Book Chatter

Sunday Matters

Do they still give out gold stars for effort? There are many areas in my life right now where I am trying so hard and yet, doubt creeps in, I mope around, get a little angry and then, I am back to my normal self. What gives?

Right Now:

I’ve got coffee and the news is on. We are experiencing a little heat wave right now. When it’s warm in the morning, you know it’s going to be a hot day.

This Week:

Can you believe it’s time to think about Memorial Day plans? Doesn’t that blow your mind? It’s kind of exciting too because for us readers it’s time to think about our summer reading lists. Will I actually have a list this year? I sort of did last year but not the kind a reader dreams about.

Other than the weekend which is literally all I think about these days, not much is going on. School is ending soon for both of my kids and you guys, my daughter enters high school next year. I seriously can’t wrap my brain around that. When I started this blog, she was five. Five!

Reading:

I am reading Jo Nesbø’s new one, The Thirst which is book #11 in the Harry Hole series. Add to that, Summer Dance by Nan Rossiter which is a totally different read but highly anticipated!

Watching:

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Making:

Same as above. However, with this heat, kale salads and smoothie bowls sound pretty good.

Grateful for:

I had an unintentional mind break yesterday. Something I had planned didn’t work out so I used that time to just sit and think. Something I don’t get to do often.

What’s up with you?

Men Without Women
By Haruki Murakami, Translated by Philip Gabriel and Ted Goossen
Knopf Publishing Group, Hardcover, 9780451494627, May 9, 2017, 240pp.

The Short of It:

A collection of stories that embody everything you love about Murakami.

The Rest of It:

Murakami’s new book came out in Japan not long ago but those of us in the US must wait for the translation before we can eagerly dive in. Somehow, the Murakami Gods heard our cries and delivered to us a “new” story collection to tide us over.

However, it’s not all new.

One story in particular, which also happened to be my favorite, previously appeared in The New Yorker. As I was reading Scheherazade, it was vaguely familiar to me but you know what, it really didn’t matter that I had read it before because every time I pick up Murakami’s work, there’s always something new to discover.

You know that feeling you get when you walk into a bookstore and there is a finely curated shelf full of recommendations? That’s how I feel about this collection. I don’t know how much input he actually had in putting these stories together, but they all complement one another and include everything you love about Murakami. The angst, the food talk, the weird little quirks and it was just good to get this little taste of Murakami before the big release of his new book. This collection centers on men and their relationships with women. Some of the stories are more complex than others but all of them leave you pondering relationships in general.

Murakami is what I recommend any time someone says they are in a reading rut and I think many of you have read some of his books based on my eternal gushing. BUT IF YOU HAVEN’T, you must. I can’t accurately describe the feeling I get when I read one of his books but there’s this sense of one-ness that comes over me and suddenly nothing matters but the story in front of me.

Read this collection and then read Killing Commendatore when it comes out. No details on the US release as of yet.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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