3 authors picked
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage as one of their favorite
books. Why do they recommend it?
Patti McCracken
Author
I know the pain of the unjust dagger, and the added, self-inflicted wound that festers when the question goes unasked: "Why? Why did you hurt me?" Tender-hearted Tsukuru nearly dies under the weight of sudden abandonment by those he holds most dear. As for myself, I think I will always hold Tsukuru close to my heart.
Murakami is a remarkably skilled
story weaver. His plots are engaging, even when they’re unbelievable. But this time
his novel rings painfully true by addressing a less frequented theme: the loss
of a friend group.
Gone is the magical realism that haunts many of his other
works. Instead, we follow one seemingly real person on his quest to discover
why, years ago, his core group of high school friends suddenly, inexplicably
cut him off. I’ve been blessed to still have daily contact with my three
closest friends from childhood well into middle age. Perhaps the thought of
losing that connection…
Every time I read a Murakami novel, I go into a trance. The language is simple, the images hallucinatory, and the ideas seem straightforward yet enigmatic.
I started the year with the fantastic maze of artistic and sexual mysteries in Killing Commendatore and ended it with Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki. This is an intimate story of a young man who once had been part of an inseparable quintet of friends until his sudden, inexplicable, and total expulsion from the group. This trauma shaped his life for decades.
The loss, or even the distancing of old friends, once essential to my…
A retired English teacher has come home to Appalachia, a land of industrial disaster and natural beauty. He has been enticed with stories of Wildcat’s transformation: of the collective action embodied in Hotel Wildcat as well as the artisanal pursuits springing to life in the old iron mill. But in returning, he must confront his dark memories: the lost love of his hippie chic girlfriend not to mention the lost trust between his middle-class family and working-class Wildcat.
Written in the lyrical grit so characteristic of America’s Rust Belt, Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance is a testament to the redemptive potential…
Journey into Appalachia's Heart: Love, Loss, and the Resilience of a Forgotten Land
Discover the captivating allure of the Appalachian region as Jeffrey Dunn skillfully weaves a tale of love, loss, and redemption in his exquisitely crafted literary fiction masterpiece, Wildcat: An Appalachian Romance. Immerse yourself in the depths of the rust belt's rugged landscapes, where the echoes of industrial disaster intertwine with the sublime beauty of nature, all while the characters navigate the delicate dance between past and future.
In this poignant narrative, our protagonist, a retired English teacher, returns to his roots, lured back to the once-shuttered Hotel…
