“First Person Singular,” by Haruki Murakami (Alfred A. Knopf)
Haruki Murakami has a new collection of stories told in the first person by an unnamed older man obsessed with baseball, music, and the porous borders between memory, reality and dreams.
He may describe himself as a “bland, run-of-the-mill guy,” as in the story “Cream” about a young man’s encounter with an aging mystic but Murakami Man is more like a walking encyclopedia who has a problem with women mainly, that he can’t seem to get past their physical appearance.
Thus, in “On a Stone Pillow,” we have his memories of a melancholy poet and her “shapely round breasts”; in “With the Beatles,” a first girlfriend with “small yet full lips” and a wire bra. (Both, by the way, are suicidal.) In “Carnaval,” the one story where a woman has agency, we are told over and over how ugly she is.
MY EDMONDS NEWS Posted: April 5, 2021 6
April is National Poetry Month, and 2021 marks the 25th annual celebration of poets and poetry.
Visit the poets.org site for ways to find and connect with poets and poems. You can sign up to get a poem-a-day in your inbox! There are poems for kids and teens; ways for kids to interact directly with award-winning poets as part of Dear Poet; many poets reading their own work. So much poetry!
More poetry-related headlines to hit you with!
At age 80,
Sylvia Byrne Pollack of Seattle published her first book of poetry! “Risking It,” was released by Red Mountain Press on March 26, 2021. A great article in
Haruki Murakami has a new collection of stories -
First Person Singular -told in the first person by an unnamed older man obsessed with baseball, music, and the porous borders between memory, reality and dreams.
He may describe himself as a bland, run-of-the-mill guy, ” as in the story
Cream – about a young man’s encounter with an ageing mystic – but Murakami Man is more like a walking encyclopaedia who has a problem with women – mainly, that he can’t seem to get past their physical appearance.
Thus, in
On A Stone Pillow, we have his memories of a melancholy poet and her shapely round breasts”; in
Haruki Murakami delivers an enthralling First Person Singular csmonitor.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from csmonitor.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Ann Levin April 05, 2021 - 11:34 AM
âFirst Person Singular,â by Haruki Murakami (Alfred A. Knopf)
Haruki Murakami has a new collection of stories told in the first person by an unnamed older man obsessed with baseball, music, and the porous borders between memory, reality and dreams.
He may describe himself as a âbland, run-of-the-mill guy,â as in the story âCreamâ â about a young manâs encounter with an aging mystic â but Murakami Man is more like a walking encyclopedia who has a problem with women â mainly, that he canât seem to get past their physical appearance.
Thus, in âOn a Stone Pillow,â we have his memories of a melancholy poet and her âshapely round breastsâ; in âWith the Beatles,â a first girlfriend with âsmall yet full lipsâ and a wire bra. (Both, by the way, are suicidal.) In âCarnaval,â the one story where a woman has agency, we are