Sunday, March 13, 2005

Haruki Murakami new novels "Kafka on the Shore" & "After Dark"

MURAKAMI'S KAFKA ON THE SHORE


Yes, always cause for excitable-pre-purchase-fidgeting when a new Murakami is released in the US. Two years after the Japanese release, published there in two separate editions titled "Umibe No Kafuka". For those who know his work - its the usual concoction of the metaphysical, quirky-individualistic characters and contemporary urban existentialism.
So, of course, I'm loving it.

Here's the New Yorker's review:

Review of "Kafka on the Shore" by John Updike


MURAKAMI'S AFTER DARK

In addition there is this from the Knopf Publishing website:

The English version of his latest book, published in Japan in November of 2004 and titled "After Dark", is to be released in the United States in March of 2010."

?!!2010!!?

Who is doing the translation of this novel - someone with the Japanese
fluency of me??? How can it possibly take 5 years?

Yeah, I know, finish the book that I just got, but c'mon...