Joy, pain, sorrow, loss, love, and death are intertwined with life and those of us who choose to go on living and feeling. A poignant story of one college students romantic comingofage,norwegian woodtakes us to that distant place of a young mans first, hopeless, and heroic love. For anyone who has experienced the pain of losing a loved one, the awkwardness of being a teenager, and the pain and heartache of love, this book will take the thoughts that you never had the courage of thinking or saying and read them back to you. On the surface it is the 36 yr old toru watanabe remembering his student days and being in love with naoko, the girlfriend of kizuki, his best friend. Norwegian wood provides useful advice on the rustic hows and whys of taking care of your heating needs, but its also a thoughtful attempt to understand mans ageold predilection for stacking wood and passion for open fires. Stunning and elegiac, norwegian wood first propelled haruki murakami into t he forefront of the literary scene. Dec 05, 2014 norwegian wood was incredibly popular in japan and has sold millions of copies all over the world, and made the author into a literary superstar. Toru, a serious young college student in tokyo, is devoted to naoko, a beau tiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. Norwegian wood is a masterpiece of the inner mind and will bring you back to places and feelings that you thought only you had ever experienced.
Murakamis norwegian wood is the sort of book which begs to be examined for subtle references, a subtext here and there. Murakami captures the heartbeat of his generation and draws the reader in so completely you mourn when the story is done. An intriguing window into the exoticism of scandinavian culture, the book also features enough inherently. It is told from the firstperson perspective of toru watanabe, who looks back on his days as a college student living in tokyo. Whats your interpretation of the ending of norwegian wood. Norwegian wood is a 1987 novel by japanese author haruki murakami. Immediately he is transported back almost twenty years to his student days in tokyo, adrift in a world of uneasy friendships, casual sex, passion, loss and desire to a time when. This book was mentioned on episode 1 of checking out. The young watanabe falls in love with two young women, naoko and midori. This book was touching, emotional, sometimes visceral and overall both heartbreaking and joyful.
At the age of 17, kizuki, his best friend, decides to end his life leaving behind toru and his girlfriend, naoko, broken. It is told from the firstperson perspective of toru watanabe, who looks back on. Its obviousbut i have read somewhere a interpretation where tor. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Naoko had been the childhood sweetheart of watanabes friend kizuki, who mysteriously commits suicide at the age of 17. Norwegian wood movie tiein edition vintage international. I had never written that kind of straight, simple story, and i wanted to test myself murakami 295. Follow their account to see all their photos and videos. The novel is a nostalgic story of loss and burgeoning sexuality. It was also his most resounding success there, a phenomenal bestseller. When daring and vulnerability meet, this is their union. Toru watanabe recalls his first love naoko, the girlfriend of his best friend kizuki. Read norwegian wood by haruki murakami available from rakuten kobo. I loved some parts and others just left me confused.
Nicholas jose, the age the big surprise in reading norwegian wood is the sense that one has stumbled upon more than a mere literary artifact or an overture to a career. Buy a cheap copy of norwegian wood book by haruki murakami. Norwegian wood book by haruki murakami thriftbooks. Norwegian wood begins with toru watanabe, a 37 year old man traveling to hamburg. Murakami captures the heartbeat of his generation and draws the reader in so completely you mourn when the story is. May 01, 2015 norwegian wood is undoubtedly accessible, having perhaps a dilution of all of these elements as well as huge influence from western music, literature, and even cigarettes and wine. Sep 04, 1987 norwegian wood begins with toru watanabe, a 37 year old man traveling to hamburg. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this norwegian wood study guide and get instant access to the following summary. Goodreads members who liked norwegian wood also liked. I just read norwegian wood as my first leisure read in a while and my first murakami book too. Through watanabes reminiscences readers see him develop relationships with two very different. Through torus reminiscences we see him develop relationships with two very different women the beautiful yet emotionally troubled naoko, and the outgoing.
Norwegian wood is a comingofage story in the manner of many american novels. Norwegian wood depicts grief, suicide, and the resounding effects that it has on the victims of the suicide which are the ones left behind. His best friend from high school, kizuki, killed himself without. Naoko nozawa is an actress and director, known for tokyo escalator 2001, teito taisen 1989 and children on the island 1987. About the author a japanese novelist, shortstory writer, essayist, and translator haruki murakami has a huge fan base around the world for his notable works. Norwegian wood is a fairly early work by murakami, first published in japan in 1987. The film was released in japan on 11 december 2010. What kind of a love story is presented in the norwegian wood. Toru watanabe, a quiet and preternaturally serious young college student in tokyo, is devoted to naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Toru watanabe is a quiet and serious young man in 1960s tokyo whose personal.
Norwegian wood by haruki murakami, first edition abebooks. Through watanabes reminiscences readers see him develop relationships with two very different womenthe beautiful yet emotionally troubled naoko, and the outgoing, lively midori. Toru begins to adapt to campus life and the loneliness and isolation he faces there. When she goes into a mental hospital, he promises to wait for her. Through the course of the book naoko exploits torus feelings to comfort herself, and i think this pattern repeats with toru and midori, reiko and naoko, as well as in the side stories nagasawa and natsumi. Finished norwegian wood as my first leisure read in a while and new to murakami. Amid complex personal relationships, civil unrest, and multiple. Norwegian wood bears the unmistakable marks of murakami s hand. Norwegian wood is a novel narrated by toru wanatabe, a man looking back on his college days in tokyo. I made the mistake of finishing norwegian wood on a plane.
