1Q84 by Haruki Murakami - A Discussion - Page 2

taosaur · 10-27-2011, 06:28 AM

I've only read Kafka on the Shore and listened to Dance, Dance, Dance as an audiobook. The first I liked well enough but was by no means blown away, but the second I enjoyed thoroughly, despite it demanding a bit more attention than most works I'd pick up as audio.

odiakkoh · 10-27-2011, 08:07 AM

I feel like such a bad jap for not liking him but I just can't get into his books lol. Maybe if I listen to you guys it'll turn me around.

kennyc · 10-27-2011, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

I feel like such a bad jap for not liking him but I just can't get into his books lol. Maybe if I listen to you guys it'll turn me around.

Hee-hee. Well, I'm new to the guy, but I am seeing the appeal to the American reader....not so sure about the Japanese unless it's an interest in "American trappings/sayings/mannerisms/meanings..."

taosaur · 10-27-2011, 01:16 PM

I think part of the appeal for Americans is the familiarity of the culture, the way he depicts it. Murakami's '80s/'90s/'00s Japan could almost be Ohio or California in the same era, except for subtle differences, and that experience of the text only heightens the 'hidden world' tropes that seem so central to his work.

seajewel · 10-27-2011, 01:33 PM

I've read several of his works. Surprised, Dr. Drib, that you haven't read Norwegian Wood. It was the first book I read by him and still my favorite.

Dr. Drib · 10-27-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seajewel

I've read several of his works. Surprised, Dr. Drib, that you haven't read Norwegian Wood. It was the first book I read by him and still my favorite.

I have it as a trade edition, boxed up and waiting to be read. Being a huge Beatles fan, I too am surprised that I have yet to read it.

Don

Quexos · 10-27-2011, 05:41 PM

You probably have East European fonts installed on your computer, I have no other explanation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Interestingly, when I ran it through calibre and checked to see what it looked like, using calibre's reader, I had the same thing happen.

When I copy/pasted it to my desktop and used Sony's Reader Library application to view, there was no problem at all. There's also no problem on my nook.

Don

kjk · 10-27-2011, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

I dont have any background on this writer at all. What is it about him that you like? Also, which of his novels would you recommend I read first?

imho;
Norwegian Wood is very accessible.
Hard Boiled Wonderland and Windup Bird are more fantastical, and great examples of his magic realism/strange worlds approach.
Kafka is kind of in-between-more accessible than Wind up, but also rather magical.
After Dark is a pretty big departure for him, I think, almost like a teleplay or movie script.

Love all his work (except can't get into his running one

)

seajewel · 10-27-2011, 06:51 PM

I agree that Norwegian Wood is very accessible. a lot of his works have more fantastical elements as you noted, but Norwegian Wood does not have that, and was one of his most popular works as I recall.

Latinandgreek · 10-27-2011, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quexos

I got this book and it seems I can't properly display a recurring word, the name of an author: Janáček

It shows as Janá?ek ...
Anyone knows how to fix this ?

When I read it on my T1 in the original font č showed up as a ?. When I changed the font to Frutiger Neue the č showed up normally. This probably isn't much help to you, sorry, but I thought I'd mention it in case you found a way to embed fonts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by seajewel

I've read several of his works. Surprised, Dr. Drib, that you haven't read Norwegian Wood. It was the first book I read by him and still my favorite.

I have read all of Murakami's works that I could get in English, including Pinball 1973, most of them several times. I'm still trying to get a copy of Hear the Wind Sing. Norwegian Wood still remains my favourite, up there with "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle".

I'm so happy to finally be reading 1Q84; I've been waiting for it for a looooong time. I've been so busy working overtime at work to correct other people's mistakes that I haven't had much time to read these past few days, and it doesn't look like it will let up any time soon.... I'm off to take advantage of the few moments of silence that I have left tonight.

Quexos · 10-29-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

When I read it on my T1 in the original font č showed up as a ?. When I changed the font to Frutiger Neue the č showed up normally. This probably isn't much help to you, sorry, but I thought I'd mention it in case you found a way to embed fonts.

It could be of help if you told me how one changes fonts, for I could try it on my 650 ...

BenG · 10-29-2011, 09:13 PM

The Sony's font does not handle non-standard characters well. In cookbooks with "3/4" as a single character it shows up as a "?".

taming · 10-30-2011, 06:31 PM

I just bought it from Kobo ($12.59 CAD all in with tax due to 20% discount coupon). All three books are included. Janáček is fine using the Delima font I normally use.

Dr. Drib · 10-30-2011, 08:01 PM

Ok, I'm now 20% into the book and loving it.

I can't read as rapidly as I used to, now that I have a family and new baby, but I'm going to post some thoughts on the book sometime tomorrow.

Don

kennyc · 10-30-2011, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Ok, I'm now 20% into the book and loving it.

I can't read as rapidly as I used to, now that I have a family and new baby, but I'm going to post some thoughts on the book sometime tomorrow.

Don

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10-27-2011, 06:28 AM	#16
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	I've only read Kafka on the Shore and listened to Dance, Dance, Dance as an audiobook. The first I liked well enough but was by no means blown away, but the second I enjoyed thoroughly, despite it demanding a bit more attention than most works I'd pick up as audio.

10-27-2011, 08:07 AM	#17
odiakkoh Guru Posts: 823 Karma: 1818344 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: iPhone 5s	I feel like such a bad jap for not liking him but I just can't get into his books lol. Maybe if I listen to you guys it'll turn me around.

10-27-2011, 01:16 PM	#19
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	I think part of the appeal for Americans is the familiarity of the culture, the way he depicts it. Murakami's '80s/'90s/'00s Japan could almost be Ohio or California in the same era, except for subtle differences, and that experience of the text only heightens the 'hidden world' tropes that seem so central to his work.

10-27-2011, 01:33 PM	#20
seajewel Fanatic Posts: 589 Karma: 1451235 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PRS-950	I've read several of his works. Surprised, Dr. Drib, that you haven't read Norwegian Wood. It was the first book I read by him and still my favorite.

10-27-2011, 06:51 PM	#24
seajewel Fanatic Posts: 589 Karma: 1451235 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PRS-950	I agree that Norwegian Wood is very accessible. a lot of his works have more fantastical elements as you noted, but Norwegian Wood does not have that, and was one of his most popular works as I recall.

10-29-2011, 09:13 PM	#27
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	The Sony's font does not handle non-standard characters well. In cookbooks with "3/4" as a single character it shows up as a "?".

10-30-2011, 06:31 PM	#28
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	I just bought it from Kobo ($12.59 CAD all in with tax due to 20% discount coupon). All three books are included. Janáček is fine using the Delima font I normally use.

10-30-2011, 08:01 PM	#29
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,611 Karma: 60184181 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	Ok, I'm now 20% into the book and loving it. I can't read as rapidly as I used to, now that I have a family and new baby, but I'm going to post some thoughts on the book sometime tomorrow. Don