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Kafka on the Shore (海辺のカフカ, Umibe no Kafuka) is a 2002 novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. Its 2005 English translation was among “The 10 Best Books of 2005” from The New York Times and received the World Fantasy Award for 2006. The book tells the stories of the young Kafka Tamura, a bookish 15-year-old boy who runs away from his Oedipal curse, and Satoru Nakata, an old, disabled man with the uncanny ability to talk to cats. The book...
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Chilean author Roberto Bolaño wrote and published 2666 posthumously in 2004. It is a sprawling and complex work that weaves together multiple storylines and characters. It explores themes of violence, the search for meaning, and the human condition. The novel is divided into five parts, each with its own distinct narrative focus. I. The part about the critics The first part introduces four European literary critics obsessed with the elusive and reclusive German author Benno von Archimboldi. II. The part...
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At the risk of invoking a Monty Pythonesque guffaw, here is a summary of Proust and specifically Swann’s Way . Published in 1913, Swann’s Way is the first volume of Marcel Proust’s seven-part novel, In Search of Lost Time . The volume serves as an introduction to Proust’s intricate exploration of memory, time, and the complexities of human experience. Swann’s Way begins with the narrator’s reminiscences of his childhood in the fictional town of Combray. Proust structures the narrative around...
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The Moviegoer is a novel written by Walker Percy and published in 1961. It tells the story of Binx Bolling, a young man living in New Orleans who is grappling with a sense of alienation and a search for meaning in his life. Binx Bolling, the protagonist and narrator, comes from a privileged Southern family but feels disconnected from the world around him. He finds solace in going to the movies, seeking refuge in the fantasy world of the silver...
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T.C. Boyle published The Road to Wellville in 1993. Set in the early 20th century, it explores the eccentric and often controversial practices of health enthusiasts in the pursuit of well-being. The story revolves around two main characters. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a real-life figure and the inventor of corn flakes and Will Lightbody, a fictional character seeking a cure for his chronic digestive issues. Dr. Kellogg runs the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a health resort promoting holistic healing and physical...
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Carlos Ruiz Zafón published The Angel’s Game in 2008. It is set in 1920s Barcelona. It is a prequel to Zafón’s earlier work, The Shadow of the Wind , but can be read as a standalone story. The novel delves into themes of love, obsession, and the blurred lines between reality and fiction. The story follows David Martín, a young writer struggling to make ends meet as a journalist. He receives an offer from a mysterious publisher named Andreas Corelli...
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Philip Roth wrote American Pastoral in 1997. Set against the backdrop of post-World War II America, the story explores the disintegration of the American Dream through the lens of one family. American Pastoral centers around Seymour “Swede” Levov, a successful Jewish-American businessman and former star athlete. Swede seemingly embodies the American Dream, with a beautiful wife named Dawn and a daughter named Merry. However, the tranquil façade of Swede’s life is shattered when Merry becomes involved in radical political activities...
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José Saramago wrote and published Blindness in 1995. It is a thought-provoking and allegorical story that explores the fragility of humanity and the breakdown of society in the face of an epidemic of sudden blindness. The novel begins when a “white blindness” strikes people in an unnamed city. People lose their sight overnight, leaving the city’s inhabitants in a state of panic and confusion. Among the blind, a doctor, his wife, a girl, her mother, a thief, and others play...
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Elizabeth Strout wrote Olive Kitteridge in 2008. It is a collection of interconnected stories that revolve around the complex and often prickly character of Olive Kitteridge. Olive is a retired schoolteacher living in the small coastal town of Crosby, Maine. The novel delves into the lives of the residents of Crosby, with Olive serving as the thread connecting the narratives. Through a series of episodic chapters, the reader gains insight into Olive’s struggles. Olive is depicted as a strong-willed and...
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J.G. Farrell wrote and published The Siege of Krishnapur in 1973. Set during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, aka the Sepoy Mutiny, the story depicts the harrowing experiences of British residents. They find themselves trapped in the fictional town of Krishnapur, located in British India. The novel begins with British residents of Krishnapur living an idyllic life, protected from the realities of the Indian rebellion. However, as the rebellion gains momentum, the town becomes besieged by rebel forces, cutting off...
