Post 4

Murakami's use of music has always stuck out to me. There's very little about his stories that makes me go "ah, yes, here is something that I recognize as firmly belonging to my world".  Areas of Tokyo and Japan at large have no special meaning for me, and while I recognize some of the references to books, I've seldom actually read them. Contrast this to when we hear a song like Norwegian Wood repeatedly played, or Bob Dylan is discussed, or John Coltrane inevitability appears somewhere. These are sources I am familiar with, and when I'm not, their music is only a google search away. Scenes gain a new richness when the writer is kind enough to provide you with a soundtrack. My reading of Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage was greatly enhanced by listening to the Franz Liszt's piano pieces that featured prominently in the book. It's sad and strange and unusual sounding, so of course, it's right at home with Murakami.