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markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
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 Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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| abufletcher wrote: |
It's frankly amazing to me that "a Japanese person" can communicate so little "Japaneseness" in extended writing! Actually, I keep asking myself if it is just the language of the (English) translation that's causing this effect. It's just such common conversational language, fun but very common. ....... I sure wish I had the ability to read it in Japanese. |
Don't forget however that he is writing for a Japanese audience so there is no need to ramp up the "Japaneseness" in order to establish some sort of credibility to the reader. |
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madeira
Joined: 13 Jun 2004
Posts: 182
Location: Oppama
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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But nobody eats Japanese food in his books! (Not much, anyways. The main characters are usually making spaghetti or toast.)
I enjoy reading Murakami, but I'm not sure he's a great writer. The books seem to have been assembled a bit randomly, like a tossed salad. The strange bits don't seem to have a purpose, except for being odd.
Why do we need a character who can talk to cats? Why a talking sheep? Who are the TV men?
Anyhow, fun reading. Hope David Lynch picks up the film rights to a few books soon, can't imagine anyone else who could deall with them. |
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isanity
Joined: 05 Nov 2004
Posts: 179
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Kafka on the Shore was self-indulgent tripe IMNSHO. I'm assured his others are better, but I'm not very encouraged to try them. Give me Oe and Soseki any day. |
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angrysoba
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 446
Location: Kansai, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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| markle wrote: |
| abufletcher wrote: |
It's frankly amazing to me that "a Japanese person" can communicate so little "Japaneseness" in extended writing! Actually, I keep asking myself if it is just the language of the (English) translation that's causing this effect. It's just such common conversational language, fun but very common. ....... I sure wish I had the ability to read it in Japanese. |
Don't forget however that he is writing for a Japanese audience so there is no need to ramp up the "Japaneseness" in order to establish some sort of credibility to the reader. |
Yes, but Kawabata and Mishima wrote for Japanese audiences and all they ever seemed to do was bang on about 'Japanese-ness'. The effect is quite alienating sometimes.
Personally, I like Tanizaki. Although he deals with alot of 'Japanese' themes too, he seems to be quite accessible. As Abu said about Murakami though, I don't know whether or not this comes down to an excellent translation. 'The Key' is a good novel to start with. |
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womblingfree
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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| I am a Cat is a great book. |
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Sweetsee
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Posts: 2302
Location: ) is everything
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:29 am Post subject: |
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| Anyone read Oe Kenzaburo's "A Personal Matter"? |
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abufletcher
Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 779
Location: Shikoku Japan (for now)
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:07 am Post subject: |
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| madeira wrote: |
| I enjoy reading Murakami, but I'm not sure he's a great writer. The books seem to have been assembled a bit randomly, like a tossed salad. The strange bits don't seem to have a purpose, except for being odd. |
I'd say it's DESIGNED to be like this. Murakami fits right into the traditional of other post-modernist novelists. The randomness and irrationality are part of that movement, a kind of refusal to be constrained by the norms of an orthodox novel, for example in terms of character development. |
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sallycat
Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 303
Location: behind you. BOO!
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:15 am Post subject: |
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| junajuna wrote: |
| Anybody ever checked out the other Murakami? Ryu? Look for Coin Locker Babies or Almost Transparent Blue. He's really good, just unfortunately not as famous. |
i liked Almost Transparent Blue. it was good, in an emotionally devastating way. however i gave up on Coin Locker Babies after !!SPOILER ALERT!! the chick with the pet crocodile started sticking pantyhose up her bum because she missed her boyfriend.
i find that always turns me off a novel.
or maybe it was an alligator not a crocodile. i forget.
anyway, murakami haruki. i liked his books until i realised that his main character was always the same guy. |
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Sonja23
Joined: 19 Feb 2006
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:28 am Post subject: |
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Hm... I have to disagree with Mishima and Kawabata being inaccessible. They may have been very wrapped up in their own culture but not to an extent that anyone 'not-Japanese' wouldn't be able to enjoy or understand their novels.
If you're looking for an author who is 'accessible', I would recommend Akutagawa Ryosuke (of Rashomon fame), specifically the novellette 'Kappa', which is a satirical look at society at that time (although the book supposedly pertains to Japanese society, I found it quite relevant to Western society, and society today, as well).
As for Murakami Haruki... I really used to enjoy him when I was a bit younger, but the more you read of him the more you find his books to be centred around the same themes, and they don't become as interesting as they once were. Nevertheless, I do read him every now and again if in the mood, read 'Kafka on the Shore' which... well, is alright. My favourite (at the time I read it I deemed it my favourite, not sure where it stands now) of his novels is probably 'Sputnik Sweetheart'. |
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luckyloser700
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
Posts: 308
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:45 am Post subject: |
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| sallycat wrote: |
anyway, murakami haruki. i liked his books until i realised that his main character was always the same guy. |
I won't pretend that I believe I'm on par with you guys intellectually, but I've read some of Murakami Haruki's stuff. I liked Norwegian Wood, but thought there was no way in hell Japanese women could be that crazy. But, after dating them for a couple of years I realized he might have downplayed how f***ing crazy they really are. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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I read 'Dance, dance, dance' which I found strange and surreal. The fantasy parts are very intertwined with some philosophical remarks about life in general. Some aspects of the book are very Japanese, but the main character's job (he is a restaurant critic) gives some insight into Murakami's thoughts about life and looking for meaning in what we do. Murakami himself is very political (and sadly very right wing), and you see a little of this in his writing when the main character goes to Hawaii, but not much.
Oe Kenzaburo is also good, very dark, and Natume Soseki is good too, though if you don't like philosophy and the meaning of life stories (and descriptions of trees and ponds that run 7 pages), you might want to give it a miss. |
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Synne
Joined: 06 Apr 2004
Posts: 269
Location: Tohoku
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| Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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| madeira wrote: |
| Anyhow, fun reading. Hope David Lynch picks up the film rights to a few books soon, can't imagine anyone else who could deall with them. |
Good god not another lost highway, the world had enough with just one! |
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