The Japanese novelist established his international reputation as a writer with his novels, which are rooted in the American storytelling tradition and often take up aspects of detective fiction, fantasy and science fiction literature. In his novels, he draws a literary picture of his homeland with great humor. Haruki Murakami thus advanced to become one of the best-known authors of contemporary Japanese literature. Murakami, who received not only the highest Japanese but also several international literary prizes, such as the Franz Kafka Literature Prize in 2006, also works as a translator…
Haruki Murakami was born on January 12, 1949 in Kyoto.
Murakami’s parents, who both taught Japanese literature, moved with their son to a suburb of Kobe shortly after his birth. This move is likely to have had a lasting influence on Murakami’s literary work: in the Japanese port city, where many US marines were stationed, he was given access to American books early on. They interested him more than classical Japanese literature. Western influences shaped his later novels. Murakami studied drama and screenwriting at Waseda University from 1968. The student movement of the 1970s did not stop at Japan, the Vietnam War provoked anti-war sentiment at the universities, which also influenced Murakami. He completed his studies in 1973, after which he worked in a record store before opening a jazz bar – “Peter Cat” – in 1974, which he ran until 1982. He married Yoko right after his studies. In 1978, Murakami began writing. His first novel, Hear the Wind Sing, was published in 1979 and earned him the Gunzou Literature Prize for young authors.
The following year “Pinball, 1973” was published, both novels were only translated into English. Together with the work title “Wilde Schafsjagd” published in 1982, for which he won the “Noma Literary Prize” for young authors, the first three novels are referred to as the “Trilogy of the Rat”. In general, despite the award, the Japanese critics were not kind to him. The author’s western orientation, his turning away from the traditional Japanese language, made it easier for western readers to access the book and at least partly explained his success in Europe and America – his style became a challenge for the Japanese literary scene. In the 1980s, Murakami began translating the works of contemporary American writers, including John Irving, Paul Theroux and Truman Capote. He still does this job today. In 1985, “Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” was released, followed two years later by “Naoko’s Smile”. Often compared to J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the tale of hopeless love has sold four million copies in Japan alone.
After this publication, Murakami initially left Japan. In 1987 he moved to a Greek island with his wife and in 1991 to the USA. In 1991 he accepted a visiting professorship at Princeton University. The poison gas attack on the Tokyo subway and the 1995 Kobe earthquake prompted Murakami to return home. Interviews with victims of the attack and with members of the Aum sect have been published in Germany under the title “Underground War”. In addition to those mentioned, numerous other novels and collections of short stories were now available in Germany. The novels “Dangerous Beloved” (1992, German 2000) and “Dance with the Sheep Man” (1988, German 2002) followed. The erotic novel about the rekindling of childhood love earned him the prestigious Tanizaki Prize. The developmental novel “Kafka on the Beach” (Unibe no Kafuka) followed in March 2002. In 2006, Murakami received the Franz Kafka Literature Prize from the Franz Kafka Society in Prague.
What is the name of Haruki Murakami’s new book?
The new work “Erste Person Singular” by the Japanese master author Haruki Murakami has been published in Germany. The book consists of eight stories and each story contains a riddle. The novel was published by DuMont Verlag on January 25 and is now available everywhere.
What did Haruki Murakami write?
His debut novel “Pinball” was published in Japan in 1973 (in Germany only in 2015) as the first part of the “Trilogy of the Rat”. Murakami’s works that are better known in Germany include “Naoko’s Smile” (1987, German 2001), “Mister Aufziehvogel” (1995, German 1998), “Kafka on the Beach” (2002, German)
Which book was written by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami?
The Japanese writer Haruki Murakami has succeeded once again with his new novel “The Pilgrimage Years of the Colorless Mr. Tazaki”.
What is the name of a novel by Haruki Murakami?
Translated from the Japanese by Ursula Graefe. Afterdark – after a jazz number – is the name of Haruki Murakami’s latest novel.
What do I mean when I say running?
What I’m Talking About When I Talk About Running (Japanese走ることについて語るときに僕の語ること, hashiru koto ni tsuite kataru toki ni boku no kataru koto) is an autobiographical book by Haruki Murakami, in which he describes his career as a long-distance runner and records his development as a writer.
Does Murakami have children?
Do you have children? Murakami: No, my wife and I are family.
What language does Haruki Murakami write in?
Haruki Murakami (Japanese: 村上 春樹 Murakami Haruki; born January 12, 1949 in Kyoto) is a Japanese author of novels, short stories and non-fiction. His style is characterized by surrealistic elements and references to pop culture.
