09: KAFKA ON THE SHORE by Haruki Murakami
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Haruki Murakami Challenge playlist:
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2019 New Yorker interview with Murakami:
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I know this video is old but to speak to 12:13 when you talk about Kafka meeting Sakura on the train. I believe this is a reference to sanshiro by natsume soseki, who Kafka references later on in the story - one of the books he reads in the library. This scene is almost the exact same as a scene that happens in sanshiro. The main protagonist is on a train ( I believe) traveling to tokyo and meets a woman, somehow there train is delayed and they decide to find a hotel for whatever reason. The woman attempts to seduce sanshiro but he is too clueless and they part ways the day after. It sets up for later conflict in the story but the scene appears pretty pointless as the woman does not come into play in the rest of the story
"Constraints can foster creativity in a more powerful way." Can't agree more.
👊🙏
As a composer I believe constraints spur industry and foster problem solving in all the arts .
For me Murakami shines not because the way he plots his storylines but because simply put he is a good writer. Just like, perhaps a good painter could paint anything he pleases, but whatever he paints looks good.
Ah I’d disagree 😅
It’s sort of funny that you refer to his approach as a “kitchen sink novel” because Haruki Murakami himself refers to his first few novels (not this one) as his “kitchen table novels,” as they were written at his kitchen table (he acknowledges these as amateurish, as I’m sure you’ve found to be the case).
I do think ‘Kafka…’ is one of his weaker efforts. However, I disagree that a master novelist would need to sketch or outline before setting out to write something complex. DeLillo, for instance, always writes without an outline or a clear idea of the plot direction, in much the same manner as Murakami, though to different effect; and Gaddis was likewise famously averse to outlines.
With Murakami, part of the joy for me is simply in getting lost in the woods; for this, I prefer the later epic novels: ‘Killing Commendatore’ and ‘1Q84.’ It’s not so much a meaning that you find in Murakami, but a space-which I believe is itself a form of meaning (see Gerald Murnane).
He’s a writer I’ve definitely more or less outgrown, but still have an affection for, and I’m looking forward to a forthcoming translation of his latest.
Love your channel, Chris-you’re a literary beacon! I’ve been poring over your archive- so, so many excellent reviews. Thank you for all you do and keep up the great reading!
-Lee A.
I remember reading this book and kind of liking it and kind of not. I appreciated the way you had to piece together what really happened yourself, kind of like Infinite Jest, but at the same time the tactless pornography was somewhat offputting. But still, definitely an intriguing read.
I loved this book. I always say that I didn't find it but it found me. I just recently finished it and I'm 18 so I definitely agree that age and the place that you are in your life right now determine your understanding and enjojment of reading Murakamis Kafka. And I really enjojed your review. As a new subscriber I am really excited for your new uploads. 😊
Thanks so much for your kind words. I’m glad the book found you! Happy reading!
Love the hair full cyberpunk mode
Great video
Thanks! 🤟
What a good sport you are to commit to this author's work based largely on popular appeal, pushing through what appears to be true ambivalence about its worth. My ability to commit to one recommendation every so often has only waned over the years.
Thanks! And, yeah, not sure I’ll do anything like this again. 😁
But, like I said, I find that it’s challenging me as a reader to really think about the experience and articulate it.
It’s so easy to just thrash something we didn’t love. To be clear, I thought the book was OK; it wasn’t terrible.
But it’s a lot harder to really think about why you didn’t connect with something. At least, I think so.
Interesting analysis and especially describing your feelings about the morning library, the library generally….it reminds me of how painters need an ongoing tactile relationship w paint and ink and the textures of colour
In my head, the reason Kafka says his dad cursed him to play the role of that greek hero, is because his actual name (which we're never given) is the same as the greek hero's. But that's just something that popped up in my head.
Interesting! I must have missed something because I don't remember that. It's definitely implied (as is much else). But, at the same time that that is clever, its function as the reason for the curse seems...I don't know...too convenient. Still, you've piques my interest in combing back through to pinpoint this factor. Thanks!
I few weeks ago when watching your review of KOS I was certain that I had read all of Murakami's fiction, but soon realized that I did not recognize this book from your description. At any rate, I guess it was my destiny that I had to read Kafka by the Shore, so I did, much like the theme of destiny that seems to cling to so many characters in this book. I did enjoy the read very much and now I am back to reading Vollman's The Dying Grass, your review of that book that first brought me to your channel. I have watched many of your videos since then and you have inspired me to read much more over the next year. Thank you for taking the time to bring so many good reviews to your subscribers. I look forward to watching more of your videos and I also wish you the best with your reading.
Thanks so much for your kind words. It's truly a pleasure to share these videos with all the community of readers out there. Boy, The Dying Grass is such a wonderful book. I think I've only got videos on Ice-Shirt and Fathers & Crows out of WTV's Seven Dreams series, but I'm planning to do Argall this year and Dying Grass next year. All my very best to you. Happy reading!
@Nancy Pelosi Fake, Nancy will have lots of time to read after the midterms
I find it really interesting/amusing that you're reading Murakami's bibliography in order, because I've read several of his books and keep coming back to him, hoping to discover the magic that other people praise so much. I feel like he often hints at deeper philosophical/spiritual ideas, but tends to obfuscate that with fantastical elements that never really cohere into anything meaningful.
Then there's the "Murakami tropes," ie the author stand-in narrator, the magical sexy helpful women who are inexplicably devoted to him, and his sense of bemusement with life and the world that never lands anywhere.
That said, I find something very calming about his writing, and especially before the halfway mark I tend to really enjoy his books, because the tone makes it feel like some beautiful philosophical *thing* is going to happen.
I've heard from several people who express this same sentiment: there's something *calming*, something *pleasant*, about reading Murakami, something akin to basking in the sun on a tropical beach with one's eyes closed, letting the waves lull your ears and the breeze move over your body. I've recently been thinking that I need to approach the next Murakami (After Dark) with my critical/analytical brain turned all the way off--even the critical faculty that is simply looking for connections, etc.--and just approach it the way I used to approach books when I was a child. Thanks for your comment!
I love his approach to writing without a plan, you get to discover as you go. I also like your attitude to approaching a commercial novel with an open mind like you would with a literary classic. Entertaining fiction is hard! Great video, man.
I definitely see the appeal for the writer. Like Murakami said, it’s writing like you’re reading! Thanks for your comments. All my best!
