Dziwaczne to wielce i do czytania przyjemne. It offers a unique and engaging reading experience. However, there is no access to either "Kafki nad morzem" or "Kroniki Ptaka Nakręcacza".

These two works seem to be missing from the available options. It's a pity as they might have added even more depth and variety to the reading list.

Nevertheless, the content that is available is still interesting and enjoyable. One can explore and discover new perspectives and ideas within its pages.

Despite the lack of access to those specific titles, the overall reading experience remains fulfilling and worthwhile.

I find that my readings of Haruki Murakami are all over the place chronologically, but it doesn't matter. I believe this was Murakami's first full-length novel, and he already had the elements of his writing puzzle in place. There are American detective novels, dreams, popular and not-so-popular culture, and odd characters. The philosophizing chauffeur was my favorite here. The protagonist has a "when you ain't got nothin'/you got nothin' to lose" attitude, although when it comes down to it, he does care about his friend, The Rat.

On page 159, there is a great exchange: " 'But isn't that friend of yours already up to his neck in trouble? If not, why would he have gone out of his way to send you that photo?' 'She had me there. I'd laid my cards on the table, and they'd all been trumped. She'd seen right through me.' "

Another nicely written passage is on page 249: "Roadside billboards relayed their sponsors' messages to no one, nowhere. ... A terrifically tanned girl in a bikini pursed her lips over a Coke, a middle-aged character actor wrinkled his brow at a tilted glass of Scotch, a diver's watch lavishly splashed with water, a model in the midst of a slick, sophisticated interior, doing her nails. The new pioneers of advertising were carving a mean streak deep into the country."

It's clear that Murakami knew his Raymond Chandler, and his influence can be seen throughout this novel. The combination of these elements makes for a unique and engaging read that keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end.

I wish I could give it a rating between four and five... It was a book without any name. No one had a real name as if no one was real. And at the same time, I could completely understand and feel the first character... Although I don't know what, but I'm sure it does a lot of nice things in my mind.

This book had a certain charm that made me unable to put it down. The author's writing style was unique, and the story was full of mystery and surprises. I found myself constantly engaged in the plot, eager to know what would happen next.

Even though the characters didn't have real names, they were still vividly portrayed. I could picture their faces and personalities in my mind. It was as if they were real people standing in front of me. This made the reading experience even more immersive and enjoyable.

Während der Lektüre dieses frühen Romans von Murakami habe ich mich auch mit einigen sozialen Phänomenen in Japan beschäftigt, wie Hikikomori und Karoshi. Diese Phänomene zeigen, wie Probleme entstehen können, wenn eine Gesellschaft zu sehr auf Konformismus und Leistungsgedanken setzt. Viele Menschen in Japan scheinen abgehängt, überfordert und lebensmüde zu sein. Sie rationalisieren sich selbst vorzeitig weg.

Auch die Eigenart vieler Japaner, die eigenen Gefühle nicht außerhalb der Kernfamilie zu thematisieren, trägt zur Isolation und psychischen Erkrankung bei. Obwohl ich Japan sehr bewundere, finde ich, dass die sozialen Verwerfungen der Leistungsgesellschaft hier noch gravierender sind als in Deutschland.

Während ich dieses Buch lese, frage ich mich, warum Murakami in Japan ein Bestseller wurde. Welche Wünsche sticht er bei seinen Lesern an? Es ist nicht einfach, diese Frage zu beantworten. Aber was auffällt, ist die Mittelmäßigkeit unseres namenlosen Helden. Er scheint passiv und wider Willen in sein Abenteuer hineingeraten zu sein.

Murakami legt viel Gewicht auf die Wiederholung von bekannten Elementen. Sein Held trinkt immer wieder Bier oder Whiskey, hört Jazz, liest Sherlock und Dostojewski und raucht viele Zigaretten. Dabei entsteht eine einnehmende Reihung sinnlicher Befriedigung, die vielleicht gerade wegen des Mangels an komplizierten Lebenszielen für Leser so nachahmenswert ist.

