Better than expected
Verified buyer
The opening chapter sold me immediately. Recommended if the description sounds like your thing.
Samuel Fournier · 3/20/2026
$4.49
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Fiction & Sci-Fi
The Art of Fiction, No. 182
by Haruki Murakami
4.5 · 2 reviews · 2 copies sold
Ebook specifications
- Pages
- 31
- Reading time
- 1 hours
- File size
- 0.7 MB
- Published
- 3/8/2016
- ISBN
- —
- Formats
Book synopsis
In this illuminating interview, Haruki Murakami discusses the delicate balance between realism and the surreal that defines his internationally acclaimed body of work. From his early days running a jazz club to his breakthrough as a 'voice of a generation' with Norwegian Wood, Murakami reveals his unique creative process and his deep-seated debt to Western pop culture. The conversation explores his daily discipline, his perspective on writing as a form of waking dream, and his goal to merge the existential weight of Dostoevsky with the narrative drive of Raymond Chandler.
What you'll take away
- Discover the strategic shift Murakami made from cult surrealism to realism to reach a mainstream audience.
- Learn about the author's strict daily routine of early rising, long-distance running, and focused writing.
- Explore how Murakami utilizes 'easy words' and 'good metaphors' to explain complex, hermetic plots to his readers.
- Understand his unique 'waking dream' approach to drafting, where the ending is often a mystery to the author himself.
- Gain insight into his background as a jazz club owner and how Western media shaped his literary sensibility.
- See how living as a 'stranger' in the U.S. influenced the thematic depth of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.
#literary criticism
#creative writing
#surrealism
#japanese literature
#author interviews
#postmodern fiction
About the author
Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami is an internationally bestselling Japanese novelist and translator, widely recognized for works such as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore. Born in Kyoto and raised in Kobe, he is a recipient of the Yomiuri Literary Prize and has translated major American authors including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Raymond Carver into Japanese.
Customer reviews (2)
4.5
Based on 2 verified reviews
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Perfect for the commute
Verified buyer
A rare book that actually delivers what the description promises. Recommended if the description sounds like your thing.
Jason Chen · 2/9/2026
