Haruki Murakami: The Magic of Simplicity
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
- With elegant prose, Haruki Murakami conjures magical worlds overlaying ours. Murakami's style of magical realism uses simple language to express feelings of loneliness and nostalgia.
We take a closer look at samples from his works:
Norwegian Wood
Kafka on the Shore
After Dark
A Wild Sheep Chase
1Q84
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.
Follow me on Twitter for frequent updates:
/ litburo
Special thanks to the incredible Kudasaibeats for his music in the video and all other content creators that made the video possible.
You can check out Kudasaibeats here:
/ @kudasaibeats
Introduction: (0:00)
Part 1 | Elegance in Simplicity: (1:04)
Kafka on the Shore Reading: (3:45)
After Dark Reading: (5:12)
Norwegian Wood Introduction: (7:50)
Part 2 | Understanding Norwegian Wood: (9:04)
Norwegian Wood Theory | Reiko Ishida: (15:55)
Part 3 | Selected Works and Reception: (20:00)
Conclusion: (27:00) 
Развлечения
Great essay! You're bringing up many points that I never considered. Maybe it's time for a reread of these wonderful pieces of literature.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate the comment :)
It's my first video essay so I'm trying to figure out what worked well and what didn't - the video essay wanders a little but I hope it fit in with Murakami's own style of meandering!
@@Litburo It really does!
@@Litburo q0⁰0⁰⁰⁰⁰⁰⁰⁰
@@Litburo 0⁰
@@Litburo 0⁰
I love how he writes about cooking pasta, making coffee or any food...
I also love his descriptions of food and making coffee!
Even the most simple and trivial tasks he explains with such beauty 🥺
Spaghetti
It's like ASMR
I always want food and coffee when I read him haha
Murakami's work sounds like jazz. Free and emphasizing mood.
Exactly, the wandering "free improvisation" style definitely emphasizes the mood of the moment. Thank you for the comment!
Oh I have not heard this comparison before. It's good
I've just finished reading 1Q84 and I was hypnotized by the simplicity of his writing and the magical atmosphere. I am totally under Murakami´s writing spell!
Yes, the odd and magical way he writes is entirely captivating. Thank you for the comment :)
Terribly repetitive and boring.
@@wasiahmed5693 people who enjoy his work find some resonance with the ideas in the books.
I’m reading it right now :D wind up bird chronicle is my favorite thus far.
@@wasiahmed5693 i understand what youre saying, its his sell-out work, i could only read part 1 then the second just felt like a rehash. try his older works and short storys
Idk what it is but he details it so beautiful that you feel like you want to be in that and after you are the reading it settles in that you not there but you felt it , its jow beautifully he writes it just brings peace to my soul.
I'm a big murakami fan , the first book I've read was Kafka on the shore and the experience I had while reading that book was surreal , I felt like I was experience everything Kafka taimura was going through , the library , the cottage in the woods , the forest every thing and ofcourse Nakata was my favourite .. then I've real Norwegian woods idk why it's so hyped the writing is 100/10 murakami way of writing is something else like psychedelic but the story was okay Midori is my favourite character in Norwegian woods and now I'm currently on the wind up bird chronicle and I can't explain what it's impact on me going through a worst phase of my life and this is the only book that keeping me through this phase .. for me murakami books are psychedelic without taking any psychedelic my mind is alter and my heart feels beauty of every day life
If you look closely to that Norwegian Wood cover. They're not just trees. They are 3 sets of feet.
Toru, Naoko, Kizuki.
Toru, Naoko, Midori.
Toru, Nagasawa, Hatsumi
Toru, Naoko, Reiko
Damn!
In fact, when I saw the cover in the book I realized that. Although I read the book a long ago never thought about the cover. I read the ebook, so never that a chance to observe the cover. Thanks for interpreting the cover for us. It seems to be 3 sets of feet.
I only thought it was Toru, Midori and Naoko, but now I'm surprise!
You’ll also notice only one set of feet is walking towards the ‘light’ or away from their shadow
@@exili kizuki?
after dark is one of my favorite books of all time I'm excited to read more of his work. it's oddly comforting to read his work.
