Questions About The Elephant Vanishes

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Answered Questions (3)

I'm currently reading this book and really agreed with all comments. It is also a kind of challenge to the reader to be put face to face with the absurdity of life. Do you find a book where he can offer a different approach? Writer Vargas LLosa described Murakami's writing as "frivolous"- lacking any serious purpose.

Ari Rosana,

Murakami is a writer that is not for every type of person. He has a very specific type of writing, like Quetin Tarantino has his very Tarnatin…moreRosana,

Murakami is a writer that is not for every type of person. He has a very specific type of writing, like Quetin Tarantino has his very Tarnatinish style, or Pink Floyd is very Pink Floyd and nothing else; He is that type of writer that you may think, is easy to read, but is not, is not the fast food of books, is not Dan Brown. Is neither extremely hard to read, like some classics, where people just assumes that they understand what the author wrote because they HAVE to, is a thing of pride between readers, like Fausto by Goethe, or even Kafka (You have people saying: this book is about... like they totally know what it is about, but we still swimming searching for answers in the middle of the Kafka ocean).

People can hate or love Murakami, that’s it, and that is going to happen to you. Those who are in between are never satisfy with his work, or can't understand his work. The in between, that for my is a chocolate with mint, doesn't work; I may eat it because is chocolate, but I rather not to because chocolate and mint don't go together, not for me.

If you read Murakami with the idea that you are going to understand everything that it is happening, then you are reading the wrong author. His books are not for the type of reader that likes everything like smash potatoes, neither for those that like clear explanations, big finales, nit lines. If you read his books, don't link yourself to what people say in other comments (not even this comment), don't link yourself to 'professional' reviews, don't get an idea of what to expect, just enjoy, like when you try a dish for the first time. If you are planning to eat something, but you believe the reviews that say that 50% of the people thinks that the dish taste like boogers, then is going to taste like boogers (and we don't even want to admit, but boogers have verily any flavor -I ate a few when I was a kid-). Vargas Llosa may be a good author, but his opinion about this author or any other author doesn't make him a good reader, because there is not a "good reader", that doesn’t exist. Like with boogers or chocolate and mint. I don't find Murakami "frivolous" all the opposite, it makes me wander inside/outside, a warm wandering; I don't think he lacks of purpose, for me, in my life, his books are full of purpose... I'm totally in love with Murakami’s work, but some times, like in love, I just want to slap him on the face (not literally of curse, is a figuratively use of my frustrated love with some of his paragraphs in some of his books ;) ).

Pick any other of his first books, maybe one of short stories that he writes/shares for The New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/contributors...), like Kino or Samsa in Love. And be ready to let your imagination create shapes and forms in an empty canvas. Let your mind paint what you read, imagine, imagine, and keep imagining, the color of the skin, the smells, flavors, face expressions, the tone of the voice, the description of spaces and no-spaces, and if there is something that you don't get, do a Vasili Kandinski type of thing, filling with lines and shapes that space that is full of "I don't get it"... then, just keep reading it, keep enjoying it. If after reading a few of the short stories you think you can take more, then move to a bigger book, if you don't get it at all, and Murakami is tasting like boogers, then don't read any more.(less)

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I'm currently reading this book. I just finished reading "Sleep". Goodness, so many questions!!! How about the ending? Anyone care to give their perspective? Thanks!

Gabriela Turkot Japanese writers don't have the same approach to literature as Western writers. The logic of the narrative don't correspond to our known arcs beginnin…moreJapanese writers don't have the same approach to literature as Western writers. The logic of the narrative don't correspond to our known arcs beginning-middle-ending, because of the differences between our world views. Time is not linear in their perspectives as it is in ours, as in the idea of past-present-future as we know it is from our Judaic-Christian society. I recommend the reading of The Japanese Concept of Space and Time by Kiyoshi Matsumoto for those who have interest in learning more about the Japanese world view. (less)

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I've always wanted to read Murakami's books, but I have never done so. For whoever have already read it, would "The Elephant Vanishes" be a good place to start with his work? Thank you

Jimson I would say read "After Dark". It is a short read and will serve as a perfect test whether Murakami's writing style is for you. If you end up not liki…moreI would say read "After Dark". It is a short read and will serve as a perfect test whether Murakami's writing style is for you. If you end up not liking it, probably you won't like the rest of his work. (less)

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