flight paths discussion

what is it about Murakami that makes him so compelling?

for some - I dozed off in the middle of Wind Up Bird Chronicle and I don't think Ive actually woken up yet.

I don't think there's an answer for everybody.

I am only 107 pages into 1Q84, but already I have marked "Paul Bryant" against three passages.

that doesn't sound good. I guess you mean he's stealing from me again.

Yep.

"Tengo went to the kitchen, put a kettle on the boil, and ground some coffee beans. He ate a few crackers with cheese, followed those with an apple, and when the water boiled, made coffee. Drinking this from a large mug, he distracted himself with thoughts of sex with his older girlfriend. Ordinarily, he would have been doing it with her right about now. He pictured the things that he would be doing, and the things that she would be doing. He closed his eyes, turned his face toward the ceiling, and released a deep sigh heavy with suggestion and possibility." (p 68)

Sigh.

Totally Paul Bryant. (I omitted the soundtrack.)

My current theory is that it's all very "helmet cam".

He starts the camera at the beginning of the book or each character's chapter, it sees everything from that character's point of view and he never turns it off.

Since there's just us here, I thought I might mention that I'm meeting up with my three fellow Fahey fans tomorrow in the wilds of Lincolnshire to celebrate the release of "Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You" (box set) - we meet up from time to time & we bring along the five songs that have pleased us most since the last time we met - here's my five

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoEnPw...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i--89H...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLyE0N...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XKk2Y...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0u5yY...

a mixed bag...

Maybe Mr Murukami would like them!

Excellent.

If it's not too much bother, would you mind doing a list of the other guys' songs?

Geoffrey Oryema really knows what it means to be an exile.

I've never realised that you could click on the artist's name on YouTube and get a list of their songs and albums.

i'm not sure I did either! yes, I'll take notes tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/artist/The_Inc...

Did I mention that I had never heard this song until last Sunday?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JhZqW...

nice slab of English psych there - my favourite of this mid 60s stuff is the mighty Happenings Ten Years Time Ago -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlfYDE...

Excellent.

I assume you have seen this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zeza1...

Hi, Moon, that's exactly how I feel as well.

Rightly or wrongly, I seek out the symbolism and metaphors in his writing and try to understand them.

My pencil notes are a snail trail or gossamer web stretched between repetitions of key words.

I haven't come across the number ten yet. When does it appear?

I apologise in advance for my analytical approach.

I like to read like I like to savour my food or alcohol or coffee.

I tell my wife it's about a heightened awareness or sensitivity.

She just looks at me and says, "What? You?"

Moonbutterfly wrote: " I lost my notes when my hard drive crashed, so I'm relying on memory."

Are you feeling OK about that? I wouldn't be.

Paul wrote: "for some - I dozed off in the middle of Wind Up Bird Chronicle and I don't think Ive actually woken up yet."

You know, you have put your finger on something about Murakami that I consistently notice but havent been able to quite articulate. The is a doze factor that he inserts and Moonbutterfly put it well when she said : These slow passages also give the reader's brains time to analyze and make connections to the previous action.. .

I find, reading Murakami, I occassionally sink into a trance state, and if I catch myself wondering wtf is going on here, it all seems so hopeless and banal,why am I reading this? what is the point to existence anyways??? I take a look at the cover and remember, oh yes, Murakami, and refrain from rushing out and under a bus.

Welcome to Ians friend Moonbutterfly. Please feel free to flit about here and do introduce yourself on the introductions page. So pleased to meet you!
and thanks to Ian and Paul for the great music and movie links......

Magdelanye wrote: "I find, reading Murakami, I occassionally sink into a trance state, and if I catch myself wondering wtf is going on here, it all seems so hopeless and banal,why am I reading this? what is the point to existence anyways??? I take a look at the cover and remember, oh yes, Murakami, and refrain from rushing out and under a bus..."

LOL! I think...

Starting my first Murakami next week - WUBC. Also, since he has become such a phenom - I decided to stalk him back to his beginnings. I ordered his first two - Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973. Rumor has it he'd prefer it if these two books went away, so I'm going to find out what he's embarrassed about.

One thing I don't hear discussed too often is the fact that he's Asian. Very different cultural heritage and worldview. My reading of other Japanese writers, like Kawabata, puts me into a different state of mind than when I read a western writer.

Murakami's writing has a very modern, Western feel, while retaining his Asian background.

WUBC will throw you right into the full range of Murakami's writing.

If you find that you don't like it, I would still give "Norwegian Wood" and "South of the Border" a go.

Ian wrote: "Murakami's writing has a very modern, Western feel, while retaining his Asian background.

WUBC will throw you right into the full range of Murakami's writing.

If you find that you don't like it, ..."