Definitely, After Dark is one of his most underrated works in my opinion!
@@Litburo 100% i love this video btw. i just bought Norwegian wood and kafka!
@@aniqadam1847 Thank you for the kind words! I hope you fall in love with those books just as you had with After Dark.
It's a different vibe altogether...you just get in to a magical world .... Detailing of everything...may it be a person or a food item is just unimaginable.....it's just mesmerizing
Prepare to blow up. Amazing editing, calm voice and great sound quality, but most importantly: PERFECT essay. The algorithm lords will definitely help you. Good luck.
Thank you Joatan! I've been busy at my day job lately but have completed another essay, all that's left to do is edit it all together over the weekend. I appreciate the kind comment
@@Litburo You're doing it all by yourself?!
@@joatanpereira4272 That's right, haha! After work I write my scripts, record, find the right footage as well as music (contacting the content creators if not free use), and then edit it together.
I'm learning how to edit on-the-go too. Learning all these new things and getting to revisit some stories I love has actually been a really fun, though time-consuming, experience so far!
@@Litburo Wow! There are channels at the same level of quality and with more than 5 people. Doing all that alone definitely is tiring. Take your time and have fun!
@@joatanpereira4272 Well said my friend! The most important thing is to keep enjoying the process and presenting these works with passion. Also, chatting with and getting to know more people in the community is enjoyable too!
This is beautifully edited. I love the intermixing of nature and his words while trying to keep this essay magical. Its almost sensorial with the way you use water as a main theme of your essay. Wonderfully done. Please make more such videos.
Thank you, your kind feedback is heartwarming! I'll keep that in mind to give the same sensorial quality to my other essays
I think you perfectly mirrored Murakami's style of writing in the video. Simple and elegant. This was a great video!
I've very happy you enjoyed it and thank you so much for the feedback, glad to see another fan of his works!
I'm not a native English speaker and I enjoyed reading Haruki short stories. Simple words, entertaining and open my eyes to many thing and let me feel like I belong to his stories because they represent many of us lives. I finally found my favorite author ❤
I’m glad you found your favourite author!
Thank you for making this video. I often feel that it is so difficult to put into words what it means to read Murakami, but you have done an excellent job.
Thank you for watching! I appreciate the positive feedback and I'm glad you found the video insightful. It was a blast both dissecting and reviewing some of Murakami's works!
I've been getting into Murakami lately, starting with Hardboiled Wonderland. I loved your commentary on his work, and especially how you gave response to his criticism. Very well put.
Thank you for the feedback, it's always nice hearing when my videos resonated! How did you like Hardboiled Wonderland?
The algorithm brought me here. Amazing quality, kudos. Visually attractive, wonderful story telling and beautiful music. I subscribed immediately to your YT channel and to your podcast as well. The podcast version will be very welcome on days recovering from migraine. Thank you!
Thank you! That comment means a lot to me, I appreciate it. Also, has anyone told you that you have a stellar username?
Amazing video essay! I'm looking forward to seeing your future videos:)
Thanks for your kind words stranger!
I'm working on my next video right now but the process takes a bit of time especially for these kinds of long-form content. I decided to finally pursue my passion for analyzing writers and philosophers but since I have a full-time job, the pace may be a bit slower - I hope to get have it completed soon and thank you again! :)
Murakami's works all have a dreamlike/Oneiric feeling to them, which I'm trying really hard to imitate.
Definitely! Are you a writer as well? I'd be interested to hear about your writing style/process!
Don’t imitate! Be inspired!
Humayun Ahmed (late) a renowned Bangladeshi author, his writings are heavily influenced by Haruki Murakmi, it had been a pleasure for me to be able to read Murakami style in my native language.
@@anikatasnim6001 I heard so, is any english translation available anywhere?
There are some authors like him and/or inspired by him: Banana Yoshimoto, Hiromi Kawakami, Mieko Kawakami,Ruth Ozeki, Yoko Ogawa and David Mitchell and Co(Emily St John Mandel, Matt Haig, Claire North)
I'm in awe with your work on this video. Shared with my friend and also fan of Murakami's writing. look forward to more of your work!!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It was my first time video editing so future videos will only get better!
