/lit/ - Literature

I've read a few Murakami novels, but I wouldn't recommend any of them. A few, I'd even warn people not to read (1Q84, Windup Bird).

I think the strong opinions are a result of haruki's popularity:
A lot of people are praising it, possibly more than he deserves, for social purposes.
A lot of people are critical, possibly more than he deserves, as a reaction.

Try Ryu Murakami, Kobo Abe, Yukio Mishima, Kenzaburo Oe if you want a decent taste of postwar jap lit. There are relevant guides on the lit wiki. Haruki is a hack; I've never read him.

>>3844583
I really dislike when authors incorporate too much music into a novel- if no one's heard of it, it misses the point. If people have an opinion one way or the other, it ruins the message (eg omg Radiohead sucks stay pleblol)

They guy stopped being good after the mid-90s.

Just read his early stuff to see him at his best (which is actually pretty good).

>>3844604
I really adore Oe and have been meaning to read Abe and Tanizaki- I guess I was expecting something morose, but still surreal rather than characters that are all more or less the same living in a fantasy world

I enjoyed a few of his short stories. One of my favorites is "Super-frog Saves Tokyo." I've tried reading his novels but after a while it becomes boring. Also, his material tends to get repetitive. Cats, and music, and disconnected personalities

>>3844623
and spaghetti

Without knowing the original, you can't really experience it properly. And this goes for all translated pieces. You will always miss something, or otherwise lose.

>>3844647
I'm sure that's the case, but I can't be expected to pick up every language simply for reading purposes, so translations will have to do. Regardless, I don't think that there's some magical spark that was lost from language to language that turned a brilliant novel into an unextraordinary one

>>3844657
You're american aren't you?

>>3844647
You'll always miss something reading a work in the "original language" as well, dipshit, there's an element of entropy in the translation between all mediums, from the 16th century author's asshole to the manuscript or the reprinted mass paperback to your 21st century skull.

>>3844668
the edgy is strong within this one

>>3844555
"Dance, Dance, Dance", "Sputnik sweetheart" and "after dark" are all pretty awesome. And I feel about the same as you about "kafka on the shore", so I think you should check one of those out, you might like them as much as I did.

>>3844666
German. Why?

>>3844676
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

>>3844657
Boob.
You're really going to take this strong of a stance in a Murakami thread? Every Japanese speaker (like my waifu) I've talked to about Murakami describes his writing the exact same way that I uncultured, English only speaker does.
Come off it, mate.

The fedora:
>>3844689
was for
>>3844647

>>3844689
>>3844689
> Every Japanese speaker (like my waifu)

lol cmon son

>>3844693
and my native Japanese, dragonball Z cosplay friends

>>3844666
Not sure who replied in my stead, but yes- I speak a little German (not enough to read, though) and I'm working on French

>>3844671
As if this isn't
>>3844647
>>3844666

It's impossible not to "miss something", there's no way to replicate any sort of 'authentic experience', it's an idiotic thing to try to chase. Yes, a translation will have a large influence on the book, but its negligible compared to the infinitely uncontrollable inherent influences. All that's important is you, the individual, and your own experience with it. An objective, universally obtainable experience is impossible.

Anyway, nobody fucking reads Haruki in Japan, his audience is almost wholly foreign. Maybe he's just a shit writer and his translators are the true artistic geniuses, who knows? What difference does it make? And anyway #2, he does translations too, so I don't think mr. kafka agrees with you, but then again, who cares what he thinks considering his choice of works to translate serve as a prime example of his crap taste if you ever needed one.

>>3844702
Wie gehts? Common ca va? It's alright I probably know as much as you do.

>>3844703
the frustration is strong within this one. it's alright, you have your own opinions stick with them.

>>3844713
You're american aren't you?