Nonfiction: Who We're Reading When We're Reading Murakami by David Karashima

It was only after I had finished graduate school that I began to discover the writing of Haruki Murakami. It all started with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and ten other books later, I have finally gotten around to reading Norwegian Wood (and currently have Sputnik Sweetheart sitting on my 'to-read' shelf). When I saw the title of today's book, Who We're Reading When We're Reading Murakami by David Karashima, I was naturally curious. Murakami's rise to fame in the U.S. market is an interesting thing, much like his writing, and Karashima's book adds context and also answers many questions.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book that focuses mostly on Murakami's early work (Pinball, 1973; Hear the Wind Sing; A Wild Sheep Chase; Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World; The Elephant Vanishes; Dance Dance Dance; and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle), and the translators that helped bring them to an English-reading audience. Through research, interviews, and a few personal accounts, Karashima discusses Murakami's transition from having being beloved in his home-country of Japan and having a modest (though loyal) cult following in the U.S., to now being a literary superstar who is read around the world. While Karashima captures this history, he also manages to capture the personalities of the editors, translators, publishers, and even the author himself. With each section given a title that corresponds to the book(s) it is discussing, readers can follow along in the history of Murakami's work and rise to international fame.

My Verdict: As I looked at the chapter titles, I was immediately disappointed that this book was only going to go as far as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, which was published in English in the U.S. in 1997. Murakami has published many books since, and while I suppose having an equally thorough account of all of them would have made this book incredibly long, I was still hungry for the information. With that said, that is pretty much my only substantial issue with this book. It is interesting hearing from the translators and editors who tackled Murakami's work in an attempt to bring him over to an English-reading audience. Translation seems like hard, arduous work, so getting even a peak at the process is enlightening. And being able to hear from Murakami himself added to my own perception of him as an unassuming, somewhat shy, humble, yet ambitious writer. Anyone who is at all curious about this author's appeal and transition to the global market will hold the information Karashima presented as invaluable.

Favorite Moment: Although it is not one of my favorites, I appreciated learning about the process of translating and publishing the English version of Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Something about how they reconciled the two stories within the one book was incredibly interesting. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend The Age of Disenchantments by Aaron Shulman, a thorough exploration of the Paneros, one of Spain's most well-known literary families.