Beautiful, highly intelligent critique of amazing author Murakami- I listened with total attention and would like to congratulate the author- the music and images chosen...everything shows delicatesse and a literary knowledge in the analysis. Great work, bravo!
Thank you! I appreciate the kind comment and I'm happy you thought the video was insightful.
I picked up Norwegian Wood about 6 months ago. It made me fall in love with his writing. It's so simple, but equally beautiful. I've read Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Wind-Pinball, and I'm about 200 pages into 1Q84. So far my favorite has been Wind-Up Bird. What a wonderful book that is! Kafka on the Shore is amazing too! Wind-Pinball is the only work of his that I haven't been crazy about, but it's understandable, being his first two novellas.
Happy to hear you found a new author you love! Thank you for sharing this, Wind-Up Bird is definitely a fun one.
Thanks for this high quality analysis of this great writer. Very inspiring !
I loved Drive my car. Started searching for his work lol. Good video and I'm definitely gonna read his books
Happy you enjoyed it!
Adoro sus libros, su manera de pensar, su país, su cultura, gracias por darnos su sabiduría 🌟🇪🇸
Amazing video. I'm really glad I found this channel. Looking forward for more content!
Greatly appreciated, I hope you'll enjoy all the other content as well Angel!
I can see a great future ahead...I have never seen such an amazing and clear breakdown of murakami's work...great editing, great narration....I will be looking forward to more videos...It would be great if you make a video on Marquez's works
I appreciate the comment! Yes, I've always been a massive fan of storytelling and this video started as an outlet to get my thoughts down while learning how to edit videos. It seems to have grown in popularity and many have been asking for more analysis on individual works by Murakami so I've added it to my backlog of essays to produce.
Thank you for the feedback :)
I've loved this video! I have to talk about Murakami in a school project and your essay has helped me a lot, and also has encouraged me to read something about this artist.
Awesome, I'm glad you got something out of the video! What do you think of Murakami's works?
I started to love him when I was 16 years old. Now I am close to my 40s. Where time flies?
I usually get bored half-way through long form video essays like this one, but I genuinely enjoyed every minute of it! Your video was well structured and the calm tone of your voice really helped me get into the zone.
Personally, I like "The Wind-up bird Chronicles" the best. It's just messed up and fantastical enough to really leave an impression on me and I loved every aspect of it. The well, the flash-back stories, May, the hotel, Cinnamon, everything.
I really appreciate the feedback! Thank you, that was the objective so this comment makes me happy! Yes, "The Wind-up bird Chronicles" has a mysterious and surreal quality to it with the flashback stories, the mystics, and the story of the well. I agree, there's a certain unforgettable quality to dark and fantastical stories like these.
The messed up but magical nature of it all leaves a lasting impression!
Wowww what a dedicated, well made video on my favourite author! Thank you:)
Thank you for feedback! I try to thoroughly analyze each artist I make an episode on :)
Really enjoyed it! Thank you very much for your quality work! Just subscribed for more of this!
Thank you Milene, I really appreciate the feedback. I'll keep the content coming
This has made me curious to read his books, thank you for this essay.
I do hope you enjoy his stories. Of course, as with most writers, his style doesn't resonate with everyone but I do encourage you to check him out!
Hi I enjoyed your video essay! I haven’t read the author’s work but I felt captivated by their words. At times I felt the music didn’t vibe with content. Thanks for sharing!
Great essay. Thank you for taking the time to make this.
Thank you for taking the time to watch :)
I think Murakami's works are in between.
You either like it or hate it. I have met some people in life who agitated that they found it whimsical,over described like an overdressed salad. I don't argue about it with them.
Murakami's books feel like a door. You open it not knowing the landscape within. You embark the dark forest or white forest letting go of all your conscious living. It's surrealism at its extreme to me. I could not sleep for months after reading Kafka on the shore. I love cat's too much that everytime I see a cat running in the streets,I think of Johnny Walker, lurking somewhere with cat food. It's never too much.
