“I was always hungry for love. Just once, I wanted to know what it was like to get my fill of it -- to be fed so much love I couldn't take any more. Just once. ”



During this reading of Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood, I felt more in sync with Toru and, consequently, even more reflective and melancholy than last time. Not that those feelings weren't always present. However, I spent a lot of time thinking about Toru's juggling act with life/relationships and whether it, or any juggling act we perform, really has any meaning. A sense of loss is painted over nearly every page. All is seemingly all doomed to dissolve as soon as it begins. So yeah, I liked this better on a second reading. 4.5 stars.

Original review:
By this point, I've read several Haruki Murakami books. I've really come to appreciate not only his use of language and the meditative quality he evokes, but also the sense of the surreal. Frankly, I like the convoluted twists and turns, the improbable histories and even the talking cats. One of his earlier novels, Norwegian Wood is well-written and has a fairly straightforward plot. It also had that reflective quality I like. So I knew I was reading Murakami, but I wanted the protagonist to look up into the sky and see two moons or have some other reality bleed into our own reality. Was it good? Yes, it's Murakami. This might even be a novel that's preferable to some readers. However, later novels like 1Q84 and The Windup Bird Chronicle appeal to me more.

I just want to find a way to unread this book.

I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me...
She showed me her room, isn't it good, Norwegian wood?

She asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere,
So I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair.

I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine
We talked until two and then she said, "It's time for bed"

She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh.
I told her I didn't and crawled off to sleep in the bath

And when I awoke, I was alone, this bird had flown
So I lit a fire, isn't it good, Norwegian wood.

-tThe Beatles

Haruki Murakami’s novel Norwegian Wood is a love story: on author’s own confession, “a straight, simple story” quite unlike the type of fiction he is well known for. Murakami claims the novel was a challenge to him, a test of his capability to write a “straight” story; many of his fans see it as a betrayal of what his works had stood for until then. Not having read any of Murakami’s works so far, I had the advantage of approaching it with an unprejudiced mind. And I found that while the story was straight, it was anything but simple.

The novel is one bunch of impressions. The prose is sensual, even voluptuous: descriptions of landscapes and weather are done in long and loving detail. There is very little exploration of inner mental states, other than as broad description of emotions, even though we are listening to only one voice throughout the book. It is rather like stream of consciousness turned outward.

I have been trying to do a traditional review of this book for quite some time now, but have been finding it impossible. So I will give you my impressions of reading the book.

Reading Norwegian Wood (for me) is like sitting on the porch at twilight during a rare break in the rains during the monsoon, watching the golden rays of the dying sun light up the rain-drenched earth, and filling your lungs with the smell of the rain.

Reading Norwegian Wood is like waking up on a winter morning, opening the window and getting hit in the face by an invigorating blast of icy East Wind.

Reading Norwegian Wood is like staying up late, listening to the harmonious cacophony of drums at our local temple festival, inhaling the aroma of the burning lamp wicks and incense.

Highly recommended.

The curse continues!

One star plot. Five star themes. I’m not sure how to rate the quality of the writing itself. It’s weak with moments of poignancy and introspection.
——-
I had a terrible reading month. I hope this book turns the tide.

Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο που διαβάζω του Μουρακάμι. Είχα διαβάσει διάφορες κριτικές για το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο και ήξερα οτι ανήκει στην κατηγορία εκείνων που είτε σου αρέσει είτε όχι. Από τις πρώτες σελίδες κατάλαβα θα το λάτρευα. Δεν το άφησα σχεδόν καθόλου. Η ζωή του ήρωα που αγαπά την μοναξιά, το διάβασμα και είναι διαφορετικός από τους υπόλοιπους φοιτητές στην εστία του πανεπιστημίου στο Τόκυο. Μου άρεσε ο τρόπος γραφής του, οι συχνές αναφορές του για τα συναισθήματα, την μοναξιά, την θλίψη και ο νεανικός του έρωτας με την Ναόκο. Απίστευτες είναι οι περιγραφές της φύσης, λες και είσαι εκεί και βλέπεις ο ίδιος το τοπίο. Φυσικά, υπάρχουν πολλά νοήματα όπως και πολλές μουσικές αναφορές σε τραγούδια της εποχής τότε. Επίσης, ο τρόπος ζωής και σκέψης των Ιαπώνων.
Το τέλος είναι γραμμένο με τέτοιο τρόπο που αναγνώστης μπορεί να το ερμηνεύσει όπως εκείνος νομίζει.
Σίγουρα θα διαβάσω και κάποιο άλλο του βιβλίο.