ACHTUNG: GEMÄẞIGTER SPOILER

Ich finde das Buch besonders stark, wenn es in der Schilderung eines Moments verharrt. Allerdings finde ich seine Erklärungen der "magischen" Plot-Elemente und das Ende des Buches eher schwach.

Vorläufiges Fazit: Dieses Buch ist oft super geschrieben und hat eine zumindest oberflächlich einnehmende Erzähler-Instanz. Allerdings sollte der Frauenbild des Erzählers mal auf der Therapie-Couch angesprochen werden. Dieser Sexismus scheint ihm so tief in den Knochen zu stecken, dass er ihn vermutlich nicht einmal bemerkt. Insgesamt gibt es also einige Punkte, die verbesserungswürdig sind, aber trotzdem ist das Buch aufgrund seiner japanischen Provenienz sehr anregend. 6 von 10 Schafen.

The sentence "cuốn quá, làm sao bây giờ? =)))) ai làm ơn giải thích lại cho tôi cái tôi hông hiểu =)" seems to be in Vietnamese. It roughly means "It's too much, what should I do now? =)))) Please explain to me what I don't understand =)".

In English, we could rewrite and expand it like this:

Oh my goodness! It's just too overwhelming. I really don't know what to do at this moment. =)))) I'm hoping that someone out there would be kind enough to explain to me the things that I don't understand. =) Maybe if I could get a clear explanation, everything would make more sense and I could figure out a way to deal with this situation. But right now, I'm just feeling a bit lost and confused.

But first, let me have another can of beer." These are the words that often come out of the mouth of Music, the wealthy young man, a close friend of "me."

Who could have imagined that the trilogy of Music, which starts with the ordinary life drama of "me," an ordinary citizen, and "Music," the wealthy young friend, would end with a fantasy that is beyond imagination.

"Strip off the marks, strip off the stars," the third book of the Music trilogy (The Rat), is about "me," the main character, a young man in the first part who seems to be doing well in his work but has to face a midlife crisis. His wife wants a divorce, his shares are in trouble, and he is even bullied by strangers to the point of being stripped off his marks and stars.

The first part of the story tells the life of "me" in a detailed and vivid way, with "Music," the extremely wealthy young man, showing up from time to time, and also facing unique crises.

The story of Murakami still fully reflects the diversity of Japanese society, including the most ordinary middle-aged company employees, the wife who has lost her love and left with an old friend, the young woman with a service occupation, and up to the three characters who have relationships and importance from the first part, namely "me," "Music," and "J."

A person like "me," although not able to shine brightly in society, Murakami portrays him with distinct characteristics, making him charming and engaging.

The latter part of the story, on the other hand, becomes a part of the adventure of "Strip off the marks, strip off the stars," in pursuit of a dream that seems impossible to achieve, venturing into the most dangerous areas that ordinary people would never think of going.

But it is also this latter part of the story that forces us to turn the page until the end of the book.

This is the early era of Murakami's fantasy.

It is another easy-to-read book of Murakami, and the excellent translation by Nippoldt Vetch has made it a masterpiece with unique characteristics.

Even if you haven't read "Norwegian Wood" and "Pinball, 1973" before, you can still read this book, but if you read the above two books first, you will be more immersed in this trilogy because you will have seen the characters from their youth to middle age, as if you have experienced their lives together.

Perhaps it happens to many to experience, at any moment in their lives, a spasmodic desire for power, for success, for being something else, for abandoning the roles hitherto worn and transforming into something wonderful. But it is only a short-lived illusion and that, subsequently, throws those who have embraced it into the deepest discomfort.

Only those who have the strength to remain themselves and not give in to the temptations of such easy results can finally hope to live their lives with pride and satisfaction. Without regrets or remorse.

We often find ourselves in a state of longing for something more, something different. We may envy the success and power of others and wish that we could have the same. However, these desires are often just illusions that can lead us astray. We may try to change ourselves in order to achieve these goals, but in doing so, we may lose sight of who we really are.