I kind of get a sense that with the audience age for these meme writers there's sort of a progression of Salinger-teens>murakami/wallace-twenties> Pynchon/joyce-thirties. I like all of these authors, that's just a trend I've seen. I read all of murakami's books between 21 and 28 finishing the last ten or so of them this January.
I wouldn't call murakami one of the greatest, but he is one of my favorites just behind McCarthy, and in my experience he provides a great dreamlike reading experience that you get to chew on for a decently long while afterward. Reading him reminds me of pynchon in that way, where the book kind of washes over you and you wake up at the end of the experience like you'd wake up from a dream and you can't quite remember how all the pieces fit together but you can still feel it and it lingers with you for the whole day.
I love your channel and I am always happy to see people reviewing murakami. I have also enjoyed this review series, though I thought that comparing Mae kasahara to lolita did him dirty and so did comparing him to king, chriton, Patterson, brown, & co. There's regular buzz about a nobel award, and he's definitely an author of literary fiction rather than commercial fiction. Excepting that bias, these reviews are very well done.
I think it is safe though to conclude the experiment as your hypothesis is confirmed, and you do not appear to be enjoying yourself with murakami. I think that if you have not caught the bug by now after reading WUBC, NW (also as an aside I can't say I've ever heard about murakami fans disliking NW in on the subreddit, any articles, message boards, or Goodreads- it's a fine book), WSC, KOTS, and some of his other books, you are not likely to, and I suspect you would really dislike 1q84-there's where you'll find your appropriate Lolita comparison. if you were planning to continue the series anyway definitely reading underground as another commenter recommended, and maybe his short story collection called the elephant vanishes as well, before 1q84 is advised as underground will help inform the plot of 1q84 and TEV as a last ditch effort could bring you around on his brand of magical realism. You've done plenty of due diligence though and life is too short for all of that if you really aren't enjoying yourself. Thank you for all the work you do for us on your channel
Hey there! Thanks for your substantive comment! You’ve made great observations. Did I really compare him to Patterson?! That must’ve been an early video when I didn’t have much personal experience reading HM. That certainly isn’t fair. The more I’ve mulled over his work (that I’ve read), the more I realize he’s established his own brand. And I think the biggest appeal is in the mode of nonchalance his signature character maintains throughout all the raucous happenings all around d him. That aloofness id something I think we all secretly desire-a sort of stoicism. I think HM’s books work best when the reader adopts this same temperament. Just let me book wash over (as you said) and rock you. I plan to throw away my critical mind with the next book (After Dark) and just let it be what it is. Thanks again for such a great comment.
I admire Murakami's ambition to present complex themes in a simple manner. But after finishing this novel I can't help but feel that he was actually not able (or willing) to see these complex themes through to their completion, instead using this philosophy as a facade for ideas that weren't fully realized.
Who else loved Killing Commendtore though? It had uncomfortable moments but most of it was friggin’ amazing.
Glad to hear this! It won't be too much longer before I've read it myself.
You articulated my feeling on Murakami much better than I could have. I've tried several of his novels, with After Dark being my favorite, but in the end I always end up disappointed that so much of the plot is unresolved and the oddly placed transitions into the imaginary world are just hard for me to accept. After Killing Commendatore, which for the most part had a very interesting plot, I decided my Murakami trials were over.
Thanks for giving me some hope in After Dark (that one is next for me)! Incidentally, I don't seem to hear much (if anything) about that one in particular. But I'll be putting a good bit of time into other books before I dip back into Murakami's peculiar idiosyncrasies.
I love your videos. I read this book last year and was fairly underwhelmed by the scatterbrained nature of it-it felt unrealized. I am a 20 year old university student and several of my friends recommended it to me. Love your videos btw.
Much appreciated, Patches! You have so many great years of reading ahead of you!
I’ve gained a new appreciation for reading from your channel. Keep up the great work. I have also recommended it to my likeminded friends.
That is one of the highest compliments you could give me. My sincere thanks!
A little late to the game, but I got a TH-cam recommendation for your channel recently, probably because I've been a Better Than Food guy for a few years, and have been binge watching to catch up. Also, I was wading into The Recognitions and Miss Macintosh My Darling -- and enjoying both -- so it was good timing to be checking you out. I'm following you on Goodreads now, where I'm a pretty prolific reviewer. I read one Murakami -- South of the Border, West of the Sun -- and thought it was weak, but may give him another go. You've helped me rethink a lot of my preconceptions about difficult lit, and for that I thank you. Keep up the good work.
Welcome! Glad to have you here. Cliff had a great channel indeed.
The Recognitions is one of my favorite novels!
Miss Macintosh is mellowing in my shelves.
What’s your name on Goodreads?
All my best to you!
@@LeafbyLeaf I go by Evan Gilling over there, which is just a cheesy nom de plume to give me some privacy. Real name's Kevin. I tried to put the URL link to my Goodreads page into this response but got an error from TH-cam so maybe they don't want links in here. Just search my username on Google and you'll find me there easily. I'll probably finish Gaddis before Young because Young's verbiage is so ample and super-concentrated and you have to go real slow. I'm not finding Gaddis terribly difficult at all to read. Thanks for the response.
Just finished reading Kafka on the Shore , i watched your videos till the end, and i must say it was an unbiased and open review of the book. Which i like and then i subscribed. I also had this urge to make a flow chart or something of the two characters just to understand better, and i can see you also did the same. The book you were reading had a blue cover. And the book i am reading has black cover with cat and a person , i guess you missed it , a cat once tell Nakata that your shadow is weak/half. I have this feeling that what Nakata lacked like reading and writing was in the Kafka. Sort of Ying-Yang. But overall the novel was a little confusing. At the last chapter Kafka was happy and smiling , as if the journey has answered his quest , which i think you should look into , one quest he was into was how can his own mother abandon him. I don't know how but Kafka seems to have the answer to it at the end. Let me know what you feel. 😊 One coincidence between us is, i have ordered Kokoro while reading Kafka
Hey there! Thank you so much for affirming what I really strived to do here: "an unbiased and open review of the book." Of course, I don't think this is 100% possible and _shouldn't_ be totally possible because a disinterested reading of any book would simply be mining for information. Perhaps not even that. Anyway--thanks so much for your comment. To be honest, I barely remember this book now save for an anthropomorphic parallelism between Kafka and a painting. Perhaps one day I will return to it. Cheers!