I write too. And before I met Murakami's works I thought no one would like my surrealist works but it gave me a sense of proportion." The book chooses its reader"
Well said! I know some people in my life that love his works and other close friends that find his style of writing a bit too different. Nevertheless, his magical realism is distinct and memorable to almost everyone!
It sounds like you're getting quite a bit of inspiration and encouragement from his works. I hope you continue to write - the path to publishing your own work will be arduous but don't forget about us small fry if/when you make it big!
@@Litburo humbled.
🐰 thanks
Going through Some Soul Shifting Stuff and this helped immensely.
Thanks for the efforts 😇❤️🙏
I'm glad! Thank you for watching 😁
ahh this is so good, can't wait for ur channel to get more recognition!
Thank you, this makes me excited to make more content!
Awesome essay! I'll have to revaluate Norwegian Wood, I think. I read it in-between Dance Dance Dance and Windup Bird Chronicle, so I think I wasn't really in the right headspace for something so subtle and real. I'm finally finishing the last of his books I haven't read, Sputnik Sweetheart, and I can't believe how much setup goes into his work. It feels like half a book goes by before the plot begins, and yet I'm mesmerized. It really is simple and magical.
Thank you for the kind comment and I'm glad you enjoyed it! The video really is a subjective take so if you still don't resonate with Norwegian Wood, it could be a preference thing. Being in the right headspace for the work definitely impacts how we consume the content and though Norwegian Wood has its flaws, I found it a great read overall!
I used to not enjoy reading books unless they were history books or educational in some way, I’m the kind of guy who can’t imagine the image of an apple in his head so most descriptions felt very vague and unfamiliar to me so I could never relate enough to devour books.
Later in life a friend recommended Murakami, Norwegian Wood to be precise, and his descriptions were so precise yet simple that I could imagine them, his love for music in all his books is also something I can relate to but above all what I really love is how he writes characters, what they go through and how they develop, the simples joys in life, love and how destructive life can be. I’ve since read a bunch of his books and his short stories and I love every single one of them (except maybe Sputnik Sweetheart, that one was enjoyable but not a favorite). With Murakami I feel like I’m reading something that happened in real life even when it gets so silly like a man who can talk to cats and summons fish from the sky. My personal favorite is Men without Women, to this day it remains the most powerful bunch of short stories I’ve ever read and they’ve left a deep mark in me.
This channel deserves 1M subs
Beautiful video with interesting photography . . . Fresh styles . . . . Great B roll
Beautiful coverage of Murakami's worlds.
My only Murakami book - 1Q84. read it a year ago. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unforgettable.
Unforgettable read indeed! He creates such a magical and bizarre world.
I've read all his books. Id recommend kafka on the shore
@@dominicturner77 It really is a wonderful read!
I've just had to take notes on this for my English class! Masterfully done!
Thank you! Glad to have helped out :)
Loved it keep up the good work
I've known about him for a few months now but i just recently bought his book: "First Person Singular".
Have you started reading it yet? Let me know your thoughts!
Have been slowly reading 'The Buried Giant'. This is a one-off storyteller who still strives for originality and untried colors of the classic heroes' journey. Inspiring!
But this is a Kazhuo Ishiguro book..
I mostly enjoy the audio version of Murakami's works...I can shut my eyes and allow his words to wash over me and blend into his magical universe without distraction
That sounds amazing!
Lovely. Murakami is my favorite author and I look up to him c:
Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for stopping by!
Thanks. Enjoy listening to your essay on a quiet late afternoon. Is raining outside😊
Ah! Such a wonderful environment to be in. A cozy atmosphere inside while it's raining outside, maybe with a warm cup of tea!
I really liked this video. I think it is going to help me a lot in my writing. “Write simpler”. I need more of that. I am Half Japanese, and I connected deeply to this video. Thank you for educating me about a Japanese author I haven’t read yet, but now will! :)
I'm glad you found the video useful and that you think it'll help your writing! I also just published the first episode in a new "Art of Storytelling" series on my channel 20 minutes ago so you may enjoy that as well.
