Monday 29 August 2011

Norweigan Wood - Haruki Murakami

"Once upon a time, you dragged a part of me into the world of the dead, and now Naoko has dragged another part of me into that world. Sometimes I feel like a caretaker in a museum - a huge, empty museum where no one ever comes, and I am watching over it for no one but myself." p364


Haruki Murukami's (or Murakami, I've seen it spelt both ways and not sure which is correct) novel Norwegian Wood,  a story of love and longing and loss is written with his usual beautiful use of prose. I love his honesty and use of symbols, it never ceases to amaze me how he seems to get into other peoples' heads with such insight or how he describes the minutiae of  life so eloquently.  I"m spoilt for choice when it comes to quotes...I hope you'll indulge me.

"I took my bottled firefly to the roof.  No one else was up there.  A white vest hung on a clothesline that someone had forgotten to take in, waving in the evening breeze like the discarded shell of some huge insect." p58

'"How much do you love me?" Midori asked.
'Enough to melt all the tigers in the world to butter." I said.
"Far out," she said with a hint of satisfaction. "Will you hold me again?"
We got into her bed and held each other, kissing as the sound of the rain filled our ears. Then we talked about everything from the formation of the universe to our preferences in the hardness of boiled eggs." 'p349

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6 comments:

  1. Sounds like a good one Deb. I've never read any Murumaki so I'll put it on my list. I'm reading Evelyn Waugh's 'Scoop' but to be honest it's a bit dated and colonial empire-y for me.

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  2. I've not read anything by Waugh but I'm sure that Murukami mentioned one of his works and made me think maybe I should...he makes lots of references to European literature and I only have to see the name of something I haven't read to want to know what it's about! I'm so noisy! He also references a lot 20th century American authors too...which are probably amongst some of my favourite writers.

    I really enjoyed this so much more than The Wind Up Bird Chronicle and even though i'm reading The Poisenwood Bible I found myself reading a copy of The Elephant Vanishes last night. Sometimes he is a little bit explicit in a naughty way but I just ignore those bits, I love all the little things he notices...and how he seems to understand women.

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  3. So noisy!! that should be nosey....

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  4. You can be noisy too if you want! I do like the way Waugh writes so I think I'll try one of his other titles some time and I will get around to Muramaki too...

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  5. Oh yes, I love Murukami's writing ... his books always get me thinking. I'm currently reading one of Kate Morton's books and I'm really enjoying it.
    xx

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  6. I'm hooked at the moment....

    I haven't heard of Kate Morton before Tracey...I'll have to look her up...

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