Hey Chris, what about FRANZ Kafka? I would love to hear you talk about him. Not anything in particular, but his work in general. You ever get people asking you about him?
Oh, yes--now we're talkin! Strangely enough I don't get asked about ole Franz much. I recently read his collection of aphorisms and thought about doing a video on them. Of his novels I've read the Trial and The Castle; I've read all of his published short stories; and I've read at many points in life (beginning in grade school) The Metamorphosis (from which Philip Roth's great short novel The Breast takes many cues!). I am certain I will get Franz the air time he deserves at some point. Oh, and I've read the Max Brod biography.
Very surprised to hear you mention that you thought the story of the school children was unresolved. I thought that this was the only thread in the novel that was neatly tied up when, many years later, the school teacher confessed to the investigating officer that she had lied about the cause of the event. It seems that the glint in the sky was a convenient coincidence that allowed the schoolteacher to deflect attention away from her own embarrassment. The violent, shockingly out of character, behaviour of the school teacher was the trigger for the children's mass trance. The children all return to normality relatively quickly, aside from Nakata who slips into the 'other' world and stays there too long, leaving major parts of his personality and half of his shadow behind, when he returns.
Indeed, I get that there was a psychological resolution for the teacher in conjunction with the schoolyard incident. If I remember correctly, I think I meant I thought something on a larger scale was being developed. Perhaps something in tandem with possible American bioterrorism. But I get that that is not what Murakami intended. Perhaps I'll read this one again someday to see how it hits me without my pesky predispositions! Thanks so much for your comment.
@@LeafbyLeaf Thank you so much for your reply. I have just completed my third read through of Kafka on the Shore. The book perplexed me so much on my first reading that I returned to it a few years later and got a lot more from the experience. Sure enough, I enjoyed it even more on this third visit. The reason that I brought up the incident with the children is precisely because I had thought it was an interesting development that went nowhere when I first read the book, but was surprised to find that section of the story neatly brought to a conclusion on my recent read through. I had absolutely no recollection of reading the teacher's letter of confession previously. :)
I have a strange relationship to Murakami’s work. Much as I am frustrated and even irritated by aspects of his writing I almost always enjoy the experience and have found that repeated reading greatly enhances that enjoyment. Is this how addictions start? :)
Thank you for all of your work on this channel.
I read somewhere that it was because miss saeki opened the entrance and as seen something odd always happens when the door is opened in this case kids collapsed and as for Nakata his soul entered the other world from where it never returned and his body was left hollow ever since but with the ability to talk to cats just like miss saeki her soul as 15 year old was left inside the magical world which never returned as a punishment and thats why she says that she's lived her whole life like she never actually did and was just stuck at a place!. I hope it helps and don't confuse more. Also i haven't watched the video yet was jst looking thro comments 😅
For a second there, I thought you meant the British kitchen sink realism from the 50s.
It is certainly a skill for great authors to tackle when trying to map out big ideas. In KOTS it sounds like Murakami is going the easy way out with cheap plot conveniences, instead of trying to express them in a coherent manner that ties back into the leitmotifs. Whereas from Calvino's Invisible Cities, he is able to squeeze an array of dazzling artistry with astounding imagination in just a few pages that leave me in awe and keep coming back to.
I'm quite new to Japanese literature so I'll take your recommendation of Soseki who sounds more interesting.
Hope you are enjoying your day with that fresh haircut!
Whoa--I'd never heard of this movement! But I should've known the name was already taken. Nothing new under the sun.
I highly recommend going with Soseki, Mishima, et al. for Japanese literature.
Re: haircut: Thanks!
Nice review, just one correction-he pulls from Plato, not Aristophanes. Aristophanes’ speech is from him as a character in Plato’s Symposium.
As a separate concern, I thought that tale of joined humans who once split desperately sought after their other halves was just as important to the plot as the Oedipus tale. The former was definitely a lot more subtle, but when you examine how the book treats incompleteness, both on the personal and relational level, there are a lot of connections you can make with the story in mind.
Interesting hearing your take. I quite loved this book when I read it. Granted, I read it almost 6 years ago, so I might react to it differently now, but I remember finding it fascinating the blend of De Palma's psychosexuality and Lynch's ominous dreamscapes, while I quite related to the main character, since, having ocd, I could see his fears of manifesting his inner world into reality something I struggle with (I say this even tho the condition is not mentioned in the book, but it was just too close to home not to miss the reference - I hope it was originally intended). And what else, I loved the Nakata sections, I loved how compact this book was. To me it's really a gem, and one of my favourite books.
Thanks for sharing your take--fascinating to think of the link with OCD. Also: De Palma and Lynch really got my attention!
Great video and nice shirt! I completely agree with you on the over explaining, it took away some fun for me made those sentences tedious. Looking forward to your video on 1Q84; I’ve never been so at a loss to understand a book’s acclaim and it’s 1200 pages.
Thanks so much! It will be very interesting to see how HM fills the space of 1,200 pages for sure. I'll go into it with an open mind!
Cool challenge, Chris! I've only just seen you've done this, big dedication right there. I've never read Murakami, but this review makes me feel I'll try his smaller novels first (any recommendations other than Norwegian Wood?). This 'kitchen sink' novel style you describe sounds like I'd get bothered with it continually moving on. I like books that almost do the opposite!
HM's books are foremost for entertainment. Not that there's anything necessarily wrong with that, but it moves very quickly, does not linger on any one thing, and continually ratchets up mystery and weirdness without promise of a commensurately satisfying payoff. The main draw to his books, I believe, is that it's just sort of...different. Uncanny. Unfortunately, the only other of his shorter books I can recommend is Sputnik Sweetheart, but it really only gets its power from having read its predecessor, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.
@@LeafbyLeaf Thanks, looks like I'll go for the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle then! I feel like it's going to be hit-or-miss for me...
It wasn’t too bad. I read it during the first month of lockdown last year and had a good time.
I'd reccomend reading Murakami's Underground, it's enlightening in understanding HOW his absence and 'vacuous' nature in writing is very serious and powerful b/c it will show you how it contributes to his philosophy. Speaking from a literary analytic and not critic POV, that book has enhanced my reading experience with Murakami.
