Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

I have just recently finished reading Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. This book is split between two seemingly different ongoing stories that ultimately clash together. This is a very scientific-esque book that was very fun to read. Murakami's humor also adds a hint to the story that makes it even greater. Two quotes I thought were interesting:

"Chubby girls in pink tend to conjure up images of big strawberry shortcakes waltzing on a dance floor."

"No matter how tired the body gets, one must never let the exhaustion enter one's thoughts."

I love the fact that he mentions so much American musicians, actors, movies, novels, among others. I am overly impressed by his knowledge of them, ranging from Stendhal's The Red and The Black　to Lauren Bacall. He also mentions Bob Dylan's Rolling Like A River Stone and how his voice sounds like a "kid standing at the window watching the rain." Lovely.

He not only Americanizes in this book, but also on most of his other works, namely Norwegian Woodwhere he refers to the green light in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. No wonder Murakami preferred reading American novels than Japanese novels when he was a child.

Not only does he know an overwhelming amount of American things, but also Italian. In one point in this book, he writes a wide variety of Italian cuisine... IN ITALIAN! Spaghetti al pesto genovese is an example.

Because of the wide variety of references he writes in most of his novels, I feel like I learn more and more American pop culture and books and shows and all that jazz. And you might feel the same way too!

Go read it.

今日村上の「世界の終わりとハードボイルドワンダーランド」を読み終わりました。とにかくすごいノベルでした。二つのストーリがあってさいごに関連する。

おすすめです。