My first experience reading Murakami Haruki in English translation was with the brief work titled “Desire”, which features five extracts from his various short stories. I had already read first two of these extracts in other collections. However, I was not familiar with the other three short stories.
Murakami’s works are often appreciated for their stateless or transnational sensibility, showcasing Westernized Japanese youth cultures and individuals in an anomic state. This style contrasts with the Orientalism often expected by Western readers. As a Korean reader who encountered his works in Korean translation earlier, I perceived this transnational sensibility directly because of the exotic and unusual blend of Japanese and Western cultural elements created by Murakami.
Interestingly, when I read his stories in English this time, the effect of this stateless theme seemed diluted. This is likely due to the diminished sense of exoticism, as Western elements are described in one of the most universal Western languages, English, leading to a unity of two previously disparate factors. I wonder whether native English-speaking readers perceive his work as exotic, as I did when I read it in Korean, or if they feel it resonates with their own culture.
📖The Second Bakery Attack: A charming but absurd adventure of a couple trying to satisfy their inner hunger and an empty stomach in the middle of the night.
📖On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning: nostalgic, romantic, and sad reminiscence of the passion and ideal dream we dreamt in youth
📖Birthday Girl: another lovely story for youth. Cheers to the vulnerability of youth, who tend to be easily exploited. Was my twentieth birthday special? I remember crying after being dumped by a jerk, only to be comforted by another boy who is now my husband.
📖Samsa in Love: A brilliant contrarian concept inspired by Franz Kafka!
📖A Forklore for My Generation: A Prehistory of Late-Stage Capitalism:
This story embodies one of Murakami’s typical themes, exploring sexual relationships and reminiscence.
Finished reading on: Oct 26th 2025