Hey--thanks so much for this! To confirm, you are talking about "Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche," yes? I really appreciate this recommendation, and I will read it before continuing with my HM journey.
On the subject of constraints: a video on Calvino or/and Perec somewhere down the road?
Yes, definitely need some Oulipo representation on the channel!
@@LeafbyLeaf There's no avoiding it.
Totally.
Nice video content. A joy to watch as always but I can't agree with your overall judgment. I don't know if it is a disconnect between Western and Eastern culture, but how can we say that the book is just a sweet mixture (kitchen sink??) of genre fiction? Like I can feel the connection between every part of the work though may be harder to describe it in a diagram. There is a reason that Murakami's works are acclaimed in most literature circles and there is a respectable number of people considering him the greatest living author. He might not be top of my list, but who else can build such complex literature art based on simple, accessible and yet sweet writing?
Thanks so much! I always appreciate constructive disagreement. Reading HM's work and weighing it against the undeniable number of admirers has been very instructive for me, in many ways. Indeed, he has established a name/brand/formula/style that keeps people coming back for more and more. One of the greatest comments I've heard from an admirer is that the reader gets to live vicariously through the signature Murakami protagonist and see what it would be like to stay cool and even and Stoic throughout a barrage of fantasy, good and bad, intruding on an otherwise mundane life. This is an offering with virtually universal appeal. Taking this in mind, I'm going to change my approach/mindset for further HM novels: I will just abandon myself to the ride and stay as cool and openminded as the protagonist, let HM take me where he will without any expectations or promise of anything. That said, I can't subscribe to the thinking that what's popular, i.e. acclaimed by the many, is truly of worth. In terms of art, especially, this is almost never true. Nonetheless, I look forward to the next novel (after I put some proper buffer time in). Thanks again so much for your insight!
Kitchen Sink is also a description of British social realism! Got confused for a second there haha.
Ahhh, I should’ve known the term was already in use!
I’ve read all of Murakami’s fiction and during my early 20’s. Incidentally I think that Kafka on the Shore is his masterpiece. Wind up bird.. is close but I think the bit in the well ruins the pace of the novel. Killing Commendatore isn’t that bad, I was more disappointed with 1Q84 which is Murakami on autopilot. I really enjoyed listening to your review which does a fair job on the book’s faults and potential plus points
Glad to hear an argument in favor of Commendatore; but I continue to hear only poor reception of the even longer book. Thanks so much for sticking the video out and for your kind words.
All my best!
@@LeafbyLeaf I like most of Haruki Murakami's work. I just finished Killing Commendatore, enjoying it on the overall. It's utterly compelling at times, boorish and infantile at others. The protagonist has a few bizarre fixations, but is otherwise interesting. Some of the plot wavers toward the middle, but it really picks up when Murakami lets the characters breathe and develop. There's a weird thing that happens in this story similar to a plot point from another Murakami novel (I won't spoil it, but you'll know it when you get there).
After you read some Yukio Mishima, I recommend checking out Christian Kracht's THE DEAD
This looks interesting! Thanks!
I recently got a donated book donated by my sister. Kafka's Metamorphosis. I've already started it, but I don't know what to expect. Is it good?
Kafka is essential. No question.
@@LeafbyLeaf Update. I finished Metamorphosis. The experience? Uncanny, unnerving and inspiring.
Great first adjective. The Metamorphosis is the epitome of Freud’s conception of the Uncanny.
@@LeafbyLeaf I realized after watching a few analyses videos and after reading the book, that to understand Kafka's literature, you have to first understand his life. It's like Mahler.
There is this idea in like Jung's books i guess or even in this book, that does the idea come to author or the author goes to idea. So this book is like that, like it even points to that with that dream line remember...then again refers to it oshima saying to kafka that Miss Saike (i might miss her name im sorry for that) writing those lines from dreams and he is like why does it matter if it comes from conscious thought or not. I think thats what this vagueness allows us, like it allows us to fill in the blanks ourselves and though some might get offended by it. But its unique in a way. Isn't it like life, like when you are living it, you can't really judge your actions in the moment, even after you have seen repercussion to your actions, in the big picture you might not see the meaning from one cause to another. We live life like that right, from one event to another, not essentially getting the meaning behind it all. And who's to say you get the meaning in the end. Like death could be so sudden or so slow but not everyone will understand meaning behind it all. I think Murakami intentionally or unintentionally alludes to that.
Hey man, good review. I am a big Murakami fan however I didn't enjoy Kafka on the Shore that much. I much preferred Norwegian Wood, Dance Dance and Afterdark. I am currently reading Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. It's quite good actually. In your opinion is hard-boiled written better than Kafka on the Shore? do you enjoy the magical realism aspects as well?? thanks I hope to hear back from you. Really enjoy the vids.
Thanks! I really liked Norwegian Wood. I’d like more of his writing in that vein. To be honest I cannot remember Hardboiled. Magical realism I enjoy, but usually from Latin American authors more than others. You’ve given me hope on After Dark, which will be my next HM!
@@LeafbyLeaf yes good luck with after dark. It has some strange elements to it but It’s a short read and definitely an enjoyable one. Yes you might not remember but I quite enjoyed your review on Hard Boiled wonderland .
Ahhhhhh, OK!
I've never read any Murakami yet but a lot of your descriptions in this video reminded me of Antkind by Charlie Kaufman, have you ever heard of it?
Oh, yes. Ever since the book came out it has been pushed in my face. For whatever reasons, when this happens (when something is pushed on me relentlessly) I tend to shy away and wait for the buzz to die down. Then I'll be in a better frame of mind to actually read it. Which I will do. At some point.
@@LeafbyLeaf for sure, it'll still be there whenever you get around to it. I didn't rate it that highly at first but I haven't been able to get it out of my head since I read it, so I'd be interested to know what someone so well read thinks of it. Anyways appreciate the response!
As with most books, I’ve heard mixed things. But I’m definitely going to get around to it eventually!
I would definitely recommend Murakami to people who are beginning their litt journey
Taking age and taste into consideration, definitely. Like I've said here and there about HM, I wish I'd found his work earlier.
