! خرید و کارهای روزانه اون رو هر روز میاد انجام میده و ضمنا با هم سکس میکنن و بعدش اون زن داستانی براش تعریف میکنه (به همین دلیل مرد رو شهرزاد نامیده) و ساعت 16:30 به منزل میره. داستان در مورد این حرف ها و فکرهای مرد در مورد این حرف هاست.ه
December 2, 2020
This story, like much of Murakami's work, felt like complete nonsense. I couldn't understand who, exactly, the main character was, why , etc etc. But still, this story was really intriguing and enjoyable, so here I am, giving it a full five stars.
July 10, 2021
Scheherazade is a good short story in Murakami's style. I am a fan of Haruki Murakami and his writing. The story held great potential for me, but I was a bit disappointed by the ending. I expected something different. Maybe it was a different kind of ending, but unfortunately, it didn't satisfy me. 3.5/5
February 6, 2023
'Life is strange, isn't it? You can be totally entranced by the glow of something one minute, be willing to sacrifice everything to make it yours, but then a little time passes, or your perspective changes a bit, and all of a sudden you're shocked at how faded it appears. What was I looking at? You wonder.'
November 19, 2021
Required reading for class.
In a deeper perspective, it delivers such meaningful message and those metaphors start to make sense philosophical wise. I kind of like the ambiguity of this book. However, I just don't like how he writes women. It disgusts me.
In a deeper perspective, it delivers such meaningful message and those metaphors start to make sense philosophical wise. I kind of like the ambiguity of this book. However, I just don't like how he writes women. It disgusts me.
March 9, 2022
I dont know how to think about this story it was in some part a beautiful look into the mind of a man but at the same time the story Scheherazade tells him is so downright volatile to the rather beuteful banter that the both has that it makes the story a hard read.
January 14, 2023
one of the few less favourite stories i have read from haruki murakami. i did enjoy learning about the background of the character who inspired the story's title, however.
actual rating: 2.6/5☆
actual rating: 2.6/5☆
May 13, 2026
Fave quote:
Life is strange, isn't it?
You can be totally entranced by the glow of something one minute, be willing to sacrifice everything to make it yours, but then a little time passes, or your perspective changes a bit, and all of a sudden you're shocked at how faded it appears.
Life is strange, isn't it?
You can be totally entranced by the glow of something one minute, be willing to sacrifice everything to make it yours, but then a little time passes, or your perspective changes a bit, and all of a sudden you're shocked at how faded it appears.
March 17, 2021
As always Murakami will make you lost deep in the story and will left you wandering like Scheherazade did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2021
Almost as addictive as breaking into somebody’s house!
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September 2, 2021I got big 'men writing women' vibes from this one. Didn't really like it, but it hasn't entirely put me off Murakami's stuff either.
February 2, 2022
Guarrete y sugerente. Contar historias como acercamiento, como intimidad
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April 3, 2022Scheherazade and the world of magic realism.
Read
October 18, 2022no more writing by murakami. please. he is ruining everything sacred in this world
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews