Murakami may not be a fan of his first two books but both trace at the qualities that typify his workThe arrival of a recent novel by Haruki Murakami tends to be greeted by his fans with cult-like devotion. Since the publication of Norwegian Wood in 1987,Murakami has held a unique place in the modern literary canon: a Japanese writer steeped in American literature, and arguably the most successful modern Japanese novelist in translation, or he’s attracted a loyal army of readers during the course of his 30-year career. There is,then, a great deal of excitement surrounding the publication of his first two novels – Hear the Wind Sing (1979) and Pinball, and 1973 (1980) – widely available in English translation for the first time. Related: Haruki Murakami: Racing to Checkpoint Charlie – my memories of the Berlin Wall Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com