@@LeafbyLeaf I'm 31 and just finished reading my first Murakami two days ago. I've never been much of a reader, let alone novels. And I absolutely loved Kafka on the Shore. Would love some recommendation to start my novel reading journey. I read The Alchemist was one of the first novels I read in my late teens and remember how it impacted me positively. I plan on reading it again :)
I didn't know you had imposed this challenge upon yourself. Damn this is so cool. I read this book back during junior year in highschool. This is such a trip. The thing with murakami is that I didn't get him. He kinda seemed like he read The Catcher in the Rye and a bunch of High School reads popular in the US. So it was really easy to appreciate and feel rewarded for knowing the things he is references. The word play was fun too. But then he calls you dumb and illiterate D:
I feel like I get the appeal of people wanting to be step on my others. Tho it isn't my pick. I don't enjoy Chef Ramsay putting me between two slice of bread and calling me an idiot sandwich. Kafka on the shore lead me to Gabriel Garcia Marquez though, which is one of (if not) my favorite writer and to Natsume soseki's Kokoro which from the moment I finished reading and to this day I find to be the best novel I could have ever read. And the one I least would have wanted to ever read.
"Kitchen sink novel" dude,I love this terms you come up with
Love your comments, Jose! One thing that I think is key is where you say that Murakami led you to GGM and Natsume. As with Stephen King and other commercial writers, they can be great gateways! SK once said that if he came to your house he had better not find one of his novels on your bedside!
@@LeafbyLeaf I feel that. SK is good but I don't want to talk to other ppl about him.
I think you’ve hit on an excellent point right there! Some authors’ books are good for reading but not necessarily for deep discussion.
Great review and that intro was hilarious 😆 .
This is the only book of Murakami
Which i have read (Left Norwegian Wood halfway) and I remember nothing from the book, absolutely nothing. And that rarely happens.
Finally! Someone acknowledged my intro! :)
@@LeafbyLeaf Made my day 😁
Glad to be of service!
Best and most informative review on the book I've seen.
For me, the lack of constraints and clear connections made me really think about the story and its various possible meanings and interpretations. I really liked that. However, I did feel it to be a bit messy and I did not care for the incest tension and the all-too detailed nakata story.
Do you have some reccomendations on books that are similar, but with a bit more "structure" or "constraints"?
Thanks so much!
I don’t read a lot of stuff that I would say is like this one. But, just riffing here, I would say to check out Blake Crouch’s DARK MATTER, Bioy Casares’s INVENTION OF MOREL, and David Mitchell’s CLOUD ATLAS.
i prefer the nakata version but maybe its because i am reading the original in japanese and i did find there are parts that could be very difficult to translate
I wish I could read the original language!
When’s the 1Q84 review???
Let's see--I think there are 2 small books in between _Kafka_ and _1Q84_ , so I've gotta get to those first to stick to my rule. :)
A very deep, fair treatment, it seems to me.
I appreciate the affirmation!
I’ve always said that Murikami’s writing style is essentially ending a book with:
The end . . . . . . ?
I can’t stand it haha. Just read some Carver!!!!
I love that! Honestly, what a great summation of the feeling of "finishing" a Murakami book.
Wow, I see that this video is from April 2021. Has it really been that long since I've read HM?
I think the next-up one is _After Dark_ .
I do love Carver!
Great video addressed everything I've disliked about Murakami. Makes me feel like alright I'm willing to look past his flaws to try to enjoy myself with his book. What you were saying about running their fingers on the book's spines reminds me of something I saw in a Bolaño interview that's been recently uploaded where he talks about how he bought books like trading cards, even books hes sure he'll never read.
Haha--gotta love Bolaño! I remember reading him talk about how the best books were the ones he stole.
Within constraints, there is freedom. This reminded me of one of Chesterton's parables. One can play more safely and stress-free around a cliff-when there is a wall around it. When there are restrictions, there is still an identifiable pattern that can soothe the mind. Dadaism, for example, is good for me, but due to the lack of restrictions, it is disorienting and offers me no grounding base. So, I can only take it in small doses. Oh, and I hope you found the cat!
I like that--thanks for enhancing the idea!
As for the cat, well, the search terminates inconclusively. :)
There is a recurring trope that I found in the books I read when I was a child and teenager: What you are looking for (the blue bird), but in this case, a cat, is always closer than you think. Now, I'm in trouble; I accidentally imagined the cat finding the bird. That's when I call the aviator to draw me a box for the bird. Now, that thought reminded me of Kafka when he wrote: "I am a cage, in search of a bird." Which, in turn, reminds me of Chesterton: “Every act of will is an act of self-limitation. To desire action is to desire limitation. Art is a limitation; the essence of every picture is the frame.”
You know-I love to watch the way your mind works!
you have a few books in that shelf
I love them all.
For me, most fiction stories (whether a book or movie) are entirely predictable. And even if the ending isn't clear while I am at the beginning of the story, as the story progresses what follows next flows is unsurprising or seemless. For a long time it turned me off from reading fiction entirely. But this novel, changed that for me because I love the discontinued fragmented sections. I finished the book, I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I couldn't stop reading it and enjoyed each page. It was refreshing.
You bring up a great point here. I'm finding that Murakami's books are like genre fiction, but devoid of the pat conventions of any one genre (action, mystery, etc.). Thus the stories read like genre fiction but then flout "fair play" devices. So, for the reader of a HM book, the best results will come from turning the critical mind off (or at least tamping it down). In other words, just enjoy the journey as haphazardly as the trademark Murakami protagonist. This I plan to do with my next HM novel, After Dark. Thanks for your input!
This was the first of Murakami's works I read. Also the first book I finished it in a single sitting(proud of that). Initially there were some parts I did not understand and also some parts that I found very weird. But overall the experience was one of the most unique. Undoubtedly Murakami's magnum opus.
A single sitting--wow! That sounds like my experience with the first few volumes of Karl Ove's My Struggle. I've had very, very few single-sitting experiences (unless they are novellas). Glad to hear you enjoyed it. It seems like people are divided between KOTS and TWUBC as to which is his magnum opus. And longtime fans seem just about equally agreed that Killing Commendatore was a dud.
I read it in 6 months..bas decision..3..4 pages a day during lunch break 💔
Bad decision? How do? (I’m interested.)
Excellent acting at the start.
I’m hoping a Hollywood agent will get in touch.
yeah you did a great analysis/ review. Like some people here I read quite a lot of his works during my early 20s and didn't enjoy them when i grew older. When I read the first page of Kafka (in mid 2000s) i immediately had a feeling of reluctance :) The last Murakami's novel i read was Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki but i was quite surprised by it. He can actually write a "realism" novel and he did it fairly well.
