Haruki Murakami's collection of twenty-four stories gathers work from over a decade. Among them are "The Ice Man", about a woman who marries a man made of ice, "Birthday Girl", in which a waitress is given a wish by her boss, and "Tony Takitani", about a lonely illustrator and a woman who loves clothes. The title story follows a young man who accompanies his cousin to a hospital in Japan, where they talk about a past event. Murakami mixes the everyday with the strange.
Readers who like Murakami's novels will find shorter versions of his themes: loneliness, memory and sudden magic. It is also a good starting point for newcomers who want to test his style in short episodes.
Deep, inward-looking, open-ended and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2006
- Language
- EN