Nonostante alcune cose non mi abbiano convinto al 100%, Norwegian wood è un romanzo talmente intimo, malinconico e desolante che è impossibile rimanere indifferenti durante la lettura.

Tema centrale è l’elaborazione del lutto e la depressione che questo genera, quindi non è un romanzo particolarmente leggero. Ma proprio per questo secondo me sarà capace di smuovervi qualcosa dentro. Davvero consigliato!

Norwegian Wood begins with Toru Watanabe, a 37 year old man traveling to Hamburg. After hearing the 'Norwegian Wood' by Beatles, he is overcome with nostalgia and begins musing about his teenage years.

At the age of 17, Kizuki, his best friend, decides to end his life leaving behind Toru and his girlfriend, Naoko, broken. Toru and Naoko bond after his death and Toru tries to offer emotional support to Naoko, falling in love with her in the process. But the death of Kizuki, whom Naoko loved ever since they were kids, sends her life in a downward spiral as she tries to come to terms with the incident. Her breakdown leads to her admission in a sanatorium.

Toru joins the University while keeping in touch with Naoko. He visits her occasionally, holding out hope for her recovery in hopes of starting a relationship with her. During his visit, he meets a musician Reiko and the three of them bond. Meanwhile, as life gets tough to deal with, Toru isolates himself from the world. He ends up meeting Midori who’s a fierce, independent and carefree girl. He is drawn to her and ends up falling in love with her.

Toru struggles with his feelings for Naoko while she struggles to deal with the death of Kizuki. Toru is torn between the two girls in his life. He tries his best to help Naoko get better while she keeps slipping away. Naoko represents the dark side, the hopelessness, and pain while Midori exhibits light side; she's a warm and soothing presence in the despairing life of Toru. His complex relationship with both the girls is depicted beautifully.

The writing was simply beautiful. The narration was very intimate and vivid. It drew me in right from the start and made me feel all sorts of emotions that the protagonist was going through. The author used the instances from his own life during student days which gives it an autobiographical feel, but that was not his intention. It’s not just a love story, though there are references to love throughout the novel. It’s a coming of age story with themes such as life and death, communication, isolation, mental illness, politics etc.

I loved all the characters. They were realistic and perfectly flawed which made me fall in love with them. I found Midori, Storm Trooper, Nagasawa and Reiko especially interesting. There are so many beautiful lines in this book that moved me while reading. Also, there are a lot of graphic adult scenes. I felt kind of weird about the last scene between Toru and Reiko, but it didn’t change my overall opinion about the story.

I enjoyed this book immensely. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes a nice coming-of-age story.

Not for me.

همیشه به خودم میگم نباید آهنگ‌هایی که دوسشون دارم رو میون حال بد زندگیم گوش بدم؛ چون اون حال غمگین سفت می‌چسبه به اون آهنگ. و بعدها، هرجا و هرموقع که گوشش بدم، دقیقا همون حس و حال رو برام زنده‌ می‌کنه؛ درست مثل یه جادو. که دارم می‌خندم و حال خوبی دارم... اما اگه صدای اون آهنگ رو از دور بشنوم، غرقش میشم و برمی‌گردم به همون روز و همون ساعت، به همون حال.‌ آهنگا مثل یه چسبِ محکم می‌مونن، خیلی سفت می‌چسبن به احساست. برای همین نمیخوام خاص‌هاشون رو هدر بدم و بی‌استفاده کنم.
شروع این کتاب، با یه آهنگ پر خاطره برای "تورو" آغاز میشه... آهنگی که برش می‌گردونه به یه‌خاطره ی قوی‌ و قدیمی... به یه گذشته ی سخت و سرد.

