Today, on Japanese master storyteller Haruki Murakami’s birthday, we reach out to fans from Mumbai to recall their first encounters with his works, and pick their favourite books. From Norwegian Wood to his surreal later works, Murakami’s writing leaves a lasting imprint through mood, magic and introspection
Haruki Murakami. Pic Courtesy/Elena Seibert
After Dark
You never forget your first Murakami. Reading Norwegian Wood at 19 without a fully developed frontal lobe is an experience into itself. For the readers who continue to pursue the magic of Murakami, I would recommend trying the 2004 novel. Between a city that never fully sleeps and a woman who never fully wakes up, we explore a different side of Tokyo that comes to life after dark. I enjoyed the prose more than the story at times. It is easy to get lost in the world-building that leaves you with more questions than answers.
Garima Bhatt, marketing professional
What I Talk about When I Talk about Running
Haruki Murakami’s non-fiction gives us a sneak peek into his lifestyle. If you are familiar with his magical realism, then you’d be surprised to know how an optional act of suffering influences his writing. One of the key lessons from his book about how ‘creativity is a discipline and talent is limited’ has busted my myth of a creative block. A professional cannot afford having one. I began running for my physical fitness, but later it grew into me escaping reality momentarily. His books reflect the same immersive experience.
Shraddha Pednekar, interior designer
Kafka on the Shore
I like Murakami’s unconventional storytelling and masterful blend of reality and magical realism. This novel is a great example. I was especially taken by the themes of identity, solitude, and fate told through parallel stories that gradually intertwine in an unexpected way. Its dreamlike atmosphere, philosophical undertones, and surreal imagery make it a compelling read. I love all his works, but this one especially stayed with me.
Malabi Das, communications specialist
Killing Commendatore
Experiencing transcendence into the literary realm of magical realism is what reading works of Haruki Murakami feels like — from his flappy short story collections to his chunky novels. For me, this 2017 novel stands out as a masterpiece. Buckling up in a Subaru Forester, accompanied by a nameless narrator, a mysterious wealthy neighbour and an enigmatic idea and embarking on an uphill drive into a hauntingly isolated Japanese forest is an odyssey waiting to be explored. This novel is indeed a piece of art, a testament to Murakami’s unparalleled storytelling prowess.
Adwait Bhosale, medical student
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
I was away from home for the first time, and it was serendipitous to have my first Murakami novel fill my days while working on Wes Anderson’s Darjeeling Limited. My loneliness and my weirdness found a friend in Murakami. He makes the ordinary and the mundane, magical and dark, and sees people as deep wells, you never know what will float up. Microwaving rice pudding became a mystery under a lid. I wanted to be May Kasahara and Toru and the well. I am pieces of them all. The chapter ‘The Story of the Monkeys on Shitty Island’ is a cautionary tale till date.
Tess Joseph, casting director
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
I’d recommend this and A Wild Sheep Chase as they both spoke to me at different emotional periods in my life. At different times, they felt like they understood me. What stood out to me about this novel was how normal Tsukuru’s loneliness felt. He isn’t broken or dramatic; he’s just going through life carrying unanswered questions, and that felt very real to me. I remember finishing the book and feeling strangely calm, like it had put words to something I hadn’t fully processed yet.
Manjyot Singh, IT professional
A Wild Sheep Chase
Norwegian Wood was my first Murakami. I had found it in a bookstore once at the airport and I’d liked the gist at the back of the book. I’m so glad I picked it up, since it’s a great Murakami starter. My personal favourite, though, was the third book in the Trilogy of the Rat; it was Murakami at his peak. The story, the characters, the setting, the end — everything works well. The character of the Rat really spoke to me. He enters towards the end and has some wonderful lines and ideas, especially, about how fleeting life really is.
Udit Gor, chartered accountant
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