Weekly Classics Discussions

Haruki Murakami

❝If you remember me, then I don't care if everyone else forgets.❞

-- Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer, who was born in 1949. His novels, essays, and short stories have been bestsellers in Japan and internationally, and have been translated into 50 different languages.

Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by western culture, particularly by Western and Russian music and literature. He grew up reading a wide range of works by European and American writers. Murakami began to write his own fiction when he was 29, and these western influences played a large role in distinguishing Murakami from the majority of other Japanese writers.

Most of Haruki Murakami's works use first-person narrative in the tradition of the Japanese I Novel. He states that because family plays a significant role in traditional Japanese literature, any main character who is independent becomes a man who values freedom and solitude over intimacy. Murakami's unique humor, and comments that come from the main characters as to how strange the story presents itself, are also notable features of his writing, even when the tone is more somber.

Discussion Questions:

-Have you ever read or written something influenced by a culture that wasn't native to the author or you? What culture influenced it?

-What's something from another culture that has inspired you?

-If you've read any of Murakami's works, which is your favorite, and why?

We of course welcome additional discussion and comments about Murakami and his works.

If there is another author you would like to see a discussion on, please post your suggestion in the comments below for a chance to be featured in a future chapter!

Resources:

https://www.harukimurakami.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruki_Murakami