Finished Running Away by Jean-Philippe Toussaint. Toussaint's books are more about showing his world view by describing a character's experiences than having the character experience a plot, and this one is consistent with that. I liked it more than Making Love or Camera.

Finally got ahold of Murakami's latest, Killing Commendatore. It was published in Japan last year in 2 volumes evidently. As always he casts his spell on me and I'm already hooked into the story after 60 pages. As a notoriously finicky reader, it's weird how that happens with his books, all except the very earliest ones like Wild Sheep Chase and its sequel.

I don't have particularly high hopes for this one though tbh. Colorless Tsukuru kinda sucked and this reminds me of it. I'm thinking 1Q84 might have been peak Murakami and he's just punching the clock at this point.

My wife bought a short story advent calendar that has been a lot of fun so far. 24 individually-bound short stories ranging from about 8-20 pages each. I've enjoyed opening it over coffee and each having a turn and then a chance to talk about the story over the day. As much as I love reading on my own, it does lose the social aspect of a lot of hobbies, which this rather neat concept solves.

Probably not much use to you at this point, but here's the site for next year. I think they also do a Halloween version.

https://www.hingstonandolsen.com/sto...dvent-calendar

What do think was wrong with Colorless Tsukuru?

This was an excellent book, thank you for the recommendation. Amazing for a first- time novel.

Glad you liked it! The Tommy Orange novel is also an amazing debut.

Another terrific debut I read this past year was Lisa Halladay's Asymmetry. Two novellas, apparently unrelated, other than each having the theme of asymmetry (in personal relations in the first case; in international relations in the second), with a wonderful epilogue that brings the two together …

The first part is based on the author’s affair, as a young woman, with Philip Roth, who, in a subsequent interview, responded good-humouredly by saying, "She got me"!

By coincidence just before reading Asymmetry I read Ann Patchett's 2016 Commonwealth, which is also very strong. What makes the two so interesting together is that both are (at least in part) about a young woman having an affair with an author who is a much older man. If either had been written by a male author in this metoo moment of time they would have been attacked as portraying a inappropriate power imbalance in a sexual relationship -- but because they were written by women neither was criticized.

Funny you mentioned Asymmetry, Russell, as I just heard about it today on the NYT Book Review Podcast’s top 10 of 2018. I’m looking forward to checking it out.

Shirley Jackson is just so damned good. I don't see how anyone has the gumption to write another haunted house story after Haunting of Hill House. How do you go on stage after a set like that?

Also, Twilight Zone screenwriter Richard Matheson has an outstanding catalog of TZ-esque short stories.

This sounds like a great gift.

Reading The Truth About Marie by Jean-Philippe Toussaint. Think: James Lee Burke rewrites The Mezzanine. It's the third novel in the "Marie" tetralogy.

Finished The Truth About Marie by Jean-Philippe Toussaint. At times I was ready to quit, the book droned on, taking far too many pages to describe a scene (though that's what this literature is all about), but Toussaint redeems himself in the last forty pages of this short (160 pp.) novella. It could be read stand alone, but is better understood if you have read the two prior novellas.

Hi kioshk,

I love books/authors that cast a spell on me and have never read Murakami before. Could you recommend one of his novels that would be good to start with?

1Q84 or the Wind-up Bird Chronicle

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle or Norweigan Wood

I agree with the Norwegian Wood idea to start with, maybe follow that up with Kafka on the Shore. I would probably advise someone to wait on either Windup Bird or 1Q84 til later.

edit: Btw I'm almost finished with Killing Commendatore, it's quite a bit better than Colorless Tsukuru imo, doesn't really break new ground but it does feature a lot of his greatest hits/tricks, the familiar themes of his. Only the cats are missing haha!

Let's go with 1Q84. Norwegian Wood is supposedly memoir, but I don't consider it that strong. Kafka on the Shore is fairly accessible and also might be a good start.

Edit: I think Wild Sheep Chase and Dance, Dance, Dance would be a great 1-2 intro, but I'm not sure that my love for these two books is universally shared on the forum...

My chrono Murakami list (worked for me, I thought Kafka was a good place to start):

Kafka on the Shore
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
1Q84
A Wild Sheep Chase (possible least favorite)
Wind/Pinball
South of the Border, West of the Sun
Norwegian Wood
Sputnik Sweetheart
Colorless Tsukuru etc.
The Strange Library

Killing C. is a probable Christmas gift.

Thank you all, I’m excited. I have some options to choose from, but will look for Norwegian Wood.

After you finish, we'll ask you "Isn't it good?"

Finished 1984 by George Orwell for the ??th time. Is a review needed?

Reading Raven Black by Ann Cleeves and Naked by Jean-Philippe Toussaint.

Also reading my way through the entire (i.e. consolidated) version of graphic novel Berlin by Jason Lutes.

Any of you nerds want to share a photo of your bookshelves?

Head over here: https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/3...-club-1730659/

Have a goal of 40 books read each year

I was at 31 (60% though pillars of the earth on 11/30)

I’m sitting at 33 done with 100 pages left in Pillars. 200 pages left in re read of Tale of Two cities. And 30% through book on tape of A Passage to India.

Might make it yet.

I am currently reading Pillars as well, if I were you I would just count it as 3 books.

I’m jealous if it’s your first time reading Pillars. One of my favorites.

That’s cheating!

I did read 5/7 “Chronicles of narnia” this year. So it balances out.

Also re read count of Monte Cristo. Some door stops this year.