It doesn't matter how long Adam's journey is. Adam can never escape from himself. Just like Adam's shadow. It follows everywhere.

This profound statement emphasizes the inescapability of one's true self. No matter how far Adam travels or what he experiences, he cannot outrun who he is. His shadow, a symbol of his essence, constantly trails behind him, serving as a reminder of his identity and past.

Similarly, in our own lives, we may try to flee from our problems, fears, or mistakes, but they will always catch up with us. We must learn to face ourselves and come to terms with who we are. Only then can we truly grow and find inner peace.

The concept of Adam's shadow can also be seen as a metaphor for the consequences of our actions. Every step we take leaves a mark, and our choices will follow us throughout our lives. Therefore, it is essential to make conscious decisions and take responsibility for our actions.

In conclusion, the idea that Adam can never escape from himself, as represented by his shadow, holds valuable lessons for us all. We should strive to embrace our true selves, learn from our mistakes, and make choices that will lead us to a fulfilling and meaningful life.

This old man always leads people to the inner self in a slow and unhurried way, digging deep into the essence of human beings accurately and thoroughly. The characters in his works are all those who are constantly searching for something. Sometimes they find it, sometimes they don't.

The dream always casts a shadow over reality and suddenly becomes reality. It's like deliberately putting it in, but in the end, it is oneself who is put in.

The men in his stories are often very tragic and pitiful, but none is as tragic as this man who is in debt to the bank.

"I'm just an ordinary person. No, even worse than ordinary. My hair is starting to turn gray, my belly is starting to get big. I was already 40 years old last month. My legs are lame, and the physical examination said that I have a tendency to get diabetes. I haven't slept with a woman for 3 months, and the last time was just with a prostitute. This job of collecting debts, although it is known a little bit within the company, no one respects me. In work and personal life, no one likes me. I'm bad at talking, I avoid strangers, and it's hard to make friends with anyone. I don't know anything about sports or music. I'm short-sighted and even have astigmatism. I live a miserable life, just eating, sleeping, and idling around. I really don't know why I'm alive. Such a person, and you say I have to save Tokyo?"

https://youtu.be/lx1wScL0vQY

A collection of six stories is presented in this book.

These stories offer a diverse range of themes and settings, captivating the reader's imagination.

I have a particular affinity for short stories such as Super-Frog Saves Tokyo and Honey Pie.

Their unique plots and engaging characters make them truly enjoyable reads.

Moreover, I also find one part of 'Landscape with Flatiron' quite interesting.

In this part, Miyake makes a rather unusual statement when he says, "Tell you the truth, I don't have a refrigerator. I don't like refrigerators."

This line adds an element of mystery and quirkiness to the story, making it stand out even more.

Overall, this book is a wonderful compilation of short stories that are sure to please any reader.

After the earthquake, it consists of six short stories. The six stories are completely separate and independent, yet they have some common characteristics. All the characters in them recognized an individual in the recent earthquake and tried to deny it (except for one case).

I liked this book. In the hearts of the stories, philosophical words were spoken that made me think a lot.

From the text of the book:

*If in the future you spend all your energy on just living, you won't be able to have a good death anymore. You have to start from somewhere, change the track a little, and in a sense, both living and dying should be treated as guests equally.

* This book offers a unique perspective on life and death through these interesting and thought-provoking short stories. It makes the readers reflect on their own lives and the choices they make. Each story has its own charm and message, which together create a rich and engaging reading experience.

Wonderful collection!

This is truly an amazing collection that catches the eye and leaves one in awe. It seems to be filled with unique and interesting items that are sure to pique the curiosity of any observer. The moment you lay your eyes on it, you can sense the care and thought that has gone into curating it.

A review will be following shortly. I am looking forward to delving deeper into this collection and exploring all its hidden gems. There is no doubt that it holds many surprises and treasures waiting to be discovered. Stay tuned for the detailed review that will surely provide a closer look at this wonderful collection.

After the Quake is a remarkable collection of stories that all revolve around the same significant earthquake.

The stories within this collection are diverse in both genre and theme. Some of them lean more towards the realm of slice of life, presenting a realistic and down-to-earth portrayal of the characters' experiences in the aftermath of the quake. Others, on the other hand, are pure magical realism, adding an element of fantasy and the extraordinary to the narrative.