That’s how I felt about Norwegian Wood-I wanted him to do more in that vein. Thank you for giving me some to look forward to (have t read Colorless yet)!
@@LeafbyLeaf oh wow it has been two decades since i read Norwegian Wood; may be i should reread it this summer:)
😁
@@LeafbyLeaf I picked up his latest release- First Person Singular - from the local library a few days ago. To my surprise, it epitomizes both his realism and "automatic" strengths quite effortlessly and beautifully while avoiding common flaws that appeared in his previous novels. I feel , as a novelist, he's finally managed to articulate what concerns him: frustration during one's youth, unrequited love, reconciliation with emotional loss, and his own attitude towards writing...
I was actually planning to borrow Men Without Women (due to the success of the recent movie adaptation Drive My Car ) but I was only able to find FPS. And this unexpected, random encounter led to a significant discovery. A typical Murakami's scenario as well LOL
Thanks Chris. I’ve only read 1Q84, then tried a few others by him but quickly lost interest. Spot on you are. Q. Have you read any Ishiguro? I ask because I feel like he’s always been (unfairly) in Murakami’s shadow a bit. Remains of the Day is one of my very favorites. To me, he has the good parts of H.M but is WAY more engaging, insightful..etc
Cheers
Thanks, MMM! I've been wanting to read Ishiguro for a while now. I have a nice hardcover of Remains of the Day, so that will be my first. I suppose at this point commercial success in the West has seen to it that Murakami looms large over anything Japanese.
I loved the film Odishon . Ryu Murakami is the man for me .Piercing ,In The Miso Soup ,Coin Locker Babies . Potent ,strong, edgy stuff not easily forgotten . I've got 3 Haruki's so we'll see when I lovingly crack their spines .
U sound a bit like a mathematician trying to explain David Bowie :D
Don't get me wrong, I realy liked your perspective.
Hahaha! Great analogy! Admittedly, I see that some of the pleasure of Murakami books is found when turning the critical faculties OFF.
I know its longer than his others by a lot, but I think you’d like 1Q84 better. It reads pretty fast, and that extra room lets him do his thing a little more successfully I think.
You’re the first person to give me hope on that one-thanks!
1Q84 was the first one of his I read, I really liked it, actually much more than his others. I usually find it hard to read bigger novels but 1Q84 really kept me intrigued all the way through. I did take breaks in between each section though to read some quick pulpy stuff like P.K.D and Inherent Vice
That’s good news! I think I have After Dark and then 1Q84.
Great review!
Thanks!
was just about to read this! had a debate whether to start this or with Lolita instead
Lolita is, of course, better literature than this one, but it depends on the experience you want. Do you want a book that will stimulate and entertain without drawing attention the way it does so (sentences, words, aesthetics)? Or do you want to actively engage in and grapple with one of the great books? Nothing wrong with either motive, in my opinion.
@@LeafbyLeaf Ive always been eager to learn how to criticize literature so that I can know for myself what makes something as “better literature” than the other. Ive been heavily influenced by a sentence of Harold Bloom in his preface on How to Read a Book wherein he stated “We eventually have to read against the clock” and ever since Ive always been biased towards choosing to read the classics over more contemporary novels that havent been baptized by time. Theres people on youtube like Better than foods who seem to have found their own taste for literature and somehow choose novels that are both contemporary yet also rich in “value”. I guess im fussing over my tastes and whether im well equipped to judge whats personally good for me. Just a ramble thanks for the review! :D
The more I engage in the attempt to criticize literature, the more I realize how fraught with contradiction and ambiguity it becomes. I, too, was struck by that quote of Bloom's (among many, many others of his). At some point we come to grips with the realization that there are more books to read than there is life in which to read them. So we have to become selective, prioritizing some books over others. Cliff has definitely found his own niche--darker, more nihilistic short works usually to do with unmitigated passion, sex, death, etc.--but he, too, takes time to engage with the classics (note his recent videos on Dante's Inferno and Woolf's To the Lighthouse. In the end, it is your life and my advice is to read as widely as possible to discover what speaks to you most. Then, drill into that while taking time once in a while to step outside those boundaries.
You’re a really cool dude for doing this series. Haruki Murakami is absolutely “easy-to-read” surrealist/magical realist fiction that’s just a really nice and unique reading experience. His writing style is intentionally “easy going” but then there are all these other weird things going on in his books and you DON’T have to think too deeply about “what they mean”; and if you’re at YOUR reading level (a bit higher than mine-I only have a BA in English (rhetoric) and follow you on GoodReads), or MY level, then you don’t have to stress out about missing things, you don’t have to go back and reread passages. No, you just sit there and enjoy the reading experience. Murakami for me is more than a lengthy light snack-it is an exercise in being confronted with absurd, other-worldly, thought provoking things while reading and for me that keeps the gears in my head properly greased before taking on a very serious work like, eh, the Pynchon I haven’t read yet. Perhaps this could be said about someone like Stephen King, but the difference is Murakami is an artistic writer and does not rely on spewed ghost and killer clown cheapness in his literary world.
Hey there! (This is James, right?) It's been a while since you've stopped by!
I really like your input here, especially: "Murakami for me is more than a lengthy light snack-it is an exercise in being confronted with absurd, other-worldly, thought provoking things while reading and for me that keeps the gears in my head properly greased before taking on a very serious work like, eh, the Pynchon I haven’t read yet." Like someone else indicated (see my exchange with Jose here in the comments)--HM can be a great "gateway novel."
Great to hear from you.
@@LeafbyLeaf Spot on. A gateway for less experienced readers or cardio day for others. I would definitely recommend Pynchon to someone who likes Murakami. Either V., Mason and Dixon or the Crying of Lot 49. Anyway, thanks again for doing these vids.
It's pronounced SA-EH-KEE さえき. Whereas Psyche is likely サイキ SAI-KEE. But still, I like the theory
Thanks so much!
Ouch! Well, as much as I share your love of House of Leaves, I must respectfully dissent when it comes to Marukami. I love Marukami! Though I haven't read this one yet. Brace yourself for 1Q84 ... that book for sure over-explains things a bit too much (even though I still love it).
