F. Scott Fitzgerald-The Works, The Life discussion

Very intriguing comment here. It's been a very long time since I've read Norwegian Wood, but I'm going to have to put it on my ever-more-structurally-unsound "read this again" stack.

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I suppose it goes without saying, although it's never occurred to me, that if TGG is one of the Great American Novels, it would have been studied and maybe interestingly reinterpreted by writers from other cultures. This could be fascinating.

(An aside: I wonder what influences there running in the other direction? What Western writers have used other cultures as springboards?)

I had a similar feeling of similarities after recently finishing The Great Gatsby. Norwegian Wood is one of my favorite Novels, and the references to Gatsby in Murakami's book is what convinced me to pick it up. The other similarity I perceived (because it might just be me) was the likeness of Personality in Tom Buchanon and Nagasawa. Maybe it was just the constant infidelity without seeming to feel much remorse, or the wealth. The part in Gatsby when Tom Buchanon invites Nick to meet his mistress Myrtle Wilson is what reminded me of Nagasawa. The "Hey I'm not very faithful to my significant other, but I expect you to understand because we're friends" thing seems common in both characters. Also the way they carried themselves (at least in my perception), that they were slightly above everyone else. These are just random thoughts but I wanted to share them with somebody.

In all honesty, Jackson, this comment is so intriguing to me,too, but I have to go get Norwegian Wood out of the library (if we have it) and read it again! It has been years and years, I'm afraid to say. I am just so pleased to have had this brought to my attention. It's very easy to read a book and assume one remembers the allusions being made, but now that I've recently reread Gatsby, I have to go back and play catch-up.

And hello, nice to talk to you!