# Haruki Murakami - Where to start?



## Mugician (Jan 4, 2009)

I started reading _Kafka on the Shore_ about a year ago after giving in to two of my friend's incessant praise of the author, but the book (along with a huge notebook full of writing and other special things in my bag) was stolen, and I haven't really remembered to look for him while at book stores when I actually have money...

Should I find another copy of _Kafka_... or is there a better piece to start out on?

Thanks!


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## SevenWritez (Jan 4, 2009)

Find _Kafka On the Shore_ and finish it. It is excellent. Then read Murakami's _The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. _

Afterwards, I suggest David Mithchell's _Number9Dream_ and _Ghostwritten_, which are both heavily influenced by Murakami (Mitchell even drops the author's name in the narrative, though in which one I don't remember).

Haruki Murakami is a great writer. Glad someone else has mentioned him.


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## Mugician (Jan 4, 2009)

Thanks! I was hoping someone would say that, because I was definitely enjoying _Kafka._


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## hermitcrab (Feb 10, 2009)

Start with DANCE, DANCE, DANCE first.


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## Tarantula (Feb 23, 2009)

Kafka on the Shore is one of the greatest pieces ever written, followed by Wind up Bird Chronicles, Hardboiled Wonderland, anything by Murakami is worth reading. Even his stuff that isn't as far out there is fantastic.
Then you need to go out and find some Jonathan Carroll if you don't already know this. Sleeping in Flame, The Wooden Sea, Marriage of Sticks, they are all fantastic. These are books that I try to read slower than my usual pace because its always sad to close the last chapter. But Kafka on the Shore is a great place to start.


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## SevenWritez (Feb 23, 2009)

While on the subject of Japanese writers, I recently came across an excellent writer, Yukio Mishima. Aside from some of the best prose ever written (and translated from the original Japanese), his novels are like bite-sized chunks of wisdom. 

I'm very impressed with him and recently purchased the first novel of his tetralogy, which was the work in interviews he said would die once he finished. He committed ritual suicide (came from a Samurai family, if I remember correctly) immediately after completing the final work in the tetralogy.

I would suggest "The Sound of Waves" or "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea" as jumping boards into his writing. He's an amazing writer, and in the last two weeks I've read four of his works. I intend to start the tetralogy soon. But I don't want to overdose on him like I did Hemingway, so right now I'm reading "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" and after that I'll read "Everything is Illuminated." 

Once those two are done I'm jumping right back to Mishima.


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## Reluctant Hero (Mar 28, 2009)

I personally think Norweigan Wood is his best piece of work.  Outstanding.


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## Super Frog (Dec 26, 2009)

I'm reading _After the Quake_ right now. Very good read.


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