Murakami & Anniversaries

Hey all,
On Tuesday night I was able attend the 2 year anniversary of The Hard Boiled Book Club at Sam Weller's Books. I'm one of the few who remember when the book club first started in March 2008. At the time I worked with the moderator Zach Sampinos and figured it would be interesting. Unfortunately at the time I had to work on Tuesday nights so I wasn't able to attend, which bummed me out. However 5 months later my scheduled changed and Tuesday nights opened up. I've been going monthly ever since because it's a good time as well as stretching what I read fiction-wise.

As part of the celebrations there were libations and prizes. Unfortunately I was an utter failure at the Murakami trivia, but I still gained a book as a pity prize. I've definitely been shamed enough that I'll be prepared next time. Zach definitely needs to come up with a plan B if we all suck at the quiz. He was noticeably flummoxed and I don't think it was the booze.

A fun time was had by all as we talked about The Elephant Vanishes by Harucki Murakami, which is a group of short stories featuring the mystical and surreal. I've been apprehensive because I was worried about the translation into English, but I think his dream-like writing style allows for a lack of specification. In fact the majority of the male characters in these stories are literally floating through their lives. They are unemployed, newly-single, working at dead-end jobs, or trying to figure out how an elephant disappeared. The timelessness of their lives lends more to character's going through there own internal emotional pondering. Murakami seems not to be interested in plot at all. Rather he's interested in character studies and rich interior monologue.

As lyrical as his prose is, what I enjoyed the most about this collection was the fact that I had no idea what would happen next. The moment I thought a story would take an awful turn, it never did. I was surprised again and again which is fantastic. Like the concept of a vanishing elephant Murakami is able to see outside the box. I'll admit that it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm willing to try one of his novels. I'm certainly intrigued.