Murakami admires Irving for his storytelling abilities, and has translated some of his novels into Japanese.
"I was strongly influenced by Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan. They are so lively and fresh." ("Publishers Weekly" interview)
Chandler was one of Murakami's favorite writers when he was growing up, and many of his books borrow motifs from the noir traditions that Chandler dealt in.
Murakami has translated O'Brien, and describes him as one of his favorite writers.
Murakami lists Vonnegut as a major influence on his work.
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"When I started to write, the idea was very small, just an image, not an idea actually. A man who is 30, cooking spaghetti in the kitchen, and the telephone rings--that's it. It's so simple, but I had the feeling that something was happening there."
"I am a Japanese writer and something beyond that. I respect my Japaneseness and my beyondness equally."
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The son of a literature teacher, Murakami learned English in school and grew up with American fiction. His first novel was published in 1970. He graduated from Waseda University in 1973, with a degree in drama, after which he managed a jazz and coffee shop. With the publication of his novel NORWEGIAN WOOD, Murakami became a cult phenomenon in Japan. He has lived all over the world, including Rome, Athens, and a Greek island, as well as spending four years at Princeton as a visiting fellow, where more...
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01/12/1949 Japan, East Asia,
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I am only part way through this book right now and I cannot put it down, the way Murakami writes - the storytelling and imagery keep me quite intrigued, and I so rarely read fiction - this one is a treat. I first read his biography about writing and marathon running - non-fiction - and enjoyed it so much decided to read my first novel of his. I think this was a great choice.