Kafka on the Shore

At times I was totally lost in Kafka on the Shore. Then I found myself fully engaged with parts. Some parts went very surreal and others were gross out. (There was a "cat eater" that would go through a detailed process to butcher cats and eat their hearts.)

There are soldiers that have been stuck in the forest for years. They do not claim to be "lost". They just went to a place where they wanted to be. There are some main characters that struggle through what they are doing.

Don't ever go back until you know where you are going.

What I Talk about When I Talk about Running: A Memoir

Haruki Marakami was running a jazz club. One day, while going to a baseball game, he felt he should write a novel. He did and won a prize. Later he decided to sell the club and dive in to writing. He went on to become an accomplished writer. Writing was a much more sedentary activity, leading to concerns about his health. He took up running to be active. It also helped him to give up smoking. He likes the solitary nature of running. He competes only with himself. (Though it is depressing that age tends to bring down running times, no matter how much training is done.)

This book is primarily about his experience running, with some sidelines of his life and experience writing. He doesn't think running is for everybody. Being forced to do something can make people hate it. However, when they discover it on their own, it can be a joy. This goes for both physical activities and academic interests. Keeping up at anything is important. Giving your body a rest from running gives it a chance to "relax" and drop some of the gains that have been made.

He would typically put in long time periods running, covering large numbers of miles each week. His first "marathon" was a solo run from Athens to Marathon in the summer heat. (It was not a great experience, and may not have been the full marathon distance.) He later did a marathon each year, and even did an ultra. (Though that seemed to suck the joy out of running.) He ran in New York, Boston and Japan. He achieved remarkable physical health, but he seemed to most enjoy the mental benefits.

1Q84

A 10-year old girl is shunned by her classmates due to her religious practices. A popular boy briefly holds her hand without letting others see. Then they don't see each other for two decades. The two go on with their lives, but still have a secret place in their hearts for that relationship. Finally, after they meet each other and launch on the relationship they always wish they had.

This simple "love story" goes on for over 40 hours, so there is a lot more to it. The girl goes on to be a fitness instructor and an assassin. The boy does well academically and athletically in school, but then fades after school ends. He is now teaching at a cram school. They are both connected through a strange cult. (She is engaged to assassinate the leader. He helps ghost write a fantasy novel about the "little people" and the religion with the daughter of the leader. They end up leaving the "real" world and entering a another world with two moons. Bad guys are chasing them. People have "safe" sexual relationships and don't have kids. However, the girl does get pregnant without sex.

A safety exit on an expressway ends up being a portal to the "alternate" version of 1984. This world is very close to the "normal" world. Only a limited number of people actually know that they are in this "alternate" universe. Most people are just going along with their normal life. This different universe (and the discovery of it) is a key part of the plot, yet it is not crucial to the novel. The differences are subtle. The "air chrysalis" story is "real" in the alternate universe, yet it is not critical for most. The story is discussed in significant detail, yet it may be interesting to actually see it.