Admittedly, however, not all the stories are of equal caliber. Some are better than others, such as the final one, which stands out for its unique charm and engaging plot.

The writing style in this collection is also quite matter-of-fact. The author presents the events in a straightforward manner, with a fast pace that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. Additionally, the use of semiotics is natural and seamless, adding depth and meaning to the stories without being overly intrusive. Overall, After the Quake is a captivating read that offers a unique perspective on the impact of a major earthquake.

3.5/4

I don't think I've ever read a story in which impotence was such a pervasive theme. It wasn't just impotence in a physical sense but impotence in all areas of a man's life. The protagonist seemed to be constantly struggling, unable to take control or make significant changes. It was a rather depressing yet thought-provoking portrayal.

I've come to the point where I don't expect straightforward answers from Murakami. His works are always filled with mystery and ambiguity. However, after finishing this particular story, I found myself wanting so much more. I wanted to know more about the characters, their motivations, and what lay beneath the surface of their impotence. There were so many unanswered questions that lingered in my mind, leaving me with a sense of dissatisfaction and a desire for further exploration.

A collection of almost hypnotic magical realist stories awaits. It delves deep into exposing and dissecting the underbelly of violence in modern Japan. Set against the background and aftermath of the Kobe earthquake, these stories offer a unique perspective. They explore the hidden aspects of society that often remain unseen. The violence that lurks beneath the surface is brought to light, allowing readers to gain a better understanding of the complex nature of modern Japan. With a rating of 6 out of 12, this collection may not be for everyone, but for those who are interested in exploring the darker side of human nature and the impact of disasters on a society, it is definitely worth a read.

Fire can take on any form it wants. It is free. Therefore, depending on the person looking at it, it can come in any form. Now, if you find this deep and fragrant feeling by looking at the fire, it is because the fire is showing you that deep and fragrant feeling that is within you. Do you understand what I mean?

This text seems to be from a book. It presents an interesting perspective on fire and how our perception of it can be related to our inner selves. Fire's ability to take on various forms is compared to the different ways it can be perceived by individuals. The idea that the fire can show us a feeling that is already within us is quite profound. It makes us think about how our own emotions and experiences can influence our perception of the world around us.

Perhaps the author is trying to convey that by observing fire, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. It could be a metaphor for looking within and finding the hidden aspects of our being. Overall, this text invites us to reflect on the relationship between our inner and outer worlds and how they interact.

Book - is very, very light, in the good sense of that word. Although at the same time it is also a bit depressing. So, in a way, we have a light depression. Something like that and I had hoped. But I liked it.

The book I'm referring to has a certain charm. It's not a heavy read that weighs you down with complex plots and deep emotions. Instead, it's light and easy to get through, almost like a gentle breeze. However, there is an underlying tone of depression that runs throughout the story. It's not overwhelming, but it's there, adding a layer of depth to the otherwise simple narrative.

I think this combination of lightness and depression is what makes the book so interesting. It's like a paradox that keeps you engaged and thinking. Despite the hint of sadness, I still found myself enjoying the book. Maybe it's because it reflects a certain aspect of life that we all experience at some point - that feeling of lightness in the face of difficulties.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a unique reading experience. It's not your typical feel-good story, but it has its own charm and appeal.

I have liked this set of stories whose common thread is the Kobe earthquake of 1985, but as a backdrop.

I have enjoyed the parallelism between the physical earthquake and the one that each of the protagonists of each story suffers.

It has reminded me in part of the "Sour Fish," and undoubtedly Aramburu has the influence of Murakami.

I will continue reading this author; although I have the feeling that I have not fully understood the stories and the style, although I have liked it.

This collection of stories offers a unique perspective on the impact of a significant event, the Kobe earthquake, not only on the physical landscape but also on the inner lives of the characters. The way the author weaves together the different storylines and shows the parallel experiences of the protagonists is quite engaging.

While there are some elements that I may not have grasped completely, the overall impression is positive. I look forward to delving deeper into the works of this author and perhaps uncovering more of the hidden meanings and nuances in his writing.

The influence of Murakami can be felt in the somewhat dreamlike and mysterious quality of the stories, which adds an extra layer of intrigue.

