Sam

If you already know a bit of history, there is no reason to read this book. Wells really isn't lying when he says it's an “outline.” There's a few interesting and new things here and there, but if you found this book, chances are that you're already familiar with most of the stuff he talks about.

Only reason I didn't rate it lower: it was interesting to see a historical perspective on the past we know. For instance, quite in line with his time, Wells can't help but note the impact of “Aryan peoples” here and there, even though he insists that Europe was a backwater until relatively recently.

This is the third book in Murakami's “The Rat” series, and it's noticeably longer and more developed than the previous two. And, what would you know, the book is a wild sheep chase! This is a very enjoyable and satisfying read that will make you become a Murakami fan. He has such an interesting mind that can come up with such outlandish yet incredible stories.

Norwegian Wood was the book that made Murakami popular among non-Japanese audiences. But after reading it, I just don't understand why. Sure, the book has its moments of splendid Murakami wisdom. His typical themes of alienation and existentialism are there. However, the plot was incredibly disappointing. It is a very crude love story, no more, no less. To more morally conservative people, Norwegian Wood is very difficult to get through, to say the least.

I found myself missing Murakami's magical realism. Proponents of this work argue that this was a challenging book for Murakami to write, given that he usually doesn't write like this. I suppose he achieved his goal, mixing his usual themes with the genre of romance, but, to me, it detracted from what he does best. All in all, if I could go back and tell myself to skip Norwegian Wood, I would. Not recommended.

Wow! Imagine Murakami reading this whole thing to a large audience in some sort of theater. Once he finishes, the entire audience would erupt in rapturous applause. That is how I feel after reading this book. I just want to give Murakami an aggressively loud applause. I mean, I read the last third of this book in 24 hours. It's terrific.

Be warned, though, it is WEIRD. It covers the whole emotional spectrum. Crude, crazy, contemplative, and all sorts of other adjectives starting with C. It is just so impressive to me how Murakami tells such a wild story in such a coherent way. Must read!

Although lengthy, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World is an excellent title for this work. Expect ‘hard-boiled' detective work, ‘wonderland'-like occurrences, and something strange to do with ‘the end of the world.'

This was the book that got me into Murakami. He never disappoints. He is incredibly creative in all of his stories, and this is no exception. The plot can get a bit slow at times, but stick with this book; it's worth it. Murakami is such a fantastic author!