Journal Entry 1 by R-W from Rotherham, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 23, 2005

The latest offering from one of my favorite authors.
I can't see myself reading this one in the very near future so i am sending it on a little journey.
The bookring participants are...

crazy-horse
phantomcougar
Caro1
Winterson
UrbanSpaceman
indielibrarian
iggi1812
bookmaniac70
Olifant
powerhouse
yvonnep
ekaterin4luv
Flicki
eatsletters
tho
cerejinha
quico
Funkybamboozle
claudinec
Ilios
tuff517
sewmeneebks
Secretariat
SandDanz
danadoodle
dospescados
KarenZero
Rrrcaron
MmeClinton
enygma
wubbaducky
jwetter
r-w 

Journal Entry 2 by R-W from Rotherham, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, April 04, 2005

The ring is now up and running, mailed to crazy-horse.
Bye bye little book, have fun, see you soon. 

Journal Entry 3 by crazy-horse from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Thursday, April 07, 2005

Got this in the post on tuesday from robert walker. Can't wait to read it! Thanks rob :-) 

Journal Entry 4 by crazy-horse from Southampton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Thursday, April 28, 2005

I love Murakami books, and this one did not disappoint. It was wonderfully wierd. I think he has a great ability to make things that are really wierd make sense when you are reading about them, for example a man talking to cats. This is an odd thing to read, but it just makes sense in the world that Murakami creates. His characters are all different, but yet unmistakably him. I really enjoyed this book, because i could disapear into another world and forget about everything else. I can do that with most books but perhaps more so with this because of how surreal it was, and how well written. I dont think his books would be everyones idea of a good read, but I quite simply love them.

I have now sent it on to phantomcougar, hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did! :-) 

Journal Entry 5 by Ally1665 from Silsden, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, April 29, 2005

Arrived safely, thanks Crazy horse. Will read this as soon as I've finished my current read. Looks good! 

Journal Entry 6 by Ally1665 from Silsden, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, May 22, 2005

Did not enjoy this as much as some of his others "Norwegian Wood" and "South of the Border...." are my favourites. Sending this off to Caro1 when i have her address. 

Journal Entry 7 by Ally1665 from Silsden, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, July 22, 2005

Sincere apologies to everyone on this bookring for the delay. It is now on it's way to Caro1. Enjoy. 

Journal Entry 8 by Caro1 from Newark, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 23, 2005

Journal Entry 9 by Caro1 from Newark, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Monday, September 05, 2005

Having read a number of negative reviews I was quite prepared to be disappointed by this book. As it turned out I loved this and although I finished it a few hours before I went on vacation, I read it again as soon as I returned (so apologies to those further down the list!). This ranks for me alongside my favourite Murakami, 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle'. An enthralling, disturbing, surreal, melodramatic, entertaining adventure. What more could you ask for? 

Journal Entry 10 by Caro1 at posted to a fellow bookcrosser in Royal Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, September 05, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (9/6/2005 UTC) at posted to a fellow bookcrosser in Royal Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to Winterson. 

Journal Entry 11 by Winterson from Peacehaven, East Sussex United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Sorry it's taken so long to journal this! I've been on and off with internet access and am just catching up with everything now.
I've just given up on Norwegian Wood, but want to give this one a go as it looks so different. Will get on to it now and report back. Thanks :) 

Journal Entry 12 by Winterson from Peacehaven, East Sussex United Kingdom on Monday, October 03, 2005

Well, I tried. But I just can't get on with his writing, so have PMd for the next address. Thanks for giving me the chance to give these a go. 

Journal Entry 13 by UrbanSpaceman from Kingston upon Thames, Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 25, 2005

One of five (!) ring books waiting for me when I got back from a work trip (to Japan, as it happens). On to the TBR pile... 

Journal Entry 14 by UrbanSpaceman from Kingston upon Thames, Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 28, 2005

To paraphrase one of this book's characters, "Kafka on the the Shore" is like an Indiana Jones movie. It certainly is, but a wonderful, surreal, addictive one mixing myth (Greek and Japanese), music (classical, jazz and rock), philosophy (Ancient Greek, Western and Eastern), love, separation, talking to cats, the role of metaphor and more.

I loved this book. Thanks for sharing it - sorry it took me so long to get it read. Will put it in the post to Indielibrarian tomorrow.

 

Journal Entry 15 by indielibrarian on Saturday, January 07, 2006

Picked up from post office today. Looking forward to starting it. 

Journal Entry 16 by indielibrarian on Saturday, March 04, 2006

Fantastic book. I'd been looking forward to this since hearing it raved about by a couple of friends and it didn't disappoint.

Will pass it on to the next reader once I have an address. 

Journal Entry 17 by indielibrarian on Saturday, April 15, 2006

Sent to bookmaniac70 

Journal Entry 18 by bookmaniac70 from София / Sofia, Sofiya Bulgaria on Thursday, April 27, 2006

The long-awaited book arrived safely in Sofia. I cant` wait to start reading! I`m finishing another book for a bookring and after that will pick up this one immediately!
Thanks for sending! 

