NP: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

[rich]

Hi guys--

I found Wind-up Bird the best thing he's written--the scenes in Manchuria
and his musings sitting down in his well are pretty memorable (getting
skinned alive, how can that not be memorable?)

I really wasn't crazy about kafka on the shore--more magical realism that
seemed very flat to me

there's no one like pynchon--i've been looking for counterparts--definitely
not in today's writerly climate

p.s. re: amalgamation polka and civil war novels--read John Wray's Canaan's
Tongue which came out last year--much better than wright's book IMHO

rich


On 2/20/06, Bekah <bekah0176 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> A big part of WUBC is political,  about Japan's WWII experiences and
> crimes.  We don't really understand  because we're not coming from
> that perspective.
>
> Bekah
>
>
> At 3:28 PM +0000 2/20/06, Ghetta Life wrote:
> >I agree with you, Laura.  The WUBC is at times a "tease," hinting at
> >mystical meanings and conspiracies, but never really developing
> >them.  Only the battle in the other-worldly hotel really develops
> >into something other than a vague possibility.  And far too many
> >leads and hints go absolutely nowhere.   Some of this disconnect
> >might be cultural.  Mirakami does portray a sort-of pantheistic
> >all-species spirituality, which comes off better in his lastest
> >novel:  Kafka on the Shore.  This is a better book, but still not
> >great.
> >
> >Ghetta
> >
> >>From: kelber at mindspring.com
> >>
> >>Just finished reading "the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle," by Haruki
> >>Murakami.  When I was asking for reading suggestions a while back,
> >>a number of people on this list recommended it.  Also, the blurb on
> >>the back of the book compared it to Pynchon.  I have to say, I was
> >>really disappointed.  Aside from some historical flashbacks (which
> >>were the best part of the book) and a vague atmosphere of
> >>conspiracy, there was nothing Pynchonesque about it.  The writing
> >>was minimalist and the characters and conspiracy elements got way
> >>too close to being merely cute (ick).  The most telling difference:
> >>it's easy to imagine this as a flick; extremely difficult for
> >>Pynchon's work.
> >>
> >>Just curious to hear why people like this book so much.
> >
> >_________________________________________________________________
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>
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