This evening, I had to sit quietly on the couch for an hour while my S.O. applied green clay to both of my knees. Suddenly, the phone rang (just kidding, the phone didn't ring - my first Murakami joke).

Anyway, WUBC has been sitting on my shelf the past two weeks and tonight, while having my knees clayed, I started the book and read the first three chapters. Yes, Western feel, modern, but definitely Asian.

First impression is that I imagined what I was reading as a David Lynch film, shot in the same style as Mulholland Drive. The story so far feels like it occupies a similar psychic space.

Secondly, I like the book and his style and I'm already sure I will enjoy his work in the future. I'm also sure I will find my polka dot tie, but not where I'm currently living...

Jim wrote: "First impression is that I imagined what I was reading as a David Lynch film, shot in the same style as Mulholland Drive. The story so far feels like it occupies a similar psychic space."

Very interesting idea.

Hope you enjoy it.

Ian wrote: "Murakami's writing has a very modern, Western feel, while retaining his Asian background.

WUBC will throw you right into the full range of Murakami's writing. ..."

Thats so it, Ian
And Jim, wow! an historical moment recorded right here on flight paths. someones first fresh impressions of a maestro, as it occured. All in the few hours I was offline :-)

now whats about this green clay?

Magdelanye wrote: "now whats about this green clay? .."

In the spirit of Murakami...

Miyako and I spent the afternoon exploring the village of Limeuil. We parked near the convergence of the Dordogne and Vezere rivers. I remembered Mr. Honda's warnings about water, but the parking lot near the rivers was our only choice. I hoped the flow was moving in the right direction, though I saw too late that our car was pointed upstream. I was concerned, but noted that Miyako did not remark on it.

We followed the marked path up the winding streets of Limeuil. It was a Saturday afternoon and most of the villagers were indoors, digesting their dejeuner. We walked past a window where a group of men, possibly drunk on vin rouge, where carrying on a heated discussion. I realized, as we passed by and the sound faded, that it wasn't really heated, so much as impassioned by the juice of the vine. I had this thought as I passed a lovely vine growing on a trellis, loaded with withered grapes that would never be able to impassion a conversation now that the decay of Autumn was upon them.

Many narrow alleys presented themselves, and several called out to Miyako, but afraid of my failed attempts at finding our lost cat, I vetoed her desire to explore and insisted we stay on the main path.

After reaching the top of the village, we enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding farm land. In the distance, we heard the voices of parents and coaches encouraging their young daughters in a soccer/football match.

We were a few meters behind a group of fellow tourists who began to follow a path that appeared to circle back down the hill - towards the rivers...

At first, the slope was gentle, but after the first turn in the path, the foliage became dense and the angle of the slope increased. The gravel on the path was loose and for a moment, I felt a fear of going over the side into the dark void of the underbrush. I clasped Miyako's hand a little tighter - "to encourage her" I told myself...

Finally, after ten harrowing minutes, we reached the parking lot, not winded, but fatigued from fighting the incline. An old injury, received on a soccer/football field much like the one we now passed, made itself known to me as my right knee and its deep scar tissue began to throb. I was surprised how the timbre of the soccer coach's voice matched that of my old coach.

Later in the evening, Miyako applied a poultice of green clay to both of my knees, and I picked up a book while the argile vert worked its magic...

(That's for you Paul!)

Is there some Joyce in this as well?

Ian wrote: "Is there some Joyce in this as well?"

Could be, but I haven't read him since 1982...

I'm enjoying Wind-up Bird. Having gone through the whole job loss, staying at home, and eating spaghetti thing, I'm finding it easy to relate to. I also have no children and a failed marriage in my past. Makes it quite easy for me to relate to the protagonist.

Watching the soccer match reminded me of "Ulysses".

Ian wrote: "Watching the soccer match reminded me of "Ulysses"."

Ulysses is on my radar. I did a back-to-back read of the Iliad and Odyssey earlier this year and have been wanting to go back into Ulysses while Homer is fresh on my mind.

I'm in the process of designing a group that will include Ulysses as one of the reads. I won't tell you any details just yet, but you're all invited once I finish the plans. If all goes well, will launch the group in 2 weeks and the reading will begin in January.

Jim wrote: I'm in the process of designing a group...and the reading will begin in January ..."

This is intruiging jim, and I am curious (altho highly resistant to group reads because of my own reading plans.)

You seem to have inhaled Murakami very effectively.

Magdelanye wrote: "Jim wrote: I'm in the process of designing a group...and the reading will begin in January ...""

Looks like that Ian has jumped in with his usual enthusiam and begun a new group, which I have joined merely because I was honored to be invited and I guess HM deserves his own group...
I will still be interested in your group jim.
there must be other approaches

I must say that its been frustrating not getting proper notifications, meaning I have missed a number of posts. Had an OMG moment when I saw your picture of a mountain village perched high in..Carcasonne?
And then I couldnt find it again.
Maybe you could post in group album?

