Thursday 4 October 2012

Murakami re-published


Vintage Books have recently re-published and re-jacketed Murakami's back catalogue, along with this they have reissued Jay Rubin's book Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words with it's original cover and also with an updated chapter on 1Q84, and perhaps an additional piece on Murakami's as of yet untranslated short story collection Strange Tales From Tokyo*, it's been a long time since reading this book so I can't remember if this featured in the original edition, perhaps this could be a pointer as to what might be the next Murakami to appear in English translation?.

*Or perhaps not, please see comments...  .....more haste less accuracy.....apologies.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

One - I *hate* the new covers - the old (UK) covers were wonderful.

Two - I haven't read my copy of the Rubin book yet, and it's already out of date :(

Three - The stories from 'Strange Tales of Tokyo' have been translated. They make up the last section of 'Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman' :)

That is all...

me. said...

Not too sure on the new covers either, I've got a mixture of the older Harvill paperbacks and Penguin ones, and a few of the recent Vintage ones.

I've yet to read 'Kafka on the Shore', 'Dance,Dance,Dance' and two of the short story collections, including 'Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman', which half explains my blunder in thinking that it hadn't appeared in translation - many thanks for correcting me, might make it the next book I read of Murakami's.

Rise said...

That "Murakami" cover series was probably just the signal for Ryu to finally embrace "The Other Murakami" in his own book covers.

me. said...

Do you think so?, I see that by the looks of things Pushkin Press have also added '69' to their list of re-issues, which only leaves Almost Transparent Blue amongst Murakami's Kodansha titles. I hope that Parasites one day makes it into translation.

Rise said...

Well, Haruki's cover designer surely knows only one Murakami and that surname really sells. Ryu better distance himself if he doesn't want to get rich. I'm not surprised there's no taker for Almost Transparent Blue (yet). The book was just so divisive.

me. said...

Maybe Murakami (R) wouldn't mind too much?, but I'm not sure of the thinking in leaving off his full name. They look a little like they've been designed with ebook icons in mind.

I remember liking Almost Transparent Blue many years ago, but it's a novel I'd like to re-read.

@parridhlantern said...

Almost Transparent Blue is my favourite Ryu book & have read Rubin's book, even posted on it, so won't go with the updated version unless it falls into my lap.

me. said...

I enjoyed it when I read it which was a while ago now, perhaps give it a re-read it the new year before the re-issues appear, I've also got a copy of Sixty-Nine which I feel I should read first as I've not read it at all yet.

I read a copy of Jay Rubin's book from the library so I'm tempted to pick it up again, I'd be interested to read the chapter on 1Q84, and the additional chapter which I think is called When I'm Sixty Four?.