I hope I wasn’t cruel here! And to be honest I didn’t hate the book. It was entertaining and gave me some bread to eat for a time. I’ve had many people cautioning me about 1Q84! I’ll have to put some space in between HM books for that one (I put a year between the last one I read and this one). Thanks for commenting!
@@LeafbyLeaf No not at all, and I hope I haven't been too cruel either. Will def look out for more recommendations from you in the magical realism / philosophical and weird lit genre at large!
The sentiments are mutual! It’s great to “meet” you!
@@LeafbyLeaf Cool! We traded a few House of Leaves messages a few months back too, which is when I found your channel. Since then you've even made me think about reading Proust, lol. Oh, which brings up another 1Q84 warning ... Murakami kinda takes the piss out of Proust in a few scenes, though in good humor.
Ah! I thought your name seemed familiar. My apologies.
Well, you’ve given me something to look forward to there!
I’ve often wondered why invest my time/ money in his books; I don’t credit him with the high literary value others do; more than entertain, what his reading does is intrigue me, immerse in an atmosphere I accept and don’t try to understand...I guess
I thought it might be because I’ve read too little, maybe, as you said, it’s the opposite and I’ve read too much in another direction.
I wish I understood that when I was reading 18Q4, I might have been more forgiving and then be able to enjoy his other novels for what they are.
These are great points!
I read this book a few months ago and absolutely adored it, although I did find a few of the Nakata chapters dragging. I think that its a piece that needs to be reread to understand the links between the two stories and two worlds that often merge and blend better. Rereading would probably clarify alot of the metaphors hidden and reveal alot more detail, this review is certainly nudging me to dig into this book again! How does this book fare in terms of Murakamis bibliography in your opinion? Great review overall though, glad to finally hear some non-typical 'blurb praise' and respectful criticism of something most people adore
I appreciate your generous feedback. I agree, in all cases, that subsequent readings tend to yield more fruit. Perhaps one day I will revisit this one--would be interesting to compare my two experiences.
David Peace's Japanese novel, I think his first, touches on biological warfare secrets
Thanks for the recommendation, Rick!
I've only read The Wind up Bird Chronicle and IQ84..
Nice! What did you think of them?
Once upon a time, Murikami was a draw. Read Norwegian Wood and it gave me a couple of poems I love. Doesn’t happen often with a novel for me. However, I feel a cooling here with the recent Luke warm or even negative reviews. Maybe, I say. So much else to read first. I am only 15 and all. 😝
Indeed, young Steve (lol)--so many books, so little time.
Thoughts on Takashi Miike's Audition (way more ambiguous than the novel its based on)
And have you ever scene his film Ichi The Killer? Its the most bizarre j horror I've seen(if thats what it is?) Worth the watch for the music, and the main antagonist Kakihara is the most underrated fashion icon in Cinema lol
In fact, yes, I have seen Audition, and I really liked it a lot. I had it in mind when I made comments about J horror in the video. And, yes, I also saw Miike's Ichi the Killer AFTER seeing Audition. So my expectations were aligned with Audition and Ichi was just too gonzo for me. HAHA!
Gozu is the one
Bird people of china and visitor q are absolutely the most weird but awesome movies of his that I've seen
Dumbing the novel may work for me
I don't read much and what ever you read intermediates me 😅so i think this book will be perfect for me.
I have no experience with the Magical Realism genre so i put this book of for like a 2 year
Now i may read it.
You’re ascribing me too much credit and denying yourself enough!
You don’t need any “experience” to go ahead and read this one.
Just jump in and enjoy the ride!
I really did not enjoy this book….kitchen sink - but not in a good way! You can’t have bad writing and put a bow on it with “oh, that’s the point”… This is a great, comprehensive review. Thank you!
Great analysis - fair rather than hyperbolic. I have a love-hate relationship with Murakami's writing, leaning closer to the latter these days (coincidentally, since I broadened my own reading). I read and loved his stuff when I was in my mid to late teens. It was easy to read, quick, felt mature and cool, especially the surreal elements. He still scratches an itch and I think this is simply that his prose, protagonists and world seem to reflect the feeling of emptiness in a consumerist driven society. It captures that aimless youthful feeling in a way that I don't see anywhere else, mostly I think because the prose itself reflects that disinterested aimlessness - not overly dramatic etc. Even so, I don't think this is intentional on Murakami's part. But all that being said, there seems to be little below this surface level. I ditched 1Q84 because I had full confidence that Murakami lacked the ability to deal with the topics he raised. He is no Faulkner, no Conrad. He deals in platitudes and products. You are spot on in needing to turn off the analytic mind when reading, but this becomes difficult to sustain with the longer novels. Killing Commandatore seemed to hit me in the way his novels used to do when I was younger, but the middle really let it down. Anyway I'll sum up with - great review and subscribed!
Haruki is great but Ryu Murakami (no relation) is a whole different ride.
That's what I've been hearing. I read the first paragraph of Coin Locker Babies, which left me in a ghastly state!
The Seven Dreams series is top notch!
I think I’m going to read Coin Locker-I just didn’t expect that. Haha
Sorry but is Murakami really an 'all of' writer?
My qualification would be that, in this book he attempts to be. :)
I think all of Phillip Dick would be more exciting. Honestly in the middle of my 3rd Harukami I felt like I was in one long neverending book and bailed. The vibe is good but I don't read for vibe, I read to be challenged and inspired. Just sayin...De gustibus non est disputandum.
Life’s too short to read books you don’t like. Carpe (the next) librum!
Out of the ten Murakami I have read, Kafka was easily his worst, most meandering work. However, it fits nicely with the rest, the majority of which are proudly mediocre. His best book is ironically his running memoir.
You know--I've heard from quite a few people that his running memoir is terrific. I do think I'll check that out. Thanks!
@@LeafbyLeaf HM stealing from Carver-"What I Talk About When I Talk About Running". It's a good read. I think he shines more in shorter forms; I've stopped reading his novels. Something you might get a kick out of is HM's bagatelle, The Strange Library; it's a good story in a beautifully-produced book-object designed by Chip Kidd.
Thanks!
Jajajaja I think your face in the thumbnail says it all. Couldn't finish it, found it waaaaay too meandering
Couldn't finish the book...or my meandering video? :-P
@@LeafbyLeaf jajajajaja the book, the book!
😜
YOUR HAIR. That’s all I wanted to say.
😜 (Wait-is that a good thing?)
