Haruki Murakami is a great writer whose pen knows no bounds of imagination. As one of the most important contemporary Japanese writers, he wrote several collections of short stories, travelogues and essays in his lifetime, but we must not overlook the literary masterpieces that also leave musical traces.
Haruki Murakami, born in 1949 Japanese writer, once worked as record seller and was interested in American literature, even though his parents were teachers of native Japanese literature. He studied drama in Tokyo for eight years, and in the meantime he opened jazz cafe, but this was not a dream come true for him. He sold it and decided to pour his passion into book works.
His latest book titled Colorless Cukuru Tazaki and his years of pilgrimage was published by Murakami in April last year, it has already been translated into German, Spanish and Dutch, it will be published in English on August 12 this year, and we can expect a Slovenian translation in the fall of next year. In the novel, we meet a man who is struggling with his past and the loss of four high school friends, which he cannot come to terms with.
In his works, the renowned Japanese author often returns to his favorite themes of alienation, loneliness, search and pain, which he judiciously and skilfully interweaves with musical references. Let's take a look at which pieces of music Haruki Murakami incorporated into his works and what music he would enjoy if he came to our place for tea.
Kafka on the Shore - John Coltrane: My Favorite things
In the novel Kafka on the shore Murakami pays special attention to this poem, but for those who know what he is talking about, it will be interesting to know that at the time of writing this novel, the writer only drank vodka.
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World - Bob Dylan: Positively 4th Street
With a novel that can be read as a suspenseful detective story or bizarre science fiction, you can easily spin Dylan's composition Positively 4th Street.
After the quake - Pearl Jam: Alive
The title of a collection of six short stories that share a historical moment, namely an earthquake in 1995 in Kobe. A similar comparison can be found in the song Alive, which tells about traumatic moments brought together by love and family.
Norwegian forest - Henry Mancini: Dear heart
The poem and Murakami's novel Norwegian forest could be compared both in terms of time, since it takes place in the 60s of the last century, as well as content. It talks about an unforgettable student love. A film of the same name was also made based on the novel, for which he helped the director Ann Hung Tran Murakami wrote the screenplay.
South of the Border West of the Sun - Duke Ellington The Star-Crossed Lovers
A unique blend of music and literature. Once you've read the book, you'll know which song to look for. There are quite a few that Murakami brought directly to Ellington. Enjoy!
Norwegian Wood - The Beatles Norwegian Wood
Ob Norwegian Wood unforgettable The Beatles, which he hears during the landing of the plane, se Toru Watanabe, which we follow in the novel, once again reminds us of the autumn meadow from long ago in 1969.
