2 posts tagged “rat”
Synopsis: "Like many of Murakami Haruki's English reading fans, I read A Wild
Sheep Chase and Dance Dance Dance without knowledge that the former
book was the third in a trilogy and that the latter book was an
addition that came a few years later. However, if the reader pays
closer attention to A Wild Sheep Chase one can really see that the
characters within the book seem to be established and that they already
have their personal histories which are not coming completely new from
the pages of A Wild Sheep Chase. Almost a year after picking up A Wild
Sheep Chase for the first time, I read Jay Rubin's highly informative
book Haruki Murakami & the Music of Words and learned about
Murakami's first two novels: Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973 both
of which had been translated into English by Alfred Birnbaum.
Hear the Wind Sing begins with the narrator, aged 29, talking about writing and how difficult it was for him to finally put down words on paper. It took him eight years in fact to put down his thoughts on the summer of 1970 and the people he was involved with during that year. Why 1970? 1970 was the year after the student activist group the Zenkyoto was forced out of the building they had commandeered and soon afterwards those who had been its greatest supporters were sucked back into the system to become automatons of mainstream society. For Murakami, the destruction of the student movement left a deep wound in his being and it pained him to see his fellows go to a more conservative, rightist path.
However, within the being of the narrator it might be hard to find a politically charged individual. This is instead found within the being of the narrator's best friend the Rat. Yet, the Rat's sense of aggravation towards modern society is quite impotent, so he instead fills his emptiness with beer and liquor. The Narrator, a more introspective fellow, spends his time consumed in the books of dead writers, the memories of his dead girlfriend, and pursuing the girl with four fingers on her left hand.
At the time he wrote this thin tome, Murakami owned a jazz bar called the Peter Cat and had little time for actual writing so his sentences within this volume tended to be quite pithy. Also, the short, pithy styles of Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan influenced his writing. The book itself is more a collection of vignettes than one coherent novel and the order of the book was originally quite different that the final version.
While it does not hold a candle to some of his later works, Murakami's first novel is quite important in his body of work and it shows his early interest in such subjects as language, memory, China, and the student movement. Definitely a book worth seeking for the Murakami fan, hopefully, one day, along with Pinball, 1973, it will be given a wider release to Murakami's English reading fans." (by Michael W.)
Rating: 5 of 5 stars.
Hear the Wind Sing begins with the narrator, aged 29, talking about writing and how difficult it was for him to finally put down words on paper. It took him eight years in fact to put down his thoughts on the summer of 1970 and the people he was involved with during that year. Why 1970? 1970 was the year after the student activist group the Zenkyoto was forced out of the building they had commandeered and soon afterwards those who had been its greatest supporters were sucked back into the system to become automatons of mainstream society. For Murakami, the destruction of the student movement left a deep wound in his being and it pained him to see his fellows go to a more conservative, rightist path.
However, within the being of the narrator it might be hard to find a politically charged individual. This is instead found within the being of the narrator's best friend the Rat. Yet, the Rat's sense of aggravation towards modern society is quite impotent, so he instead fills his emptiness with beer and liquor. The Narrator, a more introspective fellow, spends his time consumed in the books of dead writers, the memories of his dead girlfriend, and pursuing the girl with four fingers on her left hand.
At the time he wrote this thin tome, Murakami owned a jazz bar called the Peter Cat and had little time for actual writing so his sentences within this volume tended to be quite pithy. Also, the short, pithy styles of Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan influenced his writing. The book itself is more a collection of vignettes than one coherent novel and the order of the book was originally quite different that the final version.
While it does not hold a candle to some of his later works, Murakami's first novel is quite important in his body of work and it shows his early interest in such subjects as language, memory, China, and the student movement. Definitely a book worth seeking for the Murakami fan, hopefully, one day, along with Pinball, 1973, it will be given a wider release to Murakami's English reading fans." (by Michael W.)
Rating: 5 of 5 stars.
Synopsis: A linked series of animal tales by Kenneth Grahame, considered a
classic of English children's literature. The book was begun as a
series of bedtime stories for Grahame's son and was published in 1908.
The tales relate the adventures of four animal friends and neighbors in
the English countryside--Mole, Rat, Toad (of Toad Hall), and Badger.
Although the animals converse and behave like humans, each creature
also retains its distinctive animal habits. (from The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature)
Impressions: Been somewhat busy since school has been somewhat taxing. Finished listening to Kenneth Grahame's children's book The Wind in the Willows via Librivox. I think it is a book that should rather be told and have listened to than simply be read. The characters and their voices and their personalities can all be enjoyed that way. It was nice and I Iiked hearing all the different versions of Toad that Librivoxers helped to create. The story began focusing on the adventures of Mole and his introduction to the Water Rat. Living a pleasant life next to the ever-flowing, babling brook, travelling forever on-- Telling tales of sweet tomorrows, very calming. Somewhat poetic. I liked Grahame's use of language. Reminded me of one of my other favorite authors: Brian Jacques. Story then introduced characters of Badger and Toad. I soon began to remember that long, long ago I had seen this story remade into a cartoon on PBS some early Saturday or Sunday morning. The reckless Toad and his dangerous addiction to speed and motorcars. His character seemed unchanging, though funny, but very banal and simple-- arrogant and want of correction. Has adventure, sent to prison, escapes through cunning, trickery, returns home to friends Badger, Mole, and Water Rat. However, must recaputure Toad Hall from Stoats and Ferrets. The story concluded with the victorius reacquisition of the mansion and a party celebrating their deeds. A changed Toad at last. Somewhat simple story but interesting. Light-humored at times.
Rating: 3 of 5 stars.
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Impressions: Been somewhat busy since school has been somewhat taxing. Finished listening to Kenneth Grahame's children's book The Wind in the Willows via Librivox. I think it is a book that should rather be told and have listened to than simply be read. The characters and their voices and their personalities can all be enjoyed that way. It was nice and I Iiked hearing all the different versions of Toad that Librivoxers helped to create. The story began focusing on the adventures of Mole and his introduction to the Water Rat. Living a pleasant life next to the ever-flowing, babling brook, travelling forever on-- Telling tales of sweet tomorrows, very calming. Somewhat poetic. I liked Grahame's use of language. Reminded me of one of my other favorite authors: Brian Jacques. Story then introduced characters of Badger and Toad. I soon began to remember that long, long ago I had seen this story remade into a cartoon on PBS some early Saturday or Sunday morning. The reckless Toad and his dangerous addiction to speed and motorcars. His character seemed unchanging, though funny, but very banal and simple-- arrogant and want of correction. Has adventure, sent to prison, escapes through cunning, trickery, returns home to friends Badger, Mole, and Water Rat. However, must recaputure Toad Hall from Stoats and Ferrets. The story concluded with the victorius reacquisition of the mansion and a party celebrating their deeds. A changed Toad at last. Somewhat simple story but interesting. Light-humored at times.
Rating: 3 of 5 stars.
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