Your video is fascinating as it's visually jerky as if you had to edit out every few moments. It would be fun to see the unedited version without all the jerky chops. Are all your videos about Murakami this visually jerky? Fascinating.
Thanks! Most of my videos are like that to a degree. What I'm editing out is dead space (collecting my thoughts); the bounty of "Ummms" and "Uhhhs" that I can't seem to stop doing; taking sips of water; etc. Don't think many people would want that, plus trimming it all out helps cut down on the overall time of the video. If you go back to my earliest videos, they are pretty raw.
Thanks for this. I think Kafka on the Shore is the most overrated novel I have read, ever. I had high expectations after Norwegian Wood, but this is such a huge disappointment.
The worst thing about Murakami is that the writing is so painfully awful, childish and filled with cliches.
There was an article in the Guardian recently that had Kafka as Murakami's masterpiece. I simply cannot understand the attraction. But I like what you said, that if I had read it as a teenager, I might have loved it.
As a more experienced reader, all of the faults are shockingly glaring.
Can't help feel you went in with a pre- determined dislike
Totally fair to say. I actually remember going into this one pretty enthusiastically and optimistic: many people had told me that this one was _the_ standout Murakami. And I do recall being taken by it for the first fourth or so. There was so much promise and evocation and then... I don't know. For me, the ones that linger in my mind are _Norwegian Wood_ (which I really like), _South of the Border, West of the Sun_ (which has grown in my mind), and _Sputnik Sweetheart_ (which I think showed Murakami taking new routes that I which he'd press into more often). It's a funny thing with Murakami. Having now read his recent non-fiction release where he talks about his writing process, the meandering and "trying out" feel of his work is by design. So, at first, I want to recoil. But, there's a strange thing happening in all this time since finishing _Kafka on the Shore_ : I find myself drawn to Murakami's aimless, laissez-faire style. I find myself wanting to revisit some of these books. And I'm finding myself looking forward to moving onto the next novel. Murakami has established a name (and, arguably, a brand) for himself by _not_ crafting--his novels are anti-crafted novels. And, contrary to my usual inclination, there's something about it all that sort of...sticks.
@@LeafbyLeaf thank you for sharing your revelation! The laissez-faire style is something I do enjoy myself in sips and pours. I enjoy the art of stream of conscience. I believe Murakami has the ability to apply a thread of that but with his characters and himself. He weaves together this unique yet universally familiar tapestry. His style is like church - it's not for everybody but it's everyone.
I don’t know if you have read Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov but its has similar themes to Kafka on the Shore and is absolute brilliant. Most notable is a talking black cat, multiple storylines and magical realism.They are very different books but I personally enjoyed Master and Margarita more than Kafka. ☺️
Master and Margarita is on my "books I'm embarrassed I Haven't Read Yet" list. But you've piqued my interest!
To be honest, I did not think I would watch the whole video. I have often thought of Haruki Murakami as the worst writer some people with decent taste (such as Patti Smith) like. I tried to read something from him many years ago, still in my twenties, and found it both bland and pretentious; insufferable overall. Your analysis proved very useful in understanding why he is so popular: the appearance of complex ideas written in plain (to not write “bland” again) language, among others. Murakami is extremely popular in Spanish as well, and I cannot help knowing about some of the things he says about his own work. He strikes me as deluded and conceited, the kind of mediocre writer who disguises his limitations as intentions. I have always hated this book (without having read it) because of its deceitful use of a sacred writer’s name on the title, but now you give educated reasons for not reading it (not that I was considering it).
What I really want to say with all this diatribe, is that I really appreciate your efforts and your analysis. Your love for critical reading is inspiring.
This is delightfully savage: " the kind of mediocre writer who disguises his limitations as intentions" :)
In any case, I'm glad you got something out of the video. This has pushed me to think as a reader in a different direction.
@@LeafbyLeaf "delightful savage" sounds rather euphemistic. To me it sounds just disrespectful and arrogant and reminds me of all those self declared experts on Mt Stupid in Kruger-Dunning land begging for attention. To 'hate' a book because of its title is just ridiculous.
Are you going through a mid-life crisis?
I hope I'm not at the midway point (though I am at the age of Dante's pilgrim when he found himself in the dark wood). But--yes, perhaps.
@@LeafbyLeaf don't worry. Everything will get fine if you work smart enough.
@@LeafbyLeaf I had my first crisis when I was 7. It was about how do I move my body, I knew I can move it but not the process happened.
Your experience wisdom comfort me.
@@LeafbyLeaf glad I could help
To be honest naming characters Johnny Walker and Colonel Sanders pulls me out of the book more than anything. I like my surrealism to be striking and really far out and this just feels random and so much of the novel is also so random. I never really feel the sense of another world happening alongside us. Something didn't feel right about it and it was kind of a drag to get through.
He's kind of a Japanese Stephen King but I did love Norwegian Wood at least.
I agree about the Japanese Stephen King, to a degree. There have been many times I've thought of SK and Richard Laymon while reading Murakami. And it's ironic, too, because he takes a swipe at SK in this book, disdaining him as schlock. Still, you gotta admire the fact that HM, like SK, does him thing. He never has or will change what he does.
@@LeafbyLeaf hes also easy to read which is great when you need it.
Well put!
Haruki Murakami is not a truly serious writer, you always feel like he can do more, that he could write better. His books are inventive and fantastic and his characters have a special flair to them but sometimes his writing is lazy, sexist, and for some reason very violent and gory? What's up with that? It's adds nothing and it is not pleasant to read in any way.
Well, it's unfortunate but entertainment culture shows that the masses will spend $ for sex and violence. Look at the success of Gone Girl (book and movie) as a prime example. I have been reading lately about all the sexist accusations against Murakami. From my own experience, I'm not surprised. A lot of his female characters are pure adolescent male fantasy. Still, where to draw the line between artifice (someone's artistic product) and intention (the artist behind the work trying to push an ideology)?
Murakami is a sad effect of postmodernism in which, after the shocking reevaluations of what art can be by people such as Pollock, there's artists claiming "they aim at simplicity". It's not like he's written Ulysses or Gravity's Rainbow and now tries a minimalistic style. And by the same token he's not writing Infinite Jest which, despite being 'elegant' and not too elitist, preserves that complexity of thought. When someone proclaims a virtue of less, be wary of a possible inability for more.