It is important to remember that true happiness and fulfillment come from within. We should focus on being the best version of ourselves, rather than trying to be someone else. We should embrace our unique qualities and talents and use them to make a positive impact on the world around us. Only then can we truly live a life that we are proud of.

Murakami himself stated that his writing career truly commenced with A Wild Sheep Chase, and I can understand the reason.

Although his initial two novels aren't objectively "bad" (though this is a rather subjective assessment), they do have certain deficiencies. What A Wild Sheep Chase does better than its predecessors is that it has a more solid structure. It follows a clear plot (albeit one that could be debated as to how "clear" it is, given its occasional forays into the surreal), which enables the reader to become more engaged in the story.

In my review, I likened Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973 to Hopper paintings due to the melancholy and detached feeling those novels evoked in me. A Wild Sheep Chase, on the other hand, feels more like a shabby hotel lobby. Why? Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps it's because this book seems like it would be a perfect travel companion. Firstly, it makes you渴望 to go out and experience things. Secondly, it follows two people on a rather crazy adventure (a wild sheep chase, so to speak), and I imagine it would be great to read while on the move. A Wild Sheep Chase doesn't stay in one place; it almost challenges you to get up and do some exploring or perhaps discovering? - of your own.

The writing, once again, really appealed to me. I love the way Murakami portrays alienation in his characters, as it's something I can relate to on some level. [Side note: Characters in Japanese literature generally seem to have a somewhat "skewed" perception of reality (at least that's what I've gathered so far), and I think that's why it almost always works for me.]

I also adored the settings in this book, especially the semi-closed setting at the end (which I can't discuss due to spoilers). Whenever I pick up my copy of A Wild Sheep Chase, I find myself transported back, if only temporarily, to those places. It's incredible how vivid they remain in my mind. Murakami definitely knows how to create atmosphere through his settings.

Now, you might be wondering: Why is this strange person (me) praising this book so highly, yet still giving it only 3.5 stars?

Don't worry, my friend.

Here's what I didn't like about this book:

There's one thing in literature that I despise above all else. Yes, even more than annoying characters, slow pacing, and the miscommunication trope. I hate it even more than the sentence "She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in". (Yes, I went there.)

The thing is... I don't like being confused.

Especially when I know I'm not supposed to be confused.

As in, technically everything is supposed to at least kind of make sense, but for some reason, my mind just refuses to wrap around it. And what's worst of all? I know it's probably my fault (and that's pretty much unacceptable, as I'm not supposed to feel bad about myself. I'm actually really great. Nothing should ever be my fault, you know?)

Somehow, I couldn't quite follow this book at times, and I feel like a lot of things are still lost on me, making the plot seem fragmented and half-formed. Again, this isn't the book's fault, but entirely mine - I'm sure it makes sense to the general audience (or at least they're aware of what's supposed to make sense and what isn't) - and I'm the one at fault here.

It sucks to say, but that's the way it is.

Amen.

Conclusion (TLDR):

I really liked A Wild Sheep Chase! And the crazy part is that I feel like the more time passes, the more I like this book (which is an incredibly rare and thoroughly welcome phenomenon, if you ask me). I already want to reread this novel because I think I might actually fall in love with it if I just gather all the things I missed the first time and put them into place.

I'm excited to read Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World next month!

Well, that's all I have to say.

Thank you for reading!

______________________

PROJECT MURAKAMI:

I have decided to read every novel that Haruki Murakami has ever written, in chronological order (yes, even after what happened with Kafka on the Shore*....). I read approximately one book per month and then summarize all my thoughts in reviews like these.

Ratings & Reviews:

1) Hear the Wind Sing & Pinball, 1973 ★★½

2) A Wild Sheep Chase ★★★½

3) Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World ★★★

______________________

*Basically, I posted an obviously satirical rant on how gross I think milk is and thousands of people took it a little too seriously and brutally murdered me in an Instagram comment section. (I am not kidding btw). Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking about how someone said I probably have weak bones...

