“Narrow minds devoid of imagination. Intolerance, theories cut off from reality, empty terminology, usurped ideals, inflexible systems. Those are the things that really frighten me. What I absolutely fear and loathe.”


― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

“Huge organizations and me don't get along. They're too inflexible, waste too much time, and have too many stupid people.”
― Haruki Murakami, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

“Listen. I may not be much, but I'm all I've got. Maybe you need a magnifying glass to find my face in my high school graduation photo. Maybe I haven't got any family or friends. Yes, yes, I know all that. But, strange as it might seem, I'm not entirely dissatisfied with life... I feel pretty much at home with what I am. I don't want to go anywhere. I don't want any unicorns behind fences.”
― Haruki Murakami, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

“Unclose your mind. You are not a prisoner. You are a bird in fight, searching the skies for dreams.”
― Haruki Murakami, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

I didn't like Sputnik Sweetheart that much. I think it's hard to top Hard-Boiled Wonderland.

Beth, I agree. He's a fabulous author.

Here is a quote for people going through the turmoil of leaving Mormonism. I think it describes the process perfectly:


“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn't something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside of you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn't get in, and walk through it, step by step. There's no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverized bones. That's the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.

An you really will have to make it through that violent, metaphysical, symbolic storm. No matter how metaphysical or symbolic it might be, make no mistake about it: it will cut through flesh like a thousand razor blades. People will bleed there, and you will bleed too. Hot, red blood. You'll catch that blood in your hands, your own blood and the blood of others.

And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about.”

― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

ETA: I read that there was a period of time when it was hard to get some of his books because it's so difficult to do a proper translation.

EATA: We read Hakuri Murakami as far as he is translated correctly.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2013 12:58AM by Beth.

It usually takes a year to translate his works -- or so it seems.

Having done a fair amount of translation in my time, a year may be on the short side for literature of this type.

No, to my knowledge he has never been. You don't need to be ex-mo to come up with those perspectives.

I think SeñoritaLamanita was making a point.

(Sorry for trying to speak for you, Señorita.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2013 09:18PM by Beth.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I posted late, late in the evening as a rhetorical question. I know he's not Mormon.


I just meant to say that quotes from "Kafka on the Shore" would probably resonate well with some people suffering as they pull away from Mormonism.

Thanks though, anonfornow. I hope you enjoy Murakami's works.

For more quotes along these lines, be sure to read his latest novel: 1Q84.

One of the protagonists is a girl that grew up religious (sounded JW, but religion name was never mentioned). Another important story revolved around a powerful religious cult.

If you like Murakami, you will enjoy!

Mind. Blown.

ETA: Saw your Infinite Jest quote on another thread. That book and The Sound and the Fury are probably my favorites.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2013 01:58AM by Beth.

Good to see a fellow Murakami and DFW fan! Have you read DFW This is Water commencement speech? A straight up classic!

link to pdf for those interested:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~drkelly/DFWKenyonAddress2005.pdf

Actually very apropos for us exmos contemplating the meaning of our post-mormon lives... :)

Why sad?

Dear WWGFD,

Thanks for the tip about 1Q84. I'm headed off to the library to see if I can find this book. I was also enthralled with David Foster Wallace's commencement address you referenced. A movie about his life is in the works (called The End of the Tour) and I am looking forward to seeing it when it is released.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/12/jason-segel-david-foster-wallace_n_4434553.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment

I wonder if Marukami's decision to write about a religious cult was loosely based upon the sarin gas attack on a Tokyo subway in 1995.

The religious cult was called Aum Shinriko and has changed its name to Aleph in recent years.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2013 02:03PM by Senoritalamanita.

@Senioritalamanita...
You know Murakami wrote a nonfiction book about the Sarin attack, so yes it wouldn't surprise that there was a relationship.

No, didnt know about the movie. I'll be cautiously optimistic. I read his biography. +1

Also, speaking of Aleph... Borges wrote a great short story called El Aleph. Highly recommend j



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2013 02:33AM by wwgfd.