Stacia Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I have said this to a few friends, actually. I'm a huge Murakami fan, but I agree that 1Q84 might not be the best one to start with if you've never read his work before. Unless you're really into surrealism and magical realism already. ;) I love surrealism & magical realism. But all of you knew that already... :D (Zillymom, I'm thrilled to see that my library now has A Tale for the Time Being. I'm on the waitlist. Not saying that it is surreal or magical realism, but I know you read it & loved it & I've been wanting to read it.) As I was reading more in it today, I realized one of the things I find so jarring about his style is the matter-of-fact way he has of talking about these things. It seems very clinical to me after having read countless romance novels. Every time it comes up, it is so shocking to my senses that it pulls me right out of the story. LOL "Magical realism" keeps being used to describe this book. I've never heard the terms. Could someone give me more examples? I take his style of discussing bOOks (or whatever our acronym here is) & such as being very Japanese -- very straightforward on these topics. Magical realism is including elements of the magical/unreal/unusual in a story like they are normal. So, for example, something ''strange'' (to us) happens but the characters in the story consider it "normal". Imo, much South American (or Latin American) writing has this style imbued in it. Even an autobiography I read (Waiting for Snow in Havana) had many descriptions that reminded me of a magical realism style. As I've discovered more surreal/magical realism from different areas of the world, I've enjoyed seeing the differences in style. Some examples: South American: Gabriel Garcia Marquez -- One Hundred Years of Solitude Isabel Allende -- The House of the Spirits Asian: Haruki Murakami -- 1Q84 or Kafka on the Shore (or many of his other books) North American: Jonathan Carroll -- Sleeping in Flame (or many of his other books) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_realism Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlbuchina Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I take his style of discussing bOOks (or whatever our acronym here is) & such as being very Japanese -- very straightforward on these topics. Magical realism is including elements of the magical/unreal/unusual in a story like they are normal. So, for example, something ''strange'' (to us) happens but the characters in the story consider it "normal". Imo, much South American (or Latin American) writing has this style imbued in it. Even an autobiography I read (Waiting for Snow in Havana) had many descriptions that reminded me of a magical realism style. As I've discovered more surreal/magical realism from different areas of the world, I've enjoyed seeing the differences in style. Some examples: South American: Gabriel Garcia Marquez -- One Hundred Years of Solitude Isabel Allende -- The House of the Spirits Asian: Haruki Murakami -- 1Q84 or Kafka on the Shore (or many of his other books) North American: Jonathan Carroll -- Sleeping in Flame (or many of his other books) http://en.wikipedia....i/Magic_realism I was wondering if the straightforward manner was a cultural thing. I'm really enjoying reading this, even if I do end up not liking the book. In other words, I'm enjoying branching out from my own cultural background and experiencing others. :) Thanks for the link. The closest I've come to reading this genre is sci-fi and fantasy. I'm so glad I'm branching out. I just love broadening my horizons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zillymom Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I love surrealism & magical realism. But all of you knew that already... :D (Zillymom, I'm thrilled to see that my library now has A Tale for the Time Being. I'm on the waitlist. Not saying that it is surreal or magical realism, but I know you read it & loved it & I've been wanting to read it.) Yay!! I really did love it. I do think there are glimpses of magical realism in it, but definitely not compared to the wild ride that Murakami takes his readers on. ;) Two people commented on my Amazon review for Tale for the Time Being, both recommending that I read her book My Year of Meats. I'll have to add it to my TBR pile, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith – I listened to this as an audiobook with a fantastic narrator. The ending was great and then the middle dragged a bit but by the end I was ready to put the next one on reserve at the library. A fun cozy mystery series that I’m the last one on earth to hear about. Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature –Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv – abandoned. I got three chapters in and I couldn’t relate to the author at all which is important in these type of non-fiction books. In Progress: Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (read aloud) Eiger Dreams by Jon Krakauer Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie (audiobook) The Devil in Music by Kate Ross Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut 2013 finished books: 35. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (****) 34. The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions by Meredith Gould (***) 33. Whom the Gods Love by Kate Ross (*****) 32. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (***) 31. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (****) 30. A Broken Vessel by Kate Ross (****) 29. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (****) 28. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (****) 27. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (****) 26. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (**) 25. Mrs. McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie (****) 24. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (***) 23. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey (***) 22. The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (*****) 21. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (*****) Amy's Rating System: ***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down **** - Very good *** - Enjoyable but nothing special ** - Not recommended * - Horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulainTx Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 This week I read A Fatal Winter by G.M. Malliet (53) and The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber. (54) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 I take his style of discussing bOOks (or whatever our acronym here is) & such as being very Japanese -- very straightforward on these topics. I'm not far into it but have already noticed the matter of fact manner he describes these things. I too thought it was probably cultural. Now that I'm a bit further I'm starting to get interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 I'm not far into it but have already noticed the matter of fact manner he describes these things. I too thought it was probably cultural. Now that I'm a bit further I'm starting to get interested. I'd be interested to hear your ultimate take on Murakami. I only read Hard-Boiled Wonderland, at dh's recommendation, and thought it was okay, but was somewhat put off by the science fiction elements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 14, 2013 Author Share Posted April 14, 2013 Link to week 16 - please continue conversation in new thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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