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Since I plan on picking up another Murakami novel soon, which one would y'all recommend? So far, I'm leaning towards either Norwegian Wood or The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I know some of you have been reading some Murakami lately, so I'd really appreciate some suggestions.
Personally, I liked The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle a little more, but Norwegian Wood is absolutely worth reading.
My copy of Norwegian Wood (Jay Rubin translation) has a translator's note at the very end that gives a bit of background that may help you make your decision:
Once you read those two you will be well on your way to being able to play Haruki Murakami bingo
Thanks man! I really appreciate your help and input. It sounds like I'll end up reading both, but I might just start with
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Haha, having read
Sputnik Sweetheart, I can already see what Murakami Bingo is all about. Seems like I should put that image on a chessboard as soon as I get to my next Murakami novel.
However, it will probably take a little while until I pick up another Murakami, for the sole reason that I finally started reading
2666. It's the only major Bolano work I haven't read so far. I'm already 130 pages in and I hope to power through all 1200 pages until about Christmas. I've been thinking about the perfect time period to read
2666 ever since I finished
The Savage Detectives and last week I just walked into my local bookstore, read a couple of pages and figured I might as well do it now. I got exams coming up, winter is approaching and I kinda felt like reading a book that would take me down a rabbit hole. They didn't have copies of
Norwegian Wood or
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, so I just stuck with good ol' Bolano. So far, I'm really liking
2666. I'm halfway through the first of five parts and it already feels very Bolanoesque. We'll see if that changes as soon as I get to the infamous part about Juarez murders.