I Want To Read The New Haruki Murakami!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  After reading Patti Smith's--yes, darlings, THAT Patti Smith--review of Murakami's latest book, the cumbersomely titled "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki And His Years Of Pilgrimage," several things came to my mind, that not only made me want to read this book, but that have made my hope this will be this Literary Event Of The Season.

                                The first was my recollection of reading Murakami's mammoth 2009 novel, "1Q84."  I think it came out in this country in 2010, because I recall it was during the early phase of my beloved and I's relationship, I was reading enraptured, at the kitchen table in his old Bethune Street apartment, and he literally had to tear me away from it to come to bed, eat, or do anything else.  I think I actually finished it within the span of a week. And it was close to, if not, a thousand pages.

                                  The second is that I am currently coming down the home stretch of novel that has been touted by many as the Literary Event Of This Summer--"Fourth Of July Creek," by Smith Henderson.  All I will say here--you will get a full report later, girls!!!!!!!!--is that it is eminently readable, but, as Henderson's first novel, I am not sure there  will be a second.  You will find out why, when I finish.

                                    The third is that the novel presses some issues I can relate to.  While in high school  the title character was part of a social quartet that was THE group at school.  Five years later, while a sophomore in college, he is abruptly banned from the group forever.  The rest of the book details him trying to find an answer to this. Now, I have never been banned from anything, but, in high school, there was a particular group I wanted to be a part of, but just wasn't.  I have since made peace with all that, I hope Murakami's hero does.  I will let you know.

                                    And last, while I have read some Murakami, references made by Smith to the work have made me realize that, before reading the current work, I am long overdue to read "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle," which some I know have called his greatest.

                                     So, there is a lot to push toward, and lot to read.  I will keep my girls posted!!!!!!!!!!

                                      We could have an online coffee klatch, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!