Haruki Murakami, who was born in 1949, is 72 years old. This year, once again, he passed the Nobel Prize in Literature.
At the beginning of October, as soon as the results of the Nobel Prize were announced, many 20-year-old readers in the village posted articles ridiculing him, but they could not help but feel sorry for him.
But what about Murakami himself? The repeated failure of the "uncrowned king", who has long been recognized by the public, may not be able to talk about "painful loss" at all.
In the new work "First Person Singular", "I" recall the past when I was keen to watch baseball games, and remembered a boy I met at the baseball field who sold dark beer while saying "sorry":
"When I write novels, I often feel the same mood as him. I also want to apologize to people all over the world: "I'm sorry, that, I'm selling dark beer..."
Forget it, though. Don't think about the novel, tonight's game is about to begin. Come on, pray that the team wins. At the same time, be (quietly) prepared to face failure. ”
Even if most of the audience on the stadium doesn't want dark beer, people who love dark beer will rush over excitedly, and after taking a seat, they will take a sip of it.
In the face of the "dark beer" sold by Murakami, readers who love him will resolutely and resolutely make the same answer as the "I" in the novel.
"No apologies, no apologies at all. We've been waiting for the dark beer seller to come. ”
Although the outside world is nervously looking forward to the award every year, Whether or not to win the award may not be able to win the prize, perhaps Murakami himself does not care.
In the years of "running with him", he was actually very busy:
Translated literary works (on the day of the release of "First Person Singular", Murakami's three short stories translated by Grace Paley were also officially launched);
Recording his own radio programs as a DJ (Murakami RADIUO started in August 2018 and has now aired 29 episodes);
He even started a live broadcast (Murakami JAM online live broadcast program, once invited Lisa Ono and other musicians to participate)
........
Pray for victory, and quietly be prepared to face "defeat" -
At the end of the story of the Yakult Swallows, "I" made such a decision. Perhaps it can also be seen as Murakami's response to whether to win the prize or not.
But in any case, the novel is impossible for Murakami not to think about. Readers are satisfied that haruki Murakami continues to write as a prolific writer who works tirelessly.
At present, a new can of dark beer has been iced and is waiting to be enjoyed.
In the sixth year of the violation, haruki Murakami's 2021 new short story collection "First Person Singular" Chinese Simplified edition was produced by Bunji and released on November 18.
This is a new collection of short stories published six years after Murakami's previous short story collection, "Men Without Women", and a formal novel work published three years after Murakami's last novel, "Assassination of the Knight Commander".
Regarding the title of the book, what is the First Person Singular? "First person singular" is "I.".
In this new work, Murakami returns to the perspective of "I" for a long time, returns to the first-person narrative, and presents 8 Murakami-style fantasy youth stories to long-awaited readers. The familiar feeling is back.
"The 'first-person singular' is the 'one-eyed' that cuts off a fragment of the world. When the incision is increasing, the 'one eye' blends together indefinitely, and a 'compound eye' is formed. So I am no longer me, I am no longer myself. You are no longer you. What happens and what doesn't happen at this point? ”
For two decades, telling stories in a first-person way that is as friendly as a friend and reads almost as realistically as murakami himself has been a narrative strategy that Murakami used and excelled at.
A person who wanders into delusions, listens to records, watches baseball, drinks coffee, goes to bars, meets all kinds of people, and constantly looks for the "I" who does not quit and others, is the protagonist of Murakami's pen that we are most familiar with.
Who did this "I" meet in the First Person Singular? What kind of adventures have you experienced?
The short stories included in "First Person Singular" were all written between 2018 and 2020, the first seven of which were published in literary circles magazine, and the last of the same name was written by Murakami specifically for the new book.
In 8 dream-like non-dream stories:
"I" received a collection of short songs from the girl who had a one-night stand with me many years ago........
"I" was invited to a non-existent recital and met a mysterious old man in the park........
"I" fabricated a fake record in a music review, and years later accidentally discovered this record that should not have existed........
"I" met a working monkey at a hotel, who said that he was raised by humans and would steal the names of human women he liked........
The school girl with beatles records; the kisses on the couch on a summer afternoon; the idle graduates who scoff at schooling; the middle class listens to music and talks about piano music; fictional articles and records; memories that are mixed with true and false; people who don't seem to really exist; the protagonist who is confused in place........
After reading these 8 stories, readers who like Murakami will find that the new book is still the familiar "Murakami flavor"——
Unfettered, novel in conception, and free in writing, "First Person Singular" maintains Murakami's previous creative style, still writing on those things that have no reason, and subtly portrays the loneliness and helplessness of urban people who have nowhere to solve.
The bitterness of modern life, Murakami is not expressed as a catharsis of pale negative emotions, but sublimates it into a state of leisure that is "so good".
Unlike previous works, Murakami, who has reached the age of "from the heart to the heart, not exceeding the rules", almost all of the works in this short story collection revolve around the theme of "memory".
The memory of the vaguely looking girl's tooth marks on the towel; the memory of the signature ball that fell on her leg with her father at a baseball game; the memory of the ugliest woman I have ever known; the memory of intermittent interruptions; the memory of the name that was stolen........
"In this way, memory sometimes becomes one of my most precious emotional assets, and it also becomes the sustenance for me to live, like a sleeping, warm kitten hiding in the big pocket of my coat."
Who can say no to a warm kitten? In the reminiscences full of love and youth, "First Person Singular" leaves traces of Murakami's memory and reconciliation with time.
Accept "grow old" -
In the blink of an eye, people are old, which is incredible (and maybe not incredible). Our bodies are constantly moving towards irreversible destruction. Close your eyes, open them again after a moment, and you will see that many things have disappeared.
Accepting "death" -
Of course, death is always sudden. But at the same time, it is very slow. Same beautiful melodies that come to mind with you. It is a matter of fleeting moments, and it can be extended endlessly........ In that sense, maybe every day I live is gradually dying.
Accepting "what cannot be grasped" -
Sometimes in our lives, this happens, it is unexplainable and illogical, but it only deeply disturbs our hearts. At such a time, there is probably only nothing to think about, nothing to think about, only to close your eyes and let everything pass, just like drilling out from under the huge waves.
Grasping the fragments of memory, looking back at the origin of life, thinking about the theme of eternal love and death, 8 wonderful short stories with different themes and perspectives, combining short songs, essays, music and novels, is a new compound eye novel in Murakami's style.
After 6 years, the origin of the creation of the new short story collection "First Person Singular" is perhaps most appropriately answered by Murakami himself in the book:
These are just two insignificant little things that have happened in my little life. Now it seems that it is just two episodes that have taken a bit of a detour. Even if they hadn't happened, my life would probably be the same as it is now, and there would be almost no change.
But memories of them may sometimes travel long distances, come to me, and then, with incredible strength, shake my heart. Like the night wind of late autumn, it rolls up the leaves in the forest, blows down the miscanthus overgrown wasteland, and knocks on the doors of every household with great force.
May this new book also enter the hearts of readers and knock on the door of every household.
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First Person Singular
[Day] Haruki Murakami
This time, I want to stand at the origin of creation. Take on a new challenge – Haruki Murakami
The "first person singular" is the "one-eyed" that intercepts a fragment of the world. There are more and more such cross-sections, and the "single eye" becomes an endless "compound eye". At that point, I will no longer be me, and you will no longer be you. By then. What happens? What doesn't happen? Welcome to the world of the "first person singular".
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