Haruki Murakami and Kazuo Ishiguro are two Japanese authors under the spotlight in the Western world now so it was interesting to take a deeper dive. Out of curiosity, what genre do you write in?
@@Litburo oh thank you, that sounds really cool and I will definitely check it out!!
And I am currently focused on writing a sci-fi trilogy, but I have several other books in the works, many sci-fi and fantasy, as well as some “how to” books!
I’m only 20 now, and I’m hoping to make it big in the author world, though I understand what a challenge that may be! I’m optimistic! :)
I really appreciate you replying to my comment and taking the time to talk to a fan of your work!
I subscribed after watching this video, and am excited to see what you continue to do! 😄💪
@@vinyoung1883 It's great that you're optimistic and already working on a few manuscripts. I know that finding the right literary agent/publisher is an enormously difficult exercise in persistence so I'm rooting for you!
Keep on writing and improving your craft. The joy and fulfillment we get by writing may not come to us everyday but we just have to keep pushing!
Just wanted to say... Iove this channel and it's content 😍😍
Thank you! I've always been a fan of literature and video essays. There's a good amount of film and TV analysis on RUclips but there seems to be a lack of video essays on books, so I decided to try making my own :)
Great essay...loved it
Great video, great points!!! Loved this
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and hope you like my other content as well!
Fantastic video. Thank you.
keep em coming bro
this is fire
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Ive begun to think of Murakami as a spinner of the sublime--not the mathematical kind or others--but the kind that opens up a world in your mind that you can never reach and yet makes you feel the possibilities of this one.
The first time Reiko was introduced in the story I was hell bent that this was the person, she just had a different feel to her character and specially how her wrinkles suited her and how her cigs dangled from her mouth.
I just knew she was not good .
Anyways the essay was very good, I listened to th entire video and agreed to most of your critics about his work.
Murakami does something to us through his writing that I too am not able to express.
All the best.
This is my first video of your channel, within 5 mins I'm impressed
I'm glad you find it enjoyable and I hope you like my other content as well!
@@Litburo 😊 I will !
Wonderful video and content
Your voice is so soothing
Great video!! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Happy you enjoyed it, stop by anytime!
Love to find channels like that
Thanks! Hope you're having a wonderful day!
Hi, thank you. I've read all these, but have no one I can discuss them with. I mostly agree with you...but ''Kafka on the Shore'' is my favorite: I've read it three time (so far!), very unusual for me, a lifetime avid reader. Liked and subscribed; hope to see more. I like the way the video is done, too...combining images with his words, while commenting. Amazing that you juggle all three so well!
I am a visual artist, combining images of my own sculpture, paintings and photographs with digital means.,,,melding, I call it.
Thank you for the comment and I'm glad you've found a book you like enough to read through three times already! It's always a treat hearing about when works connect with us. I hope you're able to cultivate that feeling for people who look at your creations as a visual artist as well!
Awesomely illustrated. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, I appreciate the feedback and I hope you're having a wonderful day!
Incredible !!!!!!!!!!!! thanks !!
His running book is so inspiring! I have his book Novelist as a Vocation and it’s wonderful.
Loved the analysis! This sort of reminded me of Tolstoy! Though Tolstoy's work did not feature magical realism, the simplicity is unmistakable. Also, I see a huge influence of Carl Jung in Murakami's work. A section of 1Q84 even features a description of Jung's home in Switzerland.
I love this video!! Thank you! You should do more
Thank you Leo! I'll definitely look to create more videos with this style!
This video was very well done!
great work - enjoyed every second!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done, insightful comments
simply thank you.
You're very welcome!
very much enjoyed this
Wonderful video essay! I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.
I didn't think of Reiko from this perspective, it makes me want to read Norwegian Wood again and write-ups on it. The references, especially, in Kafka on the Shore had mesmerized me. Schubert, Beethoven, Hegel, Francois Truffant's movies, Adolf Eichmann's trial, one is on an endless trail of knowing things, people, different sorts of music. Interesting!
Also, I would surely watch the movies based on his stories.
And I was eagerly waiting for some analysis on Men Without Women.