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Thomas Pynchon published Inherent Vice in 2009. Set in 1970s California, the story follows private detective Larry “Doc” Sportello as he becomes caught up in a complex and psychedelic web of mystery, conspiracy, and counter cultural chaos. The novel unfolds in the made-up Gordita Beach, where Doc leads an easy and mostly aimless existence. When Doc’s former girlfriend Shasta Fay Hepworth shows up one day seeking help, his life takes an unexpected turn. She knows of a plot to kidnap...
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J.M. Coetzee published Elizabeth Costello in 2003. The story revolves around the fictional character of Elizabeth Costello, a renowned and aging Australian writer who travels the world giving lectures and engaging in philosophical debates. The novel is structured as a series of chapters that depict different moments in Elizabeth’s life. These moments include her interactions with family members, encounters with other intellectuals, and public speaking engagements. Through these episodes, Coetzee raises profound questions about literature, ethics, animals, and the nature...
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J.M. Coetzee wrote Slow Man in 2005. The story revolves around Paul Rayment, an aging photographer who suffers a debilitating accident that results in the amputation of his leg. The novel explores themes of identity, loss, and human connection. After his accident, Paul becomes dependent on others for his daily needs. He struggles to come to terms with his new reality. He is assigned a caregiver named Marijana, a young Croatian immigrant who initially resents her role. However, she gradually...
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Natsume Sōseki wrote and published his first novel, I am a Cat , in 1905. A professor’s nameless house cat narrates the novel. The feline observes and comments on the eccentricities and foibles of the human characters that surround it. The cat, belonging to an unassuming schoolteacher, serves as a keen observer of human nature. It offers witty and satirical observations on the society and people it encounters. Through the cat’s observations, Soseki explores various aspects of Japanese society during...
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Robert van Gulik wrote The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee , a collection of detective stories, and published them in 1949. van Gulik sets the stories in ancient China during the Tang Dynasty. The fictional character of Judge Dee may be based on a real person: Di Renjie. Di was known for his wisdom, intelligence, and strict adherence to the law. Robert van Gulik was in a Tokyo bookshop one day when he served as a diplomat from the Netherlands....
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J.G. Farrell wrote The Singapore Grip in 1978. Set during World War II, the story takes place in Singapore and explores the lives of a diverse cast of characters against the backdrop of an impending Japanese invasion. The novel primarily centers around the Blackett family, British rubber merchants who have prospered in Singapore. The protagonist, Matthew Webb, is a young British man who joins the Blackett’s firm. He quickly becomes entangled in their complex business and personal dynamics. As the...
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Haruki Murakami wrote What I Talk About When I Talk About Running in 2007. Combining reflections on running with personal anecdotes, the book provides insights into Murakami’s experiences as a writer and a long-distance runner. Throughout the memoir, Murakami shares how running has been an integral part of his life and creative process. He discusses his motivations for running, the discipline it requires, and the meditative aspects that allow him to find solace and inspiration. As Murakami reflects on his...
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A few topics covered in Consider the Lobster : Do lobsters feel pain? Did Franz Kafka have a funny bone? What is John Updike’s deal, anyway? And what happens when adult video starlets meet their fans in person? David Foster Wallace answers these questions and more in essays that are also enthralling narrative adventures. Whether covering the three-ring circus of John McCain’s 2000 presidential race, plunging into the wars between dictionary writers, or confronting the World’s Largest Lobster Cooker at...
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Two-time Booker Prize-winner J. M. Coetzee is one of the world’s greatest novelists and in Stranger Shores he turns his gaze on those who have influenced him. This thought-provoking collection gathers twenty-six of his essays on books and writing. In his opening piece, “What Is a Classic?”, Coetzee asks, “What does it mean in living terms to say that the classic is what survives?” He explores the answer by way of T. S. Eliot, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Zbigniew Herbert....
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