Journal Entry 19 by bookmaniac70 from София / Sofia, Sofiya Bulgaria on Thursday, May 04, 2006

Just a note that I`m reading it and it`s terrific! 

Journal Entry 20 by bookmaniac70 from София / Sofia, Sofiya Bulgaria on Saturday, May 06, 2006

Finished it this afternoon. Well,this book knocked me down. I read it in a state of bookmaniacal bliss. The joy of reading was great.I absolutely love that weirdness of his.It makes prefectly sense in the world created by his imagination.I lived in it in the days of my reading and I think it`s one of the main joys of reading to be able to enter a completely new,unknown,strange and interesting world of a book.
There is a lot of stuff mixed into this novel- cats talking to men,leeches pouring from the sky,spirits visiting, Greek myths,subconscience,Beethoven,music,library,books...and that strange boy,Kafka Tamura.The whole story looked to me like the old ritual of a passage into adolescence.Kafka runs from home;kills his father,although someone else actually did it,sleeps with his mother,goes into the dangerous forest and when everything has finished,he is strong enough to come back to his life and finish college.I think that many of the things and feelings described in the novel,often happen in some way or other in our imagination and the hidden life of our dreams and secrets; but the wonderful thing here is that through the pen of Murakami they all come out and form a separate,autonomous world,charged with so many weird feelings and events.

A great read,in one word.Will pass it on as quickly as I get the address of the next participant. 

Journal Entry 21 by bookmaniac70 at to a bookcrosser in sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, May 08, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (5/8/2006 UTC) at to a bookcrosser in sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to Olifant. 

Journal Entry 22 by Olifant from Porthmadog, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, May 13, 2006

The postman gave me the book today. Looking forward to it, but will have to wait a bit for I have other ringbooks to read first. 

Journal Entry 23 by Olifant from Porthmadog, Wales United Kingdom on Sunday, July 02, 2006

Great read!

Book is off to yvonnep (powerhouse wants to skip this ringbook). 

Journal Entry 24 by yvonnep from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, July 06, 2006

Completely forgotten that I subscribed this ring...well, just in time for my holidays. Thanks for sending, Olifant and thanks for ringing R-W. 

Journal Entry 25 by yvonnep from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, August 21, 2006

I love the book, but it takes too long. Because it's a hardcover it is difficult to take it with me in trains etc. That way I read just 2 or 3 pages a day. So I'm going to buy myself a pocket that fits in my bag and send this heavy book to ekaterin4luv in Germany, who doesn't answer pm's. Next is Flicki, also from Germany, who wants to be skipped from the bookring. Now I send a pm to eatsletters from Berlin. Gee, it's rather difficult to let a ring flow...

I liked the book, that is, I wanted to read and finish it, but I'm slightly disappointed. It's all rather over the top. All those explicit references to mythology and other symbolics, for example. Kafka is not a teenager but somehow an old man in a young boy (except for his thoughts and deeds in sex), the Kentucky Fried Chicken King and Johnny Walker, etc. The concept 'a boy named Crow' was simply pretentious and did not add extra meaning to the story.
I liked Hoshina. Yes. I liked him a lot. He was very human. Another thing is: Murakami can write (and his translator understands his profession too)so I'll take up another book by his hand. 

Journal Entry 26 by eatsletters on Thursday, September 28, 2006

WOW. I am a biiiiiiig Murakami fan. A shame there is no 11 on the rating!

I got this book send to the office while on a business trip and I didn't think I'd have time to read it. But then I got a nasty cold and spent every evening in the hotel bathtub with an Eukalyptus cold remedy bath. And of course, once I started reading, I got absolutely hooked on this book and finished it in almost no time. I think that is definitely one of his best works.

I studied in Japan for a while, so I always get a bit melancholic when I read his books because I recogniize so many things... 

Journal Entry 27 by eatsletters on Friday, October 27, 2006

tho and cerejinha want to be skipped. 

Journal Entry 28 by quico from Coimbra (cidade), Coimbra Portugal on Monday, November 06, 2006

Here it is! Thanks a lot, eatsletters for sending me the book. Thanks for the ring, R-W! I have a couple of rings ahead, but i'll read it asap. 

Journal Entry 29 by quico from Coimbra (cidade), Coimbra Portugal on Thursday, December 14, 2006

Like yvonnep, and for the same reasons, I'm a bit disapointed. Kafka on the Shore is not vintage Murakami... 

Journal Entry 30 by quico from Coimbra (cidade), Coimbra Portugal on Friday, December 15, 2006

As Funkybamboozle is not receiving rings for the moment, this will go to claudinec soon.
 

Journal Entry 31 by quico from Coimbra (cidade), Coimbra Portugal on Friday, December 15, 2006

Here it goes! 

Journal Entry 32 by claudinec from North Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, December 26, 2006

This arrived in the mail today, thank you.
 

Journal Entry 33 by claudinec from North Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, February 06, 2007

I've read The wind-up bird chronicle so I was expecting this one also to mess with my mind. And it did! The big overriding story is predictable early on, if you know the myth, but the details are original and strange.