Toru, a serious young college student in tokyo, is devoted to naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. If you are a fan of murakami, you know he has the ability to make you live in his books, norwegian wood does this more so than most. Books similar to norwegian wood meet your next favorite book. After reading norwegian wood twice this is what i think. This study guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of norwegian wood. Aug 11, 2010 stunning and elegiac, norwegian wood first propelled haruki murakami into the forefront of the literary scene. When watanabe arrives in hamburg and hears the song norwegian wood, memories of a scene with naoko from eighteen years before come back to him. Norwegian wood depicts love in a rather unconventional and complex way, playing on the duality physicalplatonic. Norwegian wood by haruki murakami, jay rubin about the booka serious, quiet young college student in tokyo toru, is devoted to naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman. In 1987, when norwegian wood was first published in japan, it promptly sold more than 4 million copies and transformed haruki murakami into a popculture icon. In the first half of the novel, love seems to be defined in a broad, platonic manner. Sep 12, 2000 stunning and elegiac, norwegian wood first propelled haruki murakami into the forefront of the literary scene. Im new to this subreddit so i hope its okay to ask for help understanding this book.
I bought this book more than 10 years ago, when i was living in japan at yokota air force base, in fussashi, a suburb of tokyo. Whats your interpretation of the ending of norwegian wood by. Norwegian wood by haruki murakami, jay rubin bookchor. Stunning and elegiac, norwegian wood first propelled haruki murakami into the forefront of the literary scene. It was translated into english, by alfred birnbaum, but that edition was basically only made available in japan itself. Find books like norwegian wood from the worlds largest community of readers. Norwegian wood by haruki murakami book club discussion. Norwegian wood is a nostalgic story of loss and sexuality. From that list, i picked norwegian wood by haruki murakami, and threw myself into it, hoping to be saved. To read the novel is to know these displays of honesty. Toru, a serious young college student in tokyo, is devoted to naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked. Toru falls in love with kizukis tortured girlfriend, naoko, who is isolated in her own mind.
Norwegian wood, a film adaptation of haruki murakamis novel about the obsessional aspects of youthful passion. Norwegian wood is the story of naoko who retreats further into her own world and toru who is drawn to a fiercely independent young woman. He didnt kill himself as he is 37 and still alive, trying to remember everything of his past. For example, is watanabe supposed to be a truthful, likeable character. Watanabe is een stille en buitengewoon serieuze jonge student in tokio. Norwegian wood is the story of toru watanabe, a young man who is damaged by the suicide of his high school friend, kizuki. Books have always been my life raft, and this experience was no different. Dec 16, 2015 tobias joness latest book is a place of refuge. Their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend many years back. Posted on october 1, 2014 january 6, 2016 by hmadmin. Jan 06, 2012 norwegian wood, a film adaptation of haruki murakamis novel about the obsessional aspects of youthful passion. Norwegian wood bears the unmistakable marks of murakamis hand.
Ive had a hard time getting into his other books killing commendatore in particular i kind of hated, but i really loved norwegian wood. It was the first book on my start here list from book riot and i just have come to learn that apparently me and books translated from east asia arent for me like the vegetarian. Now, finally, the book appears in an authorized translation by jay rubin. After hearing the norwegian wood by beatles, he is overcome with nostalgia and begins musing about his teenage years. The novel is set in late 1960s tokyo during a period. Norwegian wood by haruki murakami, signed abebooks.
Many of my readers thought that norwegian wood was a retreat for me, says haruki murakami about the novel that propelled him into a new stratosphere of popularity, for me personally, however, it was just the opposite. It is a very north american japanese novel, at first blush. Norwegian wood by haruki murakami 9780099448822 dymocks. As naoko retreats further into her own world, toru finds himself drawn to a fiercely. Rinko kikuchi as naoko in the film version of norwegian wood t he novel that raised haruki murakami to literary superstardom ranges across the seasons, but. Feb 10, 2015 norwegian wood 1987 by haruki murakami. Norwegian wood ebook by haruki murakami rakuten kobo. Dec 06, 2011 rinko kikuchi as naoko in the film version of norwegian wood t he novel that raised haruki murakami to literary superstardom ranges across the seasons, but the heart of its meaning is found in winter.
In norwegian wood murakami has updated those two classics into the best sort of pop song. The powerful impact of norwegian wood by haruki murakami. Norwegian wood is a modern literary depiction of depression, suicide and the sense of grief born from loss. Norwegian wood was incredibly popular in japan and has sold millions of copies all over the world, and made the author into a literary superstar. Jan 05, 2011 murakamis norwegian wood is the sort of book which begs to be examined for subtle references, a subtext here and there. The storys protagonist and narrator is toru watanabe, who looks back on his days as a freshman university student living in tokyo.
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