The Reader’s Nook - The N&G Book Thread

[TCell]

Has anyone read The Night Circus? I'm in an MFA program and it's on the book list for the course I'm taking next term. It seems a little outside my normal wheelhouse, but there isn't much else on there that is calling out to me. The only other one two I am considering are Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake and Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. If anyone has anything to say about any of those, I'd be glad to hear it!

I've read The Night Circus and Oryx and Crake. I really enjoyed both. Night Circus reminded me of Neil Gaiman novels in terms style of writing and that it's fantasy. O&C is sharply written dystopian fiction. I suppose O&C is a little more high brow, but Night Circus was a faster read. Can't go wrong with either.

 

[Psymon]

Perfect, thank you...I’ll start there. I want to eventually tackle 1Q84, have you read it?

Nope, the hardcover is on my shelf. Haven’t read it because it is so big it’ll be uncomfortable to hold in bed haha. My fave is Kafka. I have read a number of his other books if you’re ever interested, but to be honest, after a couple Murakami, I’d suggest a few other Japanese authors to you.

 

[kvetcha]

I’m currently reading Haruki Murakami - The Elephant Vanishes...I’m kind of hooked on him at the moment but haven’t read any of his novels yet just short stories. Any fans here? Where should I start?

I’m a Norwegian Wood fan.

 

[Psymon]

I’m a Norwegian Wood fan.

Great soundtrack to the film, too. I’d add that NW is very different in theme and style from Murakami’s other work. It’s a more realist novel than his usual postmodern, dream-like writing.

 

[Shellytakeabow]

Nope, the hardcover is on my shelf. Haven’t read it because it is so big it’ll be uncomfortable to hold in bed haha. My fave is Kafka. I have read a number of his other books if you’re ever interested, but to be honest, after a couple Murakami, I’d suggest a few other Japanese authors to you.

Lol...same for me too! I did find 1Q84 broken down into three volumes so I might eventually snag that. Who else would you recommend?

 

[Joe Mac]

I love Norwegian Wood and Kafka On The Shore. Also a big fan of Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years Of Pilgrimage. South of the Border, West Of The Sun is a really moving short novel too. But 1Q84 is his masterpiece for me, it delivers everything that is best about Murakami in one place!

 

[Shellytakeabow]

I love Norwegian Wood and Kafka On The Shore. Also a big fan of Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years Of Pilgrimage. South of the Border, West Of The Sun is a really moving short novel too. But 1Q84 is his masterpiece for me, it delivers everything that is best about Murakami in one place!

Thanks Joe MAC! Looks like I should start with NW and Kafka first based on what all of you are saying.

 

[Joe Mac]

Thanks Joe MAC! Looks like I should start with NW and Kafka first based on what all of you are saying.

Norwegian Wood is a good starting point imo. Eases you in to his style. Kafka on the Shore is that bit more surreal, which is great too, but maybe second lol!

 

[Alexander]

Thanks Joe MAC! Looks like I should start with NW and Kafka first based on what all of you are saying.

I loved Norwegian Wood. I'd highly recommend starting with that.

 

[Psymon]

I love Norwegian Wood and Kafka On The Shore. Also a big fan of Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years Of Pilgrimage. South of the Border, West Of The Sun is a really moving short novel too. But 1Q84 is his masterpiece for me, it delivers everything that is best about Murakami in one place!

Yeah South of Border West of the Sun is great. First Murakami I read back in college, actually, and it started my dive into Japanese lit.

 

[Psymon]

Lol...same for me too! I did find 1Q84 broken down into three volumes so I might eventually snag that. Who else would you recommend?

Off the top of my head: Mishima, Spring Snow; Yoshimoto, Kitchen; Kawabata, Thousand Cranes; Abe, The Ruined Map. I’ll have a look at the shelf later and see what I’m missing.

 

[LeSamourai]

I'm usually reading about 10 books at any time (yeah, I'm weird), but of what I have going right now the best fiction books are Don Winslow's The Border (huge-scale War on Drugs thriller) and Ted Chiang's Exhalation (sci-fi short stories from the author of the story Arrival was based on).