I'm now waiting for an address from Ilios.
 

Journal Entry 34 by claudinec from North Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Monday, February 12, 2007

Posted to Ilios today.
 

Journal Entry 35 by Ilios from Tampa, Florida USA on Saturday, February 17, 2007

I just received this book yesterday and I am looking forward to reading it. I read South of the Border... and I really enjoyed it. I will update this entry as soon as I am done. Thanks for sharing this, R-W! 

Journal Entry 36 by Ilios from Tampa, Florida USA on Sunday, March 18, 2007

ATTENTION: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!

This is my second Murakami book. Having loved South of the Border, West of the Sun, I had great expectations for this one. I enjoyed the dreamy ambiance and the writing style, but there were too many inconsistencies and threads that didn't lead anywhere. I didn't mind talking cats, the soldiers, or Ms. Saeki's death. However, I couldn't get pass Col. Sanders, Johnie Walker and the moray-like creature coming out of Mr. Nakata's body. I wish we had more closure regarding the link between the military study in the beginning and Mr. Nakata's condition, as well as the reason for Kafka's hatred of his father. On the other hand, I loved Ms. Saeki, Oshima and Hoshino's characters.

I have another Murakami on my TBR pile, so I hope I will enjoy as much as my first one. I will pass this on to the next BXer next week. thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 37 by Ilios at US Post in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (3/20/2007 UTC) at US Post in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

sending to next bxer! 

Journal Entry 38 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Received while I was on vacation, will start reading tonight. 

Journal Entry 39 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Friday, April 20, 2007

This is the 2nd book I've read by Haruki Murakami and still I couldn't even begin to explain the feeling I get when I read his books. The writing is so simple, uncomplicated, with only gestures and speech to convey the personality and feeling of the character. I'm so glad I read this. Thanks for sharing! Heading to sewmeneebooks. 

Journal Entry 40 by sewmeneebks from Bakersfield, California USA on Saturday, April 28, 2007

Just arrived from Tuff517. I am about halfway through a rather thick read and will get to this as soon as I can. :)
There are so many positive comments about this book-I can't wait to get into it! 

Journal Entry 41 by Secretariat from Carlsbad, California USA on Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Arrived safe and sound today. It's behind several books, but I promise to get to it within the month. It will be my first Murakami and I've read such wonderful reviews of his books. I've been eagerly awaiting it. 

Journal Entry 42 by sewmeneebks from Bakersfield, California USA on Thursday, June 28, 2007

Wow! The book traveled quickly to Secretariat before I could journal it! (I've been PC-less).
Sorry to have missed reading this one. After The Historian, I couldn't face another thick read.
Thanks for the opportunity :) 

Journal Entry 43 by Secretariat at A Fellow Bookcrosser in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Friday, October 12, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (10/12/2007 UTC) at A Fellow Bookcrosser in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

I had more trouble making a deep connection to this book than any I have read in a long time. I normally have a 50 page maximum for a book—if it doesn’t seriously grab me in 50 pages I drop it and turn to something else. But something must have been driving me forward because I never seriously considered giving this book up. Although it’s very well written and piqued my interest now and again, it didn’t truly engage me for 160 pages. However, by that point, even though I still wasn’t entirely sure where the story was going, I was definitely hooked. I was immensely rewarded by finishing. The plot was fascinating, though sometimes predictable, and with enough mystery to drive me onward.

The word Kafka has several meanings in this book, not the least of which is the Kafkaesque manner in which the story is told.

Without giving away too much (for those who read this review before reading the book), this is basically a story about damaged people—each broken in their own way. Some damage is revealed fairly soon, as in the case of Oshima’s blood disorder, and for others we have to wait until near the end to learn about or the complexity of their, sometimes fatal, injuries.

This book was laugh-out-loud funny in several places. I especially liked the exchange between Oshima and the feminists, and some of the exchanges between Hoshino and Nakata. They were both very clever and beautifully written.

Nakata is our child-like character and it was both wonderful and frightening to observe the world from his point of view.

For a young man who wanted to be the toughest 15-year-old, I found it interesting that Kafka’s alter ego was Crow, since crows are large, menacing, strong, intelligent, imitative, and sometimes carrion.

On at least two occasions there are discussions in the book about labyrinths, one physical and one of the mind. With a labyrinth you can begin anywhere on it and it will always lead you to a finish. Mazes, however, have many dead ends which have to be negotiated in order to find the correct path and, frequently, there is only one. For Kafka, his journey, although complicated, was a labyrinth.

I think that Murakami either is a teacher or should have been. The one thing that I didn’t like in this book was that several times he had his characters “educate” his readers, in a very obvious manner. It was very annoying.

SanDanz took a pass on it, so it's on its way to danadoodle. 

Journal Entry 44 by danadoodle on Saturday, October 27, 2007

oh goodness, this came as a complete surprise too this week, and i had no idea of the size of the book. its so big... will start this journey soon.
thank you for starting this ring, rob, and introducing me to murakami. and thanks for passing this on, secretariat.