This book was very interesting, good descriptions of 1960s japanese life, but it was a bit depressing.

Released on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 at Cittie of Yorke Pub, WC1V 6BN in London - Central, England United Kingdom.

going to meetup for bookcrossing from meetup.com, hopefully trade it there.

Caught at the bx meetup at Cittie of York pub Holborn. Looks good - will journal again when read - Bookspook

I'm about half way through this now, and loving it. It's nostalgic and mysterious and sad and very funny. I have no idea what's going to happen, though I suspect that at least one character is not long for this world. There's something about any book that describes campus life from a student point of view - even a campus/student residence as unfamiliar as in this Tokyo setting - that just always works. We also have a mental home setting - you can't go wrong with that one either! : ) More 70's than 60's, though the Beatles figure heavily. I am definitely going to read more by this writer - so thanks, mint-uk, I probably wouldn't have found this without you!

I have finished this book now, and will probably want to read it again. I really loved this book - it made me laugh and cry and it will stay with me for a very long time. Er, mentally, I mean. I'll bring it back to the next bx meetup.

PS don't know why I thought 70s - it is definitely 60s.

Caught this at the London December 2003 meet-up: thanks, mint-uk and bookspook, for introducing me to a stunning book.

bookspook's already said some spot-on things about the story and themes. I'd like to add that Murakami's touch is so light and sure that some passages are like an extended poem; there's a fullness of life to the whole story and its telling - love, loss, longing, desire, sensuality, eroticism. You care and feel for the characters, even if you don't always understand them.

I haven't given a 1-10 rating to this book, because I'd find it an unconscionable arrogance on my part to pass judgment on a novelist's achievement, particularly one this good; but if pushed, I'd give it a high score. I'll be reading more from this author.

Caught at January meet. I keep thinking about reading this book, but haven't yet, so here's my chance.

I did enjoy this - I liked all the music references, and it meant digging out Rubber Soul, how bad can that be? - but I have to admit it didn't really have as strong an effect on me as it had on some. Though I did dream that I went to Tokyo on the bullet-train..!

No laughing or crying on my part, although as somebody else said, it was a bit depressing at the end.

I'll take it along to the February meet, if I remember! - unless it is requested in the meantime.

Kate has shipped this on to me after I requested it... I picked this up in Waterstones once because I thought it looked interesting. Never got round to buying it though. I've always found this to be one of the more enigmatic songs of the Beatles - what's going on there? It's certainly very catchy, but it has such a dark, ambivalent edge to it. The reviews here are certainly good ones, so I will put this quite high up my TBR list! More here when I have read it.