Murakami! Why?

 Haruki Murakami was not the first Japanese novelist I read. That was Kenzaburō Ōe. I remain more partial to Ōe, for all that I find Murakami an interesting novelist. Neither Murakami nor Ōe were the first Japanese writer I knew of; that was Yukio Mishima. I might even prefer Mishima to Murakami, for all that I am not sure that Mishima has much to teach Americans. There is one thing I think needs said about all three writers - they are strange in comparison to American writers; strange in content and strange in execution. Ōe may present the easiest introduction to Japanese culture. Mishima may be even stranger than Murakami, with all of his interest in reincarnation. 

Yet, Murakami has one great trait for American readers and writers: simplicity of style. 

This might be the lesson to learn from Murakami: surrealism works if the prose is simple. Franz Kafka teaches us the same lesson from a different direction.

Speaking of Kafka, I read Murakami's Kafka on the Shore after 1Q84, which from what I am now picking up from YouTube may not be the typical route. Maybe, it is somewhat like coming to The Cramps' Songs The Lord Taught Us by way of Gravest Hits - you don't see the latter work as you should, as the more of what the earlier work started.

Where to Start Reading Haruki Murakami (5 Books) might be more useful than me about an overview of Murakami's books.

The video gives a better view of Killing Commendatore; one that annoyed me, and now I understand better what he might have been doing - a self-parody.

KILLING COMMENDATORE: THOUGHTS AND REVIEW from The Murakami Pilgrimage also makes a case that is working against my reaction to the novel.

His writing methods have gotten attention, too:

This video makes an interesting comparison between Tom Robbins and Murakami while comparing Murakami with Cormac McCarthy; yes, it is Book Riot, again.

It does make me think again of The Road. I realize that Murakami does make me feel better than McCarthy. There is no nihilism in Murakami. 

Is Haruki Murakami a sexist author? That is the question addressed by the novels. I do not recall the age issue in the novels I read. In 1Q84, the lead female is an assassin.... I agree with one of the video's comments: everything in a Murakami novel is weird, it is easy to miss some particular weirdness.

So, why read Murakami? Because it is entertaining to see our world from a different perspective. His faults of style and substance do not change that he is a writer deserving attention.

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