n  
Despite your best efforts, people are going to be hurt when it's time for them to be hurt. Life is like that.
n

دوست صمیمی و درواقع تنها دوست "تورو" یعنی "کیزوکی"، بدون هیچ توضیح و نامه‌ای خودکشی کرده. شروع چرخه ی غم این داستان، از خودکشی کیزوکی آغاز میشه.
خودکشی کردن، درست مثل بازی دومینو می مونه. اولین نفر که کم بیاره و بیفته، خیلیا پشت سرش آسیب می‌بینن، کم میارن. توی این داستان، با زمین خوردن کیزوکی، حالا نوبت تورو و نائوکو شده که باید زمین بخورن، که باید مرگ رو با چشماشون ببینن. اما این وسط، پیچیدگی‌های زیادی هست... که زندگی رو برای اون دو‌ نفر سخت می‌کنه. که ما قراره شاهد تلاش‌شون برای زمین نخوردن باشیم، قراره شاهد تلاش‌شون برای خارج شدن از این دومینوی تلخ باشیم.

n  
Don't you see? It's just not possible for one person to watch over another person forever and ever.
n

موراکامی با ذهنش کاغذ رو‌ پر نمی‌کنه، با قبلش می‌نویسه. انگار که قلم رو داده باشه دست قلبش و رهاش کرده باشه. به‌خاطر همینه که تک‌تک کلماتش قابل لمسن، که با چشم می‌بینمشون و با قلب لمسشون می‌کنم.
جنگل نروژی، چندین روایت از آدما بود... اما اصل اصلش، روایت بازمانده‌های خودکشی بود. روایت تقابل‌شون با مرگ. که نشونم داد اگه کم بیاری و تمومش کنی، اطرافیانت رو توی چه جهنمی رها می‌کنی. این کتاب روایت بازمانده‌ها بود... روایت چراهاشون، که وقتی بهترین رفیقت بدون هیچ‌ توضیح و‌ نامه‌ای خودش رو تموم کنه، کی جواب چرای تو رو پیش خودش داره؟! روایت جنگیدن‌شون بود، که سخته از اون مرگ بدون آمادگی بیرون دربیای. و روایت شکست بود، که وقتی تنها می‌مونی، وقتی چراهات بی‌جواب می‌مونه، وقتی جنگ رو می‌بازی، شکست رو قبول می‌کنی و افسردگی سراغت رو می‌گیره.

n  
What a terrible thing it is to wound someone you really care for—and to do it so unconsciously.
n

همه ی آدما، همه ی آدم‌های نرمال و خوشحال و خندون...‌ وقتی نزدیکشون بشی، میبینی که یه فاجعه درونشون دارن. و شاید بشه گفت به تعداد تمام آدم‌ها یه پل هست، پلی که خودشون با زحمت زیادی ساختن تا از عمق فاجعه ی درون‌شون عبور کنن.
با این کتاب، بار دیگه از یه نویسنده ی ژاپنی از اهمیت حرف زدن و بیرون ریختن احساس خوندم. که واقعا نمی‌دونیم، اما کلماتی که بیرون ریخته میشن، مثل یه مرهم می‌مونن... آروم می‌گیریم با رفتن‌شون. گاهی عادت می‌کنیم به زندگی توی ذهنمون، توی افکارمون... اون‌قدر که دنیای بیرون برامون غریبه میشه. اما اون ذهنیت‌ها، خیلی‌هاشون واقعیت ندارن. باورشون نکنیم.

موراکامی با جنگل نروژی از عشق میگه؛ از اینکه خیلی وقتا - نه همیشه - عشق می‌تونه کمکت کنه از دومینوی مرگ بیرون بیای. که می‌تونه کمکت کنه بعد از ماه‌ها فرار، یه نگاه به پشت سرت بندازی و ببینی دیگه در خطر نیستی، بازی تموم شده و تو‌ محکم و استوار باقی موندی.

n  
"What happens when people open their hearts?"
"They get better,"
n

[Edited 1/31/23]
This is a relatively early novel by this author, 1987. The book jacket tells us that this book booted him up from being a famous author to ‘superstar status.’ On GR it is one of his most highly-rated books.