Still enjoyed whatever works you've included. 🌿🌚
Yes, Murakami's works are definitely full of interesting (and sometimes obscure) references! I'm happy you enjoyed the video and apologies; there were way too many books to cover and I didn't manage to get to Men Without Women. Perhaps a follow-up episode is in order!
Great video, thank you for the spoiler warnings. Always appreciated.
Great video the theory regarding Norwegian wood was pretty interesting, I may need to reread it and see if I get a sense for that being the case or not
Thank you for the kind feedback!
Yes, it's an interesting theory I came across and knowing that Murakami considers many of his works to be open to interpretation, I'm sure even if it wasn't his intention for the character, he may find the theory amusing nonetheless! I'll leave it up to you how you wish to interpret it :)
wonderful stuff. Congrats!
Thank you Marc!
very nice content, this is actually what we need, i also write prose and poetry, i like lyric poems because it has measure, rhythem and rhyme...
Great video! Please create more of this content!
Yes, will do!
Would you like to see more writers similar to Murakami? Or more videos on his works?
Great video Essay mate.
Keep going.
Thanks a ton! Glad you liked it
Very good analysis brother
Mesmerising essay.
This is beautiful.
Greatly appreciated!
BEST CHANNEL EVER!!!
BEST COMMENT EVER!!!
great job 😍
Brilliant video! I've read about 9/10 murakami books and you couldn't have made a better case for him if you tried! Great!
Thanks for the kind words Charlie! Glad to see another Murakami fan. What's the 1/10 book that you haven't read yet?
@@Litburo 1Q84 Haven't gotten around to it yet.
@@charliejones3973 Yes, that's one of his longer ones! It takes on a slightly different flavour than the rest of his works but I hope you enjoy it :)
Awesome job!
Thanks Priscila, your videos are wonderful too!
Absolutely fantastic!
Thank you :)
@@Litburo You’re welcome
Such a great video 🥰
Thanks Nada! Always appreciate the feedback :)
We don't have time to relax and appreciate the small things. Technology has changed our perceptions,we overloaded with many influencers.
Excellent video, great voice clarity and in-depth analysis.
I myself have uploaded some podcasts on RUclips. I can imagine the hard work and passion you poured into this piece of video.
Keep up your great work, Litburo!
Thank you so much. Yes, it does take a long time to produce but it's fun so I don't consider it much work. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and hope you've been enjoying your podcasting process as well!
Just like the masterpieces it describes and accentuates, this video is a work of art in itself too🌼
You're too kind! Thank you and I hope you enjoyed my other videos as well!
@@Litburo You're very welcome and keep up the good work!! I will definitely check out your other videos :)
First time watching your video and may I just say that your voice is so soothing? I hope you can out all your video essays on a podcast so we can listen it while we close our eyes. 🥺
I do put audio versions of these "Writers & Thinkers" episodes onto Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts (though I don't market those very well, haha)! Check them out if you're interested and thank you so much for listening!
@@Litburo omg! Thank you! Will definitely subscribe!❤️
This is fantastic work. I'd like to ask a HUGE favour. Can you do one on Patrick Rothfuss' : The Name Of The Wind. It is a masterclass in style and storytelling. Thanks again.
The concept you brought up about Reiko didn't cross my mind. Have to read it again
It didn't cross my mind my first read either! I consider it a "fringe" but interesting theory nevertheless
@@Litburo @Litburo Anyway great video. Randomly popped up in my feed and now I'm suggesting more people to watch this.
Will you make essay on a particular book in future? Personally I would love one on After Dark
@@anindyadey9223 I have a few other topics and writers in my backlog that I plan to release but if you'd like to see more Murakami, I'm happy to add some of his books in my backlog to analyze :)
I loved 1Q84. It's my third favorite Murakami book ❤️
Which ones are your first and second?
@@Litburo Kafka on the Shore and Dance Dance Dance
Keep it coming!
Thank you! I'm working on more videos but these take some time on top of a full time job haha
@@Litburo It's ok, your doing great. Focus on quality over quantity.
Thank you 💗
Thank you for watching!
Very good analysis!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!