Haruki Murakami Interviews: How Murakami thinks?

by Hemza Benguesmia

“What is he like? Is he a kind man?” I was asked by an anxious administrator who had been assigned to guide me through Tokyo’s Aoyama neighborhood to Haruki Murakami’s office, which was in a discreet, unmarked building on a side street. She visibly deflated when Murakami’s assistant answered the door, accepted delivery of me, and sent her off to wait out our lunch meeting at a nearby train station. It was 2010, and in Japan, at that point, Murakami was a celebrity of a magnitude unrivaled in the literary world...

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2019

Reviews

[Kelly Furniss · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing not to like in this interview with Murakami.
Any fan like myself will find it fascinating as Hemza Benguesmia the interviewer asks direct questions so Haruki Murakami opens up to he talk about his past, the 'epiphany' like moment he realised he wanted to write, his strict disciplined sleep, exercise and work routine and his fascination at how fans perceive him and his work and the funny things they have asked and say to him..
Murakami comes across as such a humble man who shys out the limelight choosing not to attend talks etc. I also liked the mention of other authors and stories that Murakami enjoys and made a lasting impression on him as I realised we share a few of those.
A quick but fascinating coffee break read delving in to mind of one of my favourite authors. I enjoyed it very much.

[Tracy Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

I greatly appreciated and enjoyed the interviews with Murakami. However, despite the title of the book, less than 1/3 of the chapters are interviews. The remainder of the book is devoted to various articles, essays, reviews, and internet postings by others, none of which provide any direct information from Murakami, or insight into his thoughts. Just as frustratingly, the book was carelessly produced. Besides frequent misspellings and grammar problems, perhaps the best example of this carelessness is the fact that, although there's a table of contents at the front of the book, there are no page numbers, thus eliminating the value of a table of contents.
Murakami deserves better. So do we.

[Justinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first couple of interviews were interesting to read, but then it got old rather quick. A number of interviews and articles would cover the same topics over and over again, thus resulting in the same answers and storylines. But perhaps the book was not meant to be read cover to cover, anyway?