Review: Haruki Murakami – Hear the Wind Sing

My love of Haruki Murakami originated during my sophomore year of college, when I picked up The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle on a whim while wandering around a Barnes&Noble in New Haven. I became absolutely enthralled and read Kafka on the Shore not long after, and have been making my way through his works ever since. On my quest to read all the Murakami I could, I hunted down a copy of Hear the Wind Sing, his debut novella, on eBay for the scant price of about $10, with shipping (bear in mind it was shipped from Japan, making this an especially good deal).

I went to Kansas City, MO about a week ago and read the entire book more or less in one shot during my flight.  It’s an interesting read for fans, although not as developed or focused as his later books. It is more a series of vaguely connected vignettes than a novel (his love of Brautigan’s Trout Fishing in America is apparent) but still a nice quick read that any fan is sure to enjoy.