Tag Archives: Haruki Murakami

Bookish Talk

It’s Here!

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Killing Commendatore

After two long years waiting for the translation, Killing Commendatore is finally in my hands! Last night, as soon as I could, I drove to the closest bookstore and searched for a copy. At first, it was nowhere to be found. I got worried but then I spotted it. Three copies only!

I turned each page lovingly, to make sure the pages weren’t bent. I removed the book jacket to reveal the surprise cover underneath. All was intact and now it is happily in my hands. What you see below is what’s underneath the bright blue cover.

Killing Commendatore Cover Reveal

I’ve read a few pages already and within just nine pages Murakami managed to include a faceless man, cats, mysterious women friends and ear talk. Where is my bingo card?

Murakami Bingo Card

I am probably going to get this UK version too. The cover is so different from what we got here in the US. I think Chip Kidd only designed the US version though.

Killing Commendatore Alternate Cover

And under the UK cover:

Killing Commendatore UK Cover Reveal

Which do you prefer? The US cover on top? Or the UK cover on the bottom? Will you be picking up a copy?

Book Review

Review: Men Without Women (Stories)

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Men Without Women

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.