Poignant and almost intimate.

This would be the phrase that I will use to describe this book. Its thorough and yet still original, and not written in a way that forces you what to do, but rather, a mixture of his own experiences and more towards an approach This works for me and it definitely is not for everyone, but if you feel its useful, please by all means.

One of the things that I liked about this book was how it was written in a format that relates more to Murakami's real experiences and not a "GUIDE TO ____". Its refreshing and feels liberating to read a memoir that almost felt like reading Murakami's own journal.

Surprisingly, Murakami's non-fictions were the ones that appealed to me of his reading. Maybe, its the way how he's just so honest and forward in his memoirs that it makes it endearing to read. Not only that, the dark sense of humour that Murakami has made his non-fictions witty and non-preachy. Its a story of his journey, with the things around him, of his experiences, but told in a way that it almost felt unreal. Is it possible to write a memoir that feels like a reality that doesn't feel real? I think only Murakami can actually pull it off gracefully.

I am no writer, but I had passed this book to one of my friends who is an author, and she absolutely devoured it. For that, I can say, this book is definitely something that can be an eye-opening to authors or aspiring-writers. Murakami wrote this book in 2015, and this book had just been translated about a year ago, but somehow, everything that he had written in here, is not only useful but is relevant to the world now. His journey in forms of essays had gone through his journey from the very start of him as a novelist , his struggles, and even to how he got his works known abroad. I feel that for authors, his guides and advices shows somewhat a reallistic approach to apply in writings as Murakami only started as an author during his 30s. With absolutely no technical aspects of writing, he wrote for himself, and for the world, and for the stories to be there, passed from one person to another.

As a Reader , you might be skeptical to go into this book, especially if you haven't read any of his books. But yet, I can assure you, this almost-sort of memoir had been such a wonderful experience for me as a reader. In fact, I almost teared up at some parts, in how he appreciates his readers in his own way.

The one thing that I loved about Murakami's writing , especially in his memoirs is that ; he is honest to a fault. He not only criticizes himself, but he had written on the social system and how the harsh reality it is to be in the world of publishing. Some of his comments may seem odd and selfish, and yet, as he had wrote, what he did applies to him and if it suits someone else, you can definitely apply it to work as well. There is a streak of rebellion in his writing that I liked and it separates him from the other Japanese authors at the time. His belief in his readers, and more importantly, his belief in his own story makes him the author that he is now; and I liked that he had sort of a character progression in which he learns year-by-year to improve his writing.

I have a few essay favourites, and one of my most loved ones that somehow tugged my heart is the part where he went abroad to establish himself as an author. I came to realize as I read more translated works year by year that, a translator is an individual who is as important as the author himself. I loved that Murakami had wrote a lengthy thank you's to all of his translators that came to work with him. And for that, I have come to thank and recognize translators as well, for they have as equal importance in a book being known and publishing to the mass.

Honestly, I loved this book more than I thought I would. I can write a whole case study for this, but for this review I will stop for now. Most importantly, like every great authors that had come and gone, the one thing that they will never stop highlighting :

To be an Author, you MUST READ. Never stop reading.
I highly recommend this book. Its one that I will shove to everyone to read and it can be something to ponder upon.

Personal Ratings: 4.25🌟

Biggest thank you to Times Reads for gifitng me this copy!