Here's an interesting meditation on 1Q84 and how the reviewer processed the book in relation to his own life. I don't see any major spoilers other than character names and a mention of the moons.

http://www.themillions.com/2011/11/re...

Hi all,

I created a new group that will deal exclusively with difficult and challenging books that require more than an average amount of effort to complete. The group is called "Brain Pain" and can be found here:

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/5...

This will be a serious and supportive environment for getting through those dense and complex works that taunt us from our TBR shelves. The reading and discussions will begin in January, 2012.

This is a public group. Come check it out and invite others who might like these types of challenging books.

Okaaaaay! A place to ask my Murakami question!

I've read one short story by Murakami, enjoyed it, and based on that plunged into 1Q84. About 100 pages into it, a woman walks into a bar and .... I recognized the scene from the short story I'd read! Did I just get lucky, or is this a frequent setting for Murakami?

" 1Q84 is, according to Murakami, based on the same idea as his story “On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning” (published in English in The Elephant Vanishes back in 1993, but it can be found online here):"

http://www.mat.upm.es/~jcm/murakami-p...

that is the sad story of our lives
thanks for link Ian

so KJ, is this the story you read?

No. It was "The Kidney-Shaped Stone That Moves Every Day" in The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2006. You can read it online here: http://fenixnox.livejournal.com/46819...

Paul wrote: "for some - I dozed off in the middle of Wind Up Bird Chronicle and I don't think Ive actually woken up yet."

I wouldn't say that it exactly put me to sleep, but I haven't found it a page-turner really either, so I've shelved it for now.

I've been wondering if Norwegian Wood or Kafka on the Shore might not be a better place to start Murakami. Or 1Q84. Is there a more experienced Murakami follower than myself out there that can give some advice?

A wild sheep chase?
maybe we should get melissa to set up a poll...

:-)

Message 22:

WUBC will throw you right into the full range of Murakami's writing.

If you find that you don't like it, I would still give "Norwegian Wood" and "South of the Border" a go.

Ah, I guess I'll load Norwegian Wood next. Has anyone here read Kafka on the Shore, btw?

Traveller wrote: "Ah, I guess I'll load Norwegian Wood next. Has anyone here read Kafka on the Shore, btw?"

I think I have, but I don't remember much about it.

I loved Kafka on the Shore-I found it the most straightforward of the Murakami & warmest (although I love all of Murakami)

I think that WUBC is quintessential Murakami.

Ellie wrote: "I loved Kafka on the Shore-I found it the most straightforward of the Murakami & warmest (although I love all of Murakami)

I think that WUBC is quintessential Murakami."

Good! I needed just a bit of affirmation for Kafka on the Shore, since I've been teetering on the brink towards it anyway.

Ellie wrote: "I loved Kafka on the Shore-I found it the most straightforward of the Murakami & warmest (although I love all of Murakami)

I think that WUBC is quintessential Murakami."

Maybe because I agree with Ellie here, I think Kafka on the Shore is best appreciated after becoming aquainted with HM
It's such a subjective thing.

So I have asked our book genie, now watch for the poll to determine which of HM's books is the most approachable, or at least might be recommended as to be read first.

Ha. Ok, thanks, Magdelanye!

I can't wait!

that didnt take too long now.
But what happened to our latest exchange where you agreed with me and changed your mind?
Or am i losing mine?

Magdelanye wrote: "that didnt take too long now.
But what happened to our latest exchange where you agreed with me and changed your mind?
Or am i losing mine?"

That is on the Polls thread...

I was so eager to have more people read Murakami that I thought the way in would be through his "easiest" read but in thinking over what you wrote, I decided that the best introduction to Murakami would be a work most typical of his writing. And if someone didn't like it, well then that's just how it is.

And if I gave my son, who supposedly has this terrible reading disability, the recommendation of a more typical Murakami book, why would I do less for someone I don't know?

And David loved the book (Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World). If I'd suggested another book, he might not have gone on to read what I consider something closer to the heart of Murakami's work.

Does this make any sense?

It's all coming back to me now, finding Murakami in the library, as one does, by serendipity, and you know I believe it was hard boiled wonder that I read first, not ever having heard of Murakami and not even remembering his name! It was just this quirky book that seemed quite genius to me, and then came wild sheep chase...and I asked my bookseller friend if he had ever heard of him, and he said, oh yes....

Not only do you make sense, Ellie, you have it in a nutshell, why we are bothering to do this

and thanks ground control, I found it!

Sigh.. I asked a bunch of friends to vote there, but only one responded. I know there is a way to make a poll appear sitewide - can't we do that?