Murakami-Underground

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This is my first ILB post but I can't stop thinking about this book. I've read it almost 3 times in a row now, and the last chapter countless times. I guess as a journalist type it hits home a bit more, the whole idea of balancing the story of the Tokyo gas attack by getting so many perspectives from people who were actually there. But furthermore what strikes me about the book is Murakami's treatment of crime and the criminal as parts of ourselves. I mean it may be nothing revolutionary but he argues the toss against tabloid "them" and "us" type stuff so sensibly and in such a measured way.

The final paragraph in the book is quite wrenching I think. Just that final line referring to the Aum cult members "that might well be me. it might be you.".

I guess I'd be interested to hear what Momus thought of this book, I think some of the ideas therein are similar to things he's said on ILX in the past, if I'm not mistaken anyway.

― Ronan (Ronan), Sunday, 1 August 2004 23:50 (twenty-one years ago)

One of the things that's interesting in the book is the way people keep saying "This attack happened because we Japanese have lost touch with our spiritual sides". Yet the attack was perpetrated by people very much in touch with their spiritual sides.

I must go back to this book. I think I was last reading it when travelling around London on the Tube, which was fun.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 2 August 2004 08:53 (twenty-one years ago)

It's hard going at times, cos it's repetetive but certainly the last few chapters really round it off well.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 2 August 2004 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

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