Journal Entry 1 by Skyrider from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Thursday, May 29, 2003

Journal Entry 2 by Skyrider from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Friday, May 07, 2004

I've released this book as a bookray. One of the nice things about bookrays is that it's never too late to join — if you'd like to be a part of this, PM me and I'll slot you between arturogrande and roadrunner if you're in Europe or between Rrrcaron and JesseBC (the book's final destination) if you're in America (I'm not sure where to put folk from other continents yet — we'll worry about that if it happens!).

• Skyrider (Cambridge, UK)
  
• gerenggat (Gateshead, UK)
  
• Auglaise (Cardiff, UK)
  
• arturogrande (Leicestershire, UK)
  
• roadrunner (Texas, USA)
  
• Ebumu (New York, USA)
  
• ottoshumato (Mass., USA)
  
• Rrrcaron (New Hampshire, USA)
  
• MyopicMeringue (Surrey, UK) <---- The book is here!
  
• JesseBC (Illinois, USA)
  
• ...you?
  

Journal Entry 3 by gerenggat on Sunday, May 16, 2004

Book arrived safely in Gateshead. Thanks Skyrider. It looks really good. I'm looking forward to reading it. 

Journal Entry 4 by gerenggat on Saturday, June 05, 2004

Well, what shall I say about this book? After reading about 400 of its ca 600 pages I have decided not to finish it. (Which is something I rarely ever do)
It is a very bizarre story about a man in Japan who is slowly loosing all sense for reality. I think I found it difficult to relate to the main character, partly because its told from a man's perspective (Sorry guys). The story is set in modern Japan, but the protagonist meets all these very surreal characters and hears the most astounding and sometimes gruesome stories, without ever questioning them. He seems to calmly accept everything at face value, which I find very difficult to follow.
The writing is at times very intense and then again very slow, which made it very exhausting for me to read. Some of the ideas would have been brilliant in a fantasy story about sorcerers and mythical creatures, but were out of place in this setting. (At least in my opinion)
Having said this, I did like some of the ideas mentioned in the book, in particular when the protagonist explains how he can usually detach himself from any ill feelings towards another person.
The book left me with a very uneasy feeling, and I have decided to read something more cheerful next.
It will be very interesting to read what others think about the book. As soon as Auglaise confirms her address, I'll be sending it on its way. 

Journal Entry 5 by gerenggat at 2nd class in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, June 05, 2004

Release planned for Monday, June 07, 2004 at 2nd class in Controlled Release, Controlled Release Controlled Releases.

To be postes to Auglaise. Hope she enjoys the book more than I did :-) 

Journal Entry 6 by Auglaise from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, June 12, 2004

Got this in the post today from gerenggat, and I can't wait to read it! 

Journal Entry 7 by Auglaise from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, June 17, 2004

This contains spoilers.

If I wasn't (basically, I hope) a nice person, I would 'lose' this book onto my bookshelf and start forcing my friends to read it. I really liked it! I thought that Toru's casual acceptence of the unusual, odd, and paranormal was perfectly understandable. Humans will, after all, accept anything to pretend that the world is normal, sane and safe. Especially after such shocks as their wife suddenly disappearing.

The book is also, however, extremely Japanese. I don't think I would have noticed so much had I not had as much contact with the Japanese culture as I have (several friends who teach English there and lived with several exchange students at my American university). As such, there are lots of things that probably seem a bit....odd to a Western audience.

I didn't like, however, how characters just sort of dropped out of the story. There was almost never an explantion for their absence (especially in the case of Malta and Creta), and there were several narrative inconsistancies, although this may have been deliberate on the part of the author. Over all though, I really enjoyed this book. I'm going to tell all my English-teaching friends in Japan to read it. ^_^

I'll most likely be sending this out either the 25th or 26th June, as the paycheck coming on the 25th is necessary for postage!

"I can't find the image, I said to myself. I'm thirty, I'm standing still, and I can't find the image." 

Journal Entry 8 by Auglaise at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, June 29, 2004

Released on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring Controlled Releases.

And because I'm great at putting the books in the envelope, and I suck at actually getting them to the post office, this is finally being sent! Hope arturogrande likes it as much as I did! 

Journal Entry 9 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, July 01, 2004

Arrived safely this morning, and looking at the previous journal entries, I'm very intrigued by this one.
And thanks, Auglaise, for the lovely postcard! 