It’s also the only -- I’ll call it ‘straightforward’ -- novel of the seven or so of his I have read. There is no science fiction or magical realism. No women in bars who may be ghosts, no hanging out in deep wells, no psychic cats, just a single moon.

We do have, as usual in Murakami, a cat, mention of a mysterious well, and western music, especially pop music such as that of the Beatles. Being an only child is often mentioned in Murakami’s novels – which would be true in low-birth-rate Japanese culture. I’d say the two main themes are sex and suicide

The main characters are a young man and a young woman. The woman is psychologically damaged by the suicide of their male friend when he was 17. Until then, the two boys and the girl had been an inseparable threesome. (This group of BFFs is repeated in the author's novel Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki where it is a fivesome of lifelong high school friends, boys and girls.)

Earlier the girl’s sister had also committed suicide. She is so stricken that she elects to go to a sanitarium until she can deal with life again. At times both characters say they have 'word-searching sickness' – the inability to put their feeling into words.

He feels responsible for the girl in the sanitarium and can’t make the break to commit to another young woman that he has fallen in love with. There is a story within the story from another woman at the facility. She had been a piano teacher and the story is of a lesbian relationship.

There’s a lot of sex in the book with little actual intercourse. You'll have to read it to see what I mean.

Set in 1969, many of the characters are in college against a background of student revolts, students taking over classrooms and universities closing. There’s a lot of talk of Marx and communism. Murakami was in college in Japan at this time.

Some passages that I liked:

“…the self I was then, the world I had then, where did they go?”

“Despite your best efforts, people are going to be hurt when it’s time for them to be hurt. Life is like that.”

“I’m all through as a human being… All you’re looking at is the lingering memory of what I used to be. The most important part of me, what used to be inside, died years ago, and I’m just functioning by rote memory.”



Norwegian Wood and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle remain my favorites of the half-dozen Murakamis I have read.

top photo from images8.alphacoders.com
photo of the author from i.guim.co.uk

يحدث أن يأتي الشتاء، ببرده وأمطاره، تهرب منه في السرير تحت طبقاتٍ من الأغطية، ومع ذلك لا تشعر بالدفء الحقيقي إلا في حضن أمك. يحدث أن تنكسر من الأوجاع والأحزان وضغوط الحياة وفقدان الأحباب، تمشي بروحٍ خاوية، وبمجرد أن تجد من يحتاج إلى صدرٍ يحتويه أو أحدًا يسمعه تبادر باحتوائه وأنت نفسك تحتاج إلى من يحتويك. يحدث أن تركب وسيلة مواصلات، فتجلس بجوار أحدٍ ذو ملامح هادئة تبعث في النفس سكينة وطمأنينة لا حدود لهما، فتحكي له عن همومك كما لم تحكِ من قبل، وينصت لك، وكلاكما أغراب عن بعضكما البعض.

يحدث أن تقرأ رواية عن فتى لم يبلغ العشرين بعد، يقف في المنطقة الرمادية بين المراهقة وبدايات النضج، تعيش معه حياته بكافة تفاصيلها، الخالية من الأحداث الهامة تقريبًا، ولا تملّ، بل تنجذب، بسحرٍ خفيّ تأسرك الحكاية العادية، تقضي معه فترة من العمر مليئة بالتقلبات النفسية والعاطفية، بخيبات الحب ووجع الفقدان، سنوات مليئة بالحيرة تجاه كل شيء، ولا يوجد بها حقيقة واحدة ثابتة إلا الموت، الموت الذي يضفي ظلاله الكئيبة على كل الصفحات، كل هذا يحدث ولا تمل. تحبها، وتعتبرها من أفضل ما قرأت رغم علمك أنها لن تعجب غيرك، ولكن لا تملك إلا أن تقول انها لمستك، وآلمتك، وعرّت جزءًا من نفسك أمامك، وهذا وحده عظيم.

