Friday, December 5, 2014

Libraries have basements?

By Haruki Murakami

Publisher: Knopf

Pub. Date: December 2, 2014

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami is both different and
very typical for the author. First written in 1982 but first published
in 2006, this newly released version is made so much more unusual being
presented in its odd paperback design with quirky illustrations by Chip
Kidd. I can see this being instantly picked up by the Murakami
completist and those wanting a different literary Christmas present. I
am sure the December 2014 release was not coincidental. It reads a bit
like a children's tale yet you may not want it for your child especially
if you are encouraging them to read! The idea of a man who forces a boy
to read so he can suck out his information filled brain may not go well
with some. Yet it is the kind of strangeness we expect from the author
most unjustly ignored by the Nobel committee. As the story starts, the
young protagonist goes to the library and is sent to the basement to
find more books. "Libraries have basement?" was pretty much my response
as well as the boy's yet he diligently goes down the stairs. When he
arrives he is trapped by an old man and forced to read books about
Ottoman tax collectors. In typical Murakami style, he meets a sheep man
and a mysterious girl who also are trapped. There is not much more of
the story except for them to attempt to escape but it fits right into
the author's world borrowing a little from his other works yet being its
own kind of fable without a moral. Overall, it is a fun romp made even
more mysterious by the aforementioned illustrations and book design.
Mandatory reading for the Murakami fan and just a wild little ride for
everyone else.

About Me

My name is Marvin P. Vernon and I am a retired social worker who specialized in family therapy and domestic violence prevention. In the past, I have been a contributor to the Fact on File Student Thesaurus and currently pass my time as an avid reader and reviewer. I also work as a volunteer librarian at the Sun City Palm Desert Library. You can also find my reviews on Goodreads You can contact me at mpvernon5149@yahoo.com