Journal Entry 10 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 10, 2004

I've never given a book ten out of ten before, but this is such a beautiful piece of work, perfect in every way, that it just HAS to score 10.
I'd heard good things about Murakami's work, but had never read anything by him before. And none of the rave reviews he's picked up from critics and readers could have prepared me for the wonderful thing that is 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle'.
The writing is stunningly beautiful and the narrative flow is without flaw.
Although the book jumps around between the past and the present, the real and the metaphysical, Murakami has constructed it so well that I was never lost.
I was drawn into the surreally wonderful world inhabited by Toru Okada as soon as I read the first word. The sense of place and atmposhere is so skilfully rendered that it's almost tangible.
And while I agree with Auglaise that to get the most out of the book, it needs to be read in a different way to Western novels, I did not find it at all hard to get into a Japanese frame of mind, despite never having been to Japan myself. That again is, I think, testament to Murakami's skill as a writer.
The book is now on its way to Roadrunner in Texas.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I am now a complete convert to Murakami's work, as this is probably one of the best books I have ever read. 

Journal Entry 11 by roadrunner from Spring, Texas USA on Tuesday, July 27, 2004

This just arrived in the mail. This book is HUGE! I have several bookrings ahead of this but my life is much calmer these days and I am moving through them fairly quickly. I will read this asap and then get it moving again. My first Murakami - I can't wait! 

Journal Entry 12 by roadrunner from Spring, Texas USA on Monday, September 27, 2004

Whew - I FINALLY finished this book. This is my first experience with Murakami and I like him very much. I think he writes extremely well although I had a hard time figuring out exactly what was going on in this story. This book kept bringing me back even though not all of it was making sense. I agree with Auglaise in that some characters just sort of fell away with little explanation. All in all a great book and I will keep my eyes out for more by this author. This book will be moving on tomorrow via Media Mail. Thanks Skyrider for sharing this book and introducing me to this author 

Journal Entry 13 by Ebumu from Ithaca, New York USA on Friday, October 01, 2004

Journal Entry 14 by Ebumu from Ithaca, New York USA on Thursday, October 28, 2004

What an unusual book--unlike anything I've read before. I found it very compelling. The story flowed very smoothly and the writing was just exquisite. Even the rather mundane details of life were written with a very light and natural touch, and the translator did an excellent job. The key characters were all really interesting, surreal people. May was the most believeable of all of them and I thought she served as a good anchor for reality, which gets pleasantly blurred in the lives of the other characters. I was angry with the author for including Boris' scene, but I know I'm oversensitive. I'm still trying to figure out the significance of the scene in which Toru acquires the bat--what happened there?

I wonder if I would've gotten more out of this book if I knew more about Japanese culture? I hardly think so. I liked it very much. Thanks! Off to Rrrcaron (mailed Nov. 2)--ottoshumato is busy and has asked to be skipped. 

Journal Entry 15 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, November 11, 2004

I received this book in the mail yesterday. Wow, it's a big one! I have a few to read beforehand, but I'll get to this asap!
Ruth 

Journal Entry 16 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, February 23, 2005

It's not often a book get's a rating of 10 from me, but this is one of them. I loved this book. I lost hours of sleep because I just couldn't put it down. Although both the characters and subject matter in general was somewhat strange, I was drawn in to the plot. I had never even heard of this author before, and now I'm on the look out for more books!Thanks so much for sharing this book!!! I'm awaiting a pm from MyopicMeringue, so that I can send it on.
Ruth 

Journal Entry 17 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, February 23, 2005

It's not often a book get's a rating of 10 from me, but this is one of them. I loved this book. I lost hours of sleep because I just couldn't put it down. Although both the characters and subject matter in general was somewhat strange, I was drawn in to the plot. I had never even heard of this author before, and now I'm on the look out for more books!Thanks so much for sharing this book!!! I'm awaiting a pm from MyopicMeringue, so that I can send it on.
Ruth 

Journal Entry 18 by MyopicMeringue on Tuesday, March 08, 2005

I received this book this morning - thanks Rrrcaron, and thanks Skyrider, for starting the bookring. It's a book from my wishlist, and I'm very much looking forward to reading it. I do have some other bookring books to read first though, so I may be a little slow to finish this one, but I'll get to it as soon as I can. 

Journal Entry 19 by MyopicMeringue on Saturday, February 04, 2006

I'm really sorry I've had this book so long. I did contact JesseBC ages ago to ask for her address to send the book to after I've read it, and she asked to be skipped. And then, for some reason (well, no doubt my lack of organisational skills) I never got round to seeing who the next person on the list was, but now I see there is actually no one after her. I hope people haven't dropped out of the bookring because of me having had the book so long. :-(

I actually think I might have chance to read this book now, because today I am sending on all my other bookring books, and this is the only one left. I would like to read it, because I started reading it some time ago and was really really enjoying it. So here is what I'll do (if this is okay with you, Skyrider): I will try to finish reading it by the end of next week, and then I will contact JesseBC again and ask if she would like to read it (as it is several months since I last contacted her so she might be less busy now). And if she wants to read it, then I will send it to her, and if not, I will contact Skyrider to see what to do with it.