يحدث أن تقرأ لموراكامي مرة تلو الأخرى، تتأرجح بين جنونه وعقلانيته، وتتهاوى في بحر سرده العذب غير راغبٍ في الخروح منه، يأخذك في رحلة ساحرة هي مزيج من الحب والأمل والجنس والجنون والموت والحياة، يخلطهم بشكل مبهر، تقرأ وتستمتع، وتقف عاجزًا عن التعبير بعد كل لقاء، تمامًا كعجزك عن إيجاد سر سحر الكثير من تفاصيل حياتك، تبتسم، تتنهد، تستمتع بنشوة اللقاء حتى آخر قطرة، ثم تكتفي بالصمت، تكتفي بالقول: أحب موراكامي، وأحب ما يكتبه، وهذا يكفي.

LIFE BLUES


L’immagine manifesto del film di Tran Anh Hung presentato alla Mostra del Cinema di Venezia nel 2010, da cui vengono anche le immagini che seguono.

Toru Watanabe ha trentasette anni, e all’inizio di questa storia sta atterrando sull’aeroporto di Amburgo a bordo di un Boeing 747.
La radio trasmette la celebre e magnifica canzone dei Beatles, Norwegian Wood, che è il titolo originale di questo romanzo, Tokyo Blues è un’invenzione della prima edizione italiana.
Sulle note della struggente canzone dei quattro di Liverpool, parte il lungo flashback che ci riporta vent’anni prima.



Il primo ricordo che prende forma è l’incontro casuale con Naoko, la fidanzata di Kizuki, l’unico vero amico di Toru Watanabe, morto suicida pochi mesi prima. La scoperta che Naoko è ancora vergine (e allora la sua storia d’amore con Kizuki?, si chiede Toru Watanabe), gli anni dell’università, l’amore impossibile per la stessa Naoko che finisce ricoverata in una clinica psichiatrica, quello per Midori, compagna di studi, a sua volta segnata da una serie di lutti familiari, l’amicizia con Nagasaka, ragazzo spregiudicato e controverso.
Eros e Thanatos a go go, a braccetto, sciolti in un ballo senza fine (dance dance dance, appunto).
Un viaggio all’insegna dello struggimento, della nostalgia, del rimpianto.



La memoria trasforma, modifica, plasma, trasfigura, enfatizza quello e trascura quell’altro…?
Sì, forse no.
Personalmente propendo decisamente per l’ipotesi affermativa.
Nel dubbio Murakami, genialmente adotta la prima soluzione e le lascia campo libero: l’infanzia del protagonista Toru Watanabe è rivista attraversa la lente della memoria e quindi, succeda quello che deve succedere quando si maneggia uno strumento così delicato come il ricordo.



La conclusione cui Murakami sembra arrivare è di conseguenza sacrosanta, attendibile, da abbracciare e sottoscrivere: crescere, diventare adulti significa rinunciare ai nostri sogni giovanili, agli ideali e a tutto ciò per cui pensavamo valesse la pena combattere. Sogni, ideali, progetti magari folli, irrealistici: ma chi può dire che la realtà sia da preferire al sogno?



Ho fatto di tutto per prolungare la lettura, ma a un certo punto sono per forza di cose arrivato alla fine, anche se avevo già ricominciato a leggerlo dalla prima pagina.

Ho messo su le canzoni dei Beatles a oltranza.

Ho sentito profumo di Jules et Jim e tanto tanto di Truffaut, mai abbastanza rimpianto.

Ho avuto la sensazione che non stessi davvero leggendo, ma che ci fosse Toru Watanabe a raccontarmi questa storia, un lungo magnifico racconto diretto solo a me.



Il Prima della rivoluzione di Murakami.

Il film che ne è stato tratto dal regista franco-vietnamita Tran Anh Hung, che è ancora inebriato dal profumo della papaya verde, è il classico prodotto da festival che lascia le sale deserte, una sorta di raggelato videoclip, ogni passione spenta, eliminata ogni possibilità di coinvolgimento: un film ‘emo’ senza l’emozione.