All in all, it has been a worthwhile reading experience, and I am eager to see what else this author has in store.

Murakami's works have always been a mystery not only for me but also for many others. Since I started reading his works about 8 years ago, there has always been a sense of familiarity and an indescribable feeling about his characters within me. It's as if the characters created and conceived by Murakami's mind have been found within me/us more than they are themselves. I would read and pass the time, but I would always return to them in my solitude. However, until recently when I read several of his short stories, his characters had not revealed themselves so clearly and vividly to me. In fact, more than his novels, his short stories led me to this conclusion and the aggregation of my thoughts about them.

After reading Murakami's works and seeing images that I had not previously focused on, I thought I would go back to his short stories and started this with two collections, "After the Earthquake" and "The Seventh Man".

Perhaps it would be better to start my text with a general discussion and gradually move on to Murakami's characters.

The world has always been witness to great pain, injustice, anger, and violence from the very beginning (if we assume there was a beginning) until now. The more we move forward, the more books we read, and the more we look at human history and the events that occur in our modern world, the more convinced we become that humans have never achieved peace. And if there has been any relative peace, it has either been disrupted by natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and typhoons, or it has been caused by humans themselves in the form of war, revolution, terror, abuse, violence, revenge, genocide, and so on.

Although it seems that humans have made progress or we are ostensibly moving towards a more civilized and advanced society, and we expect to be less witness to such human disasters in the present century, the news that reaches us every day from various sources does not show this. It's strange how the disasters and events that occur outside of us, which may ostensibly have little connection to us as individuals, pull us back into ourselves. What I want to write about here is that what happens outside of us is not unconnected to us; in fact, it is in a very close relationship with our perception.

Disasters, the psychological wounds left on the survivors, whether they are far away or close by. Something that I hear a lot nowadays, both jokingly and seriously, in the virtual space under the name of trauma, and few people have not heard this word. However, unfortunately, what happens in the virtual space shows that instead of finding a remedy for this wound, the use of this word has become a brand, a license for more wounding.

We have often read that when a disaster occurs, the individual's defensive reactions, at the moment of occurrence or observation, silence him, freeze him in order to protect him from himself at that moment. In other words, the individual does not understand the event, the event is not grasped in the form of ordinary perception. But later, similar signs and reminders of the past disaster return to him again and again in the form of fragmented scenes, not in a complete form throughout his life: sometimes you want to remember it completely in order to understand the uncomprehended and silent meaning and be able to deal with it, and sometimes you want to forget it, or perhaps suppress it. But the wound does not allow forgetting, you cannot deal with it easily, and it forces you to learn to live with this wound in such a way that it no longer becomes painful. The contradiction and the solution are the result of this wound and the continuous war for understanding the situation.

In any case, this wound affects the psyche not only directly but also indirectly. Something that we can find in Murakami's stories. The wound, or as psychologists call it, the psychological wound, is something outside the realm of human understanding, and according to Walter Benjamin, it occurs because of "poverty of experience". When facing an external event, what happens inside and the discrepancy between its meaning and what can be understood is the experience of the wound or trauma, which is often expressed in philosophical words such as "nothingness", "non-being". The result of this process is a person who is strange compared to ordinary definitions and understandings of things. The loss of self-identification and identity, the change in self-aware behavior, the change in the direction of the will, the severing of the perceptual connection with the outside world, the deep gap between the inside and the outside, and finally the serious problem in the quality of human connection are the things that follow.

The unspoken wound also disrupts the direct perception of time (and Murakami has shown that our perception of space is also disrupted). Perhaps one of the most famous literary characters who showed a disruption in the perception of time was Quentin Compson. When something is not properly understood and recognized, it cannot be easily expressed, it cannot pass easily. Ordinary words are in a small, clichéd form for expressing those unformed concepts. But for living with a wound, an expression is necessary, an expression with a language without words. This expression is our story.

From the perspective of the classic narrative, a story has a logical beginning, climax, and end that can be explained. From a psychological perspective, however, a story is also a way of expressing oneself, for healing, for acceptance, for living with a wound that weighs heavily on the heart. An experience that is expressed in the form of something understood is a released experience, and if you release it, it will not release you. It will repeat itself until you finally pay attention to it. When we pay attention, we also have a story to tell. But of course, not in accordance with the accepted ordinary forms.

