Having finished Haruki Murakami's new book After Dark, my love of his writing has been re-ignited. I went to a great local bookstore to find a new book to read, which is normally a difficult task after finishing a good one. The thing I love about this particular bookstore is that they only have a few shelves of books but each book is chosen carefully by the owner - who incidentally has remarkably good literary taste (which is perhaps an indirectly egotistical thing to say because by this I am saying that I like her taste, so to suggest that she has great taste is to say that I do too - I suppose we can only work from what we enjoy!) Anyway.... I like going there because I know I can pick up any book on the shelves and know that there is a very good likelihood that I will enjoy it. Also, the owner is always happy to have a chat and recommends books that she has particularly enjoyed.
I came away from my recent visit with three new books. One was a yoga book from the sale table. One was Haruki's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, which is a collection of his short stories. I am not normally a lover of short stories because they often leave me wanting more than is contained in each story but I started this one by reading his introduction where he explained his joy at writing short stories and that he always writes a series of short stories after a novel. As you would expect, some of the themes from short stories re-emerge in his novels - I am expecting that it will be a nice experience to read a story that has in concept been part of a much-loved book. It might be like revisiting as an adult a place that was full of memories from childhood. Looking at things through a different set of eyes - eyes with more knowledge and that know what will happen whereas the ones that saw before were seeing for the first time. Thinking about it now, I always loved fairy tales and stories as a young girl and it is a shame to lose that as we get caught up in reading novels as adults. It seems somehow frivolous to read a short story but what a joy a good one is.
The other book I got was Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. The owner of the store said it was her favourite book and that Tom Robbins is to her, similar to Haruki Murakami. I love reading books that people recommend as their favourite (well, if I enjoy their taste in literature) It is always so interesting to hear what books people have chosen as their favourites, particularly as the favourite was normally read some time ago and has forged itself into their consciousness to stay with them for that long. I dont know if I could narrow down my favourites to a single book but might be able to get to 5. I will have to think about what they are.
I came away from my recent visit with three new books. One was a yoga book from the sale table. One was Haruki's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, which is a collection of his short stories. I am not normally a lover of short stories because they often leave me wanting more than is contained in each story but I started this one by reading his introduction where he explained his joy at writing short stories and that he always writes a series of short stories after a novel. As you would expect, some of the themes from short stories re-emerge in his novels - I am expecting that it will be a nice experience to read a story that has in concept been part of a much-loved book. It might be like revisiting as an adult a place that was full of memories from childhood. Looking at things through a different set of eyes - eyes with more knowledge and that know what will happen whereas the ones that saw before were seeing for the first time. Thinking about it now, I always loved fairy tales and stories as a young girl and it is a shame to lose that as we get caught up in reading novels as adults. It seems somehow frivolous to read a short story but what a joy a good one is.
The other book I got was Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. The owner of the store said it was her favourite book and that Tom Robbins is to her, similar to Haruki Murakami. I love reading books that people recommend as their favourite (well, if I enjoy their taste in literature) It is always so interesting to hear what books people have chosen as their favourites, particularly as the favourite was normally read some time ago and has forged itself into their consciousness to stay with them for that long. I dont know if I could narrow down my favourites to a single book but might be able to get to 5. I will have to think about what they are.
3 comments:
This would be an interesting list I guess. I do not know Mr. Murakami nor Mr. Robbins and have no idea about their writing. Thinking it over I find that it is a long time since I read a novel, maybe Eco's Nome della rosa? I read daily but it is all non-fictional work-related stuff.
It is a fine thing to have a real book-store available where one can sit and read, have little chat and look around the shelves. Like the library that was my living room for some time.
? Hallo, just asking ...
That sounds like a great bookstore.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love visiting with people from other parts of the world and expanding my horizons. I'm glad to *meet* you!
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