Each time I finish reading a book by Haruki Murakami I swear that I am not going to fall for his formula again. Just like Bollywood script-writers, Murakami too has a set of predictable ingredients in his books - a protagonist who loves eating / cooking, a least one cat, cocktails, jazz music, and a storyline that borders between the vague, the mysterious and the paranormal.
Men Without Women is not a full blown novel but a collection of short stories. It is, as the blurb, says pithily - "...about the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are lovesick doctors, students, ex-boyfriends, actors, bartenders, and even Kafka’s Gregor Samsa, brought together to tell stories that speak to us all."
Stories that speak to us all? I am not so sure about that, but then maybe I am just an outlier, a literary junkie who returns returns every now and then for his Murakami fix, to escape the dreary world of non-fiction.
What I love about Murakami's writing is the way it seems to anticipate and guide a readers sense of curiosity. I like the way it describes the familiar cityscapes of Japan - especially Tokyo, and most of all I enjoy the way it introduces you to music - especially jazz classics. As in - “His voice was low and smooth and reminded me of Barry White’s music...” At this point I can read no further until I have searched the net and found out what is so 'low and smooth' about Barry White's music!
In this collection of seven short-stories, I liked "Kino" the best. This one follows the oft repeated, semi-biographical theme of a guy who tries to reboot his life by setting up a bar, on a street behind the Nezu Museum. It is also the story with the largest collection of jazz classics.
Once again I have finished reading the book by telling myself that I am not going to touch another Murakami. It is a promise I am bound to break in a few months.
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LINKS
* Music from the book "Men Without Women":
> Barry White - Greatest Hits - https://youtu.be/Re_f1UOWyNg
> Coleman Hawkins - "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" - amazing bass solo by Major Holley - https://youtu.be/Ylf7s2_tOxo
> Billie Holiday - "Georgia on my mind" -- https://youtu.be/QkYt9r_B8Qw
> Erroll Gardner- "Moonglow" -- https://youtu.be/yLWbuDFSZ58
> Buddy DeFranco - "I Can't Get Started" -- https://youtu.be/AiqLALvz8Sc
> Teddy Wilson
> Vic Dickenson
> Buck Clayton
> Ben Webster - solo " My Romance" -- https://youtu.be/mgBdid4aFgI
> Rock or Blues - Derek and the Dominos, Otis Reading, The Doors
> Clifford Brown's solos (jazz)
> Percy Faith - "A Summer Place" --(Greatest Hits) - https://youtu.be/DOko--B4CNo
> Francis Lai - "13 Jours en France" -- https://youtu.be/Qz6R9zEfzd0
> 101 Strings - All tracks - https://youtu.be/4Yd2PzoF1y8
> Paul Mauriat - Greatst hits - https://youtu.be/vEAiwmVkL-U
> Billy Vaughan - https://youtu.be/tUJPg3wa1LU
> Frank Chacksfield - Top tracks - https://youtu.be/VATF93NMujk
> Raymond Lefévre - https://youtu.be/B2M6FYWkB8A
> Montovani - https://youtu.be/e7gMxhVPgCs
> Henry Mancini - "Moon River" - waiting around the bend, my Huckleberry friend... https://youtu.be/WZ8j-X1hq1I
> New -- Gorillaz https://youtu.be/uAOR6ib95kQ of Black Eyed Peas - https://youtu.be/vMLk_T0PPbk
* 2009 post - "Music and Murakami" - https://dinakarr.blogspot.com/2009/07/music-murakami.html
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