Regarding Quentin, Faulkner, by rearranging and manipulating the classic narrative, depicted time and of course the chaotic language. Today, this same concept has forced Murakami to move away from the classic form. It seems that he did not see a suitable way to express the "uncomprehended" emotional experience. Perhaps this is why if we approach Murakami's stories with a curious gaze and focus only on the story and the plot, we will be confused, and since our expectations of him are not met, we will put aside reading Murakami and perhaps even become disappointed with him. Murakami's characters are storyless because they do not have a correct understanding of what has happened to them. They are confused because they have not experienced a similar pain and cannot respond to it. "Telling one's own story" is the acceptance of our situation, without understanding how the event occurred and moving on with the uncomprehended experience.

Regarding the collection of stories "After the Earthquake", what caught my attention was this: "After the Kobe earthquake was written and published, and a few months later, Japan was again plunged into crisis by the terrorist attacks of the Aum group." It seems that Murakami did not see these two disasters as separate. The modern human, whose psyche was shaken after the Kobe earthquake, recalled many common losses and sorrows, an earthquake that shook the inside of the human being. Perhaps "The Giant Frog Saves Tokyo" is exactly referring to this.

The entire narrative of the characters in this collection, although they do not live in Kobe, are all somehow related to Kobe, but not directly, but indirectly. They see the news of the earthquake, they have migrated from Kobe for a long time or had a distant acquaintance with Kobe. It's not that the Kobe disaster only affects them or only makes them feel compassion, but rather it deeply immerses them within themselves, it becomes a reminder of an experience that they themselves have gone through. The memory of a loss that they feel... something that has been lost, intertwined with the concepts of death and nothingness... not only death but also the loss and non-existence of concepts that they had long relied on, the feeling of loss that requires attention. The Kobe disaster becomes a "reminder" or, in the words of the famous, a "sign" of the entry of something unexpected into a mind that did not have the ability to accept it at that moment. It becomes a memory of loss... a reminder of losing, confusion, and sorrow...

It seems that these characters are the very definition of humans that Žižek has labeled as "post-traumatic stress disorder" (PTSD), the rescued confusion of a painful, unknown, ostensibly meaningless, and contradictory concept. Murakami's characters, in this regard, are truly Morsovian in the exact sense of the word.

These stories are attempts to show the human's inability to express and also attempts to soothe and find a remedy for this loss, to give an opportunity for mourning what has been lost. Of course, this remedy also varies from character to character. Murakami's characters are completely ordinary people, with ordinary lives, ordinary jobs, ordinary social circles... people who have been wounded in the course of their ordinary lives. Perhaps this is why they are attractive to us. Murakami officially recognizes the wounds of each and every one of us humans, he sees them and encourages us to pay attention and mourn. He shows that we, out of our inability to express, to move forward, to accept, and to mourn, engage in actions that are unknown to others and may even be harmful, and because of this, we are criticized and sometimes, on a large scale, if we "mourners" gather together, we cause great political disasters that not only will not heal our wounds but will also lead to many more wounds... Escaping from the previous life, escaping from the family, ostensibly leaving without reason, leaving without reason, periodic disappearances, getting lost, forgetting by leaving the place where the event occurred... all of us together form the "mourners".

But it seems that Murakami is always hopeful of improvement, an improvement that comes with moving forward with the wound, with falling, and gives a beautiful picture of the consequences of this ongoing war, an opportunity for worthy mourning. This picture is something that the story "The Seventh Man" made clearer to me than the other stories. The depiction of the inexpressible wounds of the characters is a prominent feature of Murakami's writings, and I think this is why surreal literature is intertwined with folklore culture, and as signs of horror along with collective and individual impotence, they are constantly present in Murakami's works.

Finally, I want to say that for me, Murakami's collection of short stories deserves a score of 4, but some of the stories that have been translated into Persian are accompanied by terrible censorship. For example, the story "The Wind-Up Bird and the Tuesday Women". I recommend reading the story in English or, if you are familiar with the Japanese language, reading it in the original. I think someone who knows the Japanese language can get to more points of this collection of stories through the rich semantic load of the words. :)