This book really bored me a great deal.

It could have been much shorter. By short, I mean half of its current length. There are quite a number of chapters that are completely redundant and have no impact on the plot at all. Moreover, those parts are not dedicated to the characteristic reflections of Murakami but rather consist of a tedious tracking of the protagonist's dull activities.

Another thing I didn't like was that the characters from the previous two installments of this saga have changed so much. They ceased to be so attractive. They failed to capture my interest as they did in Pinball, 1973 and Hear the Wind Sing.

I think the ending salvaged A Wild Sheep Chase a little bit. But only a little. It didn't seem anything extraordinary to me. However, considering the slow and long development I had been reading, it was a kind of relief. In conclusion, I liked it, and, together with Murakami's prose, it is the reason why I give this book two stars.

I didn't like it... I just did everything to complete the collection of Murakami. The brilliant translation and the vivid descriptions attracted me more than the story...

Maybe if I didn't read it one after another, I wouldn't be able to understand his hands and motives... Travel, dreams, strange and curious people, only in the jungle and cats... Hotels and old books

It was a good auto for Kafka on the Shore...

But maybe it shouldn't be printed

All these are ripe and grown in Kafka on the Shore and are obvious. This story is not surreal and is not endless. The author has used elements of magic and mystery in every plot he has presented...

Anyway, according to literary critics, it is only valuable and insignificant for understanding the development of Murakami's style.

Thank you again, Brian Tanabe!

Books like these make me feel as if I'm a child who has just graduated to the grown-up table. However, I find that the cutlery is too big and sharp, the edge of the table is at eye level, and the conversation always goes over my head. But no! I refuse to be demoted back to the kids' table with all the babies! I want to eat here and contribute to the discussions about whether a vacation home in Hawaii or the SE islands would be better (which is so boring...zzzz....), and did you notice when the bridesmaid tripped and fell on the groom? Hahaha oops, there's a kid here (*eyes snap open* what?), and the land war brewing in Asia, and, and, whatever it is that grown-ups talk about. It's still a mystery to me.

This reminds me of when I tried to read The Crying of Lot 49 with Elizabeth and Ceridwen (you're supposed to flip back and forth between their posted reviews to get the full conversation). It was such a treat to listen to them tear into the book! I didn't understand a word of it! Pass the peas, please.

The confusion Pynchon brought was similar to that of Murakami for me, but I tried to look for all those double-meaning grown-up things in this book. With the main character and the mysterious Boss in a tightly controlled advertising industry, sheep everywhere, a girlfriend with special ears, and a quest to find the meaning of a certain photo, I think it might be something about the control of information and the loss of individual will that comes with a lack of accurate facts. Well. Maybe. I wasn't sure about the significance of the dissolution of the main character's patched-together life at the beginning. At the end, I wondered if the character had gone insane. The magic-y bits were unexpected.

I wonder if it would be better to gradually get to Murakami, since I've always had difficulty with English and Literature classes in school, and then all my training and work is for such literal things, where metaphors are not used and a sheep is just an animal that needs to move from the field to the stream. After reading the reviews of others who love Murakami (notably, BenH), I know I'm missing a lot of beauty and meaning.

But then I read something like this, http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39456993, and I feel better. In my larval stage of lit appreciation, it's too easy to try to adopt other opinions instead of focusing on my own. Another reason for loving Goodreads is all the varying loves and hates for the same things.

I have no idea at all about what has happened in this book.

Perhaps it contains a series of exciting adventures, or maybe it tells a touching story of love and loss.

It could be a mystery that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, or a science fiction novel that takes us to another world.

Without opening the cover and delving into its pages, it's impossible to know for sure.

The possibilities are endless, and that's what makes books so fascinating.

Each one is a unique journey waiting to be discovered.

Maybe one day I'll pick up this book and find out for myself what lies within its covers.

Until then, it will remain a mystery, full of potential and intrigue.