Of books I finished recently, I really liked Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace (in fact, more than Handmaid's Tale) and Cixin Liu's Three Body Problem trilogy, and Mariana Enriquez's supremely disturbing short stories.

 

[Shellytakeabow]

Off the top of my head: Mishima, Spring Snow; Yoshimoto, Kitchen; Kawabata, Thousand Cranes; Abe, The Ruined Map. I’ll have a look at the shelf later and see what I’m missing.

Sweet! Thanks I’ll look into those

 

[Teeeee]

Has anyone read The Night Circus? I'm in an MFA program and it's on the book list for the course I'm taking next term. It seems a little outside my normal wheelhouse, but there isn't much else on there that is calling out to me. The only other one two I am considering are Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake and Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. If anyone has anything to say about any of those, I'd be glad to hear it!

YES! The Night Circus was so good! It is an easy-ish read, highly entertaining, steeped in some magic and mystery. I am not a huge fantasy reader but really enjoyed this - it isn't too hard-core fantasy.

Very interesting that it is on a list for an MFA program. That actually makes me want to revisit it to see what depth I missed.

 

[Badams]

I love Norwegian Wood and Kafka On The Shore. Also a big fan of Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years Of Pilgrimage. South of the Border, West Of The Sun is a really moving short novel too. But 1Q84 is his masterpiece for me, it delivers everything that is best about Murakami in one place!

I've read most pre -1Q84 murakami. 1Q84 has been sitting on my shelf for a while and I haven't been able to make myself start it. I know I should but it's so long...

Trouble Boys - about the replacements. Goodness they were deliquents!

May check this out. The Replacements are one of my favorite band stories (as well as just bands in general).

In general my reading habits have taken a bent towards short stories, essay collections, and poetry over the last couple of years but one novel I managed to finish recently was Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. Anyone else read this? As of now, I think I'm interested to see what he does with the rest of the trilogy.

 

[Joe Mac]

I've read most pre -1Q84 murakami. 1Q84 has been sitting on my shelf for a while and I haven't been able to make myself start it. I know I should but it's so long...



May check this out. The Replacements are one of my favorite band stories (as well as just bands in general).

In general my reading habits have taken a bent towards short stories, essay collections, and poetry over the last couple of years but one novel I managed to finish recently was Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. Anyone else read this? As of now, I think I'm interested to see what he does with the rest of the trilogy.

1Q84 is such a good book. Don’t be put off by the size, I flew through it!

 

[Badams]

1Q84 is such a good book. Don’t be put off by the size, I flew through it!

Maybe I'll put it on my bed-stand to kick-start interest when I'm having trouble falling asleep which is usually when I end up getting hooked on a book anyways

 

[Teeeee]

I've read most pre -1Q84 murakami. 1Q84 has been sitting on my shelf for a while and I haven't been able to make myself start it. I know I should but it's so long...



May check this out. The Replacements are one of my favorite band stories (as well as just bands in general).

In general my reading habits have taken a bent towards short stories, essay collections, and poetry over the last couple of years but one novel I managed to finish recently was Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. Anyone else read this? As of now, I think I'm interested to see what he does with the rest of the trilogy.

If they are one of your favorites, then I highly recommend you read this. I wish there was a way to let you borrow my copy. Swing on by Maryland and I'll loan it to you.

 

[Tyr]

I quite enjoyed the night circus, I read it not long after reading Station Eleven. It’s got a nice, dreamy feel to it and is quite cinematic in the imagery, like a cross between a romantic Neil Gaiman, a Derren Brown live show and The Prestige.

This is the best description of this book I've ever read. You should be writing the inserts, for real.

I’m currently reading ‘All the light we cannot see’ by Anthony Doerr

This is one of my favorite books that I have read in the last few years. Beautiful and haunting.

 

[sjaygray]

How did you like I’ll be Gone in the Dark? I was thinking about making that my next book.

I will throw a recommendation out for this one! If you are into murder mysteries / serial killer documentaries, this one ticks all of the right boxes. I found it fascinating!