South of the Border, West of the Sun

A Novel

By: Haruki Murakami, Philip Gabriel - translator

Narrated by: Eric Loren

Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

South of the Border, West of the Sun is the beguiling story of a past rekindled, and one of Haruki Murakami’s most touching novels.

Hajime has arrived at middle age with a loving family and an enviable career, yet he feels incomplete. When a childhood friend, now a beautiful woman, shows up with a secret from which she is unable to escape, the fault lines of doubt in Hajime’s quotidian existence begin to give way. Rich, mysterious, and quietly dazzling, in South of the Border, West of the Sun the simple arc of one man’s life becomes the exquisite literary terrain of Murakami’s remarkable genius. 

©2010 Haruki Murakami (P)2013 Random House Audio

A River of Unmindfulness

"...the river of Unmindfulness, whose water no vessel can hold; of this they were all obliged to drink a certain quantity, and those who were not saved by wisdom drank more than was necessary; and each one as he drank forgot all things." - Plato

(***1/2) This was not my favorite Murakami, but it was still good, solid (OK, maybe no Murakami novel should be described as anything close to solid) second-shelf Murakami. It felt like a mystical combination of Descartes + Proust. His themes of love, memory, forgetting, the past, reality, etc., were all better developed in some of his other novels ('Kafka on the Shore', 'Wind-Up Bird Chronicle', etc).

Still, there was something haunting and beautiful about the novel. For me, it was a story about the seductive and supernatural/surreal qualities of the past. It is, at heart, a dark love story where a man essentially becomes the lover to (and haunted by) the memory of his childhood sweetheart.

The overlooked gem

This was unavailable in audio for many years. I am happy to see they've finally released it. I've read four Murakami novels and most of the short story collections. I don't think this book is as popular as 'Wind up Bird' and some of the others, but in my own opinion this is his best work. Wind Up Bird and Kafka are paced very slow with chapters and chapters of stuff that is intereting to read, but overall does not contribute to the story. This book is slim, to the point. Wistful romance of the only-child. It is very haunting without trying too hard. I've read the other Murakami novels once, but this book I've read at least five times. I am surprised it is not as popular as his other books. If you already like Murakami, I think you will like this. If you're new to Murakami, I can't think of a better novel to start with.

Not many metaphors in this book, but it's good

Like "Sputnik Sweetheart", among Murakami's books, this is a "lighter" but very good one, I think. To explain what I mean by "lighter" without mentioning the plot, a metaphor that Murakami used in one of his interviews may help (this was an interview for a Japanese literary journal in 2004; I am translating/para-phrasing - the original was longer):

"Human existence takes place in a "two-story house" (metaphorically, obviously) : the first floor is where people talk to each other; the second floor is where each individual does her/his own things, like reading books or listening to music; then there is the basement where people occasionally visit to reflect or look at things that lay there that are forgotten in daily life; then, below the basement, there is the second basement that most people don't get to visit. There is darkness in the second basement; people see the connections to their past and their souls. The entrance to the second basement is not obvious. You may not come back from there…"

Using this metaphor, the story in "South of the Border, West of the Sun" takes place mostly on the first and second floors and occasionally peeks at the basement. It does not get down to the second basement, I thought. In contrast, "Kafka on the shore" and "The wind-up bird chronicle" definitely spend some time in the second basement. But I don't mind Murakami's stories that take place mostly on the first and second floors, probably because I don't necessarily want to visit the basement or the second basement that often. It's just that it's good to know that Murakami can take me there. Unlike many of Murakami's stories, this book does not contain many metaphors, but I liked it.

Realism without the magic, feels just as Murakami

Murakami is known for his magic realism and many people emphasize the magic part of that equation. But it's the realism part I like best. His novels are so real but they also have a dreamlike quality to them which is why I guess his particular brand of magic works so well. Well in this one, it's all real and no magic. But it doesn't suffer one but for it, because while everyone likes to think they like Murakami for the magical/surrealistic/sci-fi elements it's really the realism makes the novels what they are. His simple yet poetic prose, his psychological depth, his vivid observations and perspective on the world. These are what make his novels special. The actual magical elements only accentuate, rather than constitute, the magic that can be found in the everyday and that Murakami so eloquently expresses and represents in his novels. If you can't tell, I'm a fan, and this one did not disappoint.

My first Murakami, I'm amazed

listened it to completion when driving back to the city, was completely immersed and addicted to it. just stood in the kitchen for 15 minutes till it ended, so enthralled and needing to see the ending

Great Performance, enjoyable but unsatisfying book

Would you listen to South of the Border, West of the Sun again? Why?

Maybe. The narrator did a fine job

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The overall theme of the book; the big question: 'What if'. The way that question can haunt you.

Which character – as performed by Eric Loren – was your favorite?

The main character.

If you could rename South of the Border, West of the Sun, what would you call it?

'Roads Not Taken' or maybe 'In Search of Lost Loves'

Any additional comments?

The book was intelligent and bravely asked some big questions without being heavy handed about it. The 'getting there' was enjoyable; I love the way Murakami writes and I really did care about all of the characters. The ending, though, left a lot of story points unanswered and that really annoyed me. I know he may have done that on purpose but it still didn't work with me.

I've had an epiphany

This was a short enjoyable reading of a good book- well written, and well narrated.
I love that he presented himself honestly and we get to experience the truth of what infidelity does to others. I was so ready to hate these stereotypical characters and then he had them teach us an important lesson. a lesson that should be obvious to us but unfortunate isn't.
But my epiphany had nothing to do with the content of the story but what happened to me half way through listening. I found myself very uncomfortable with the erotic scenes that were very private and realized that I was embarrassed to hear read aloud erotic text from a 3rd person. I realized the sensual scene being read aloud were things I have personal experience with and not certainly NOT uncomfortable with erotica in and of itself, but its between the author and the reader and I found the narrator an intruder into my imagination, which was soooo awkward and made me irritated rather than titillated. If I read another book by Murakami, I may just read it!
(for reference; youtube video of Gilbert Godfrey reading 50 Shades of Grey-you'll get my meaning).

Why is this book so short?

The book was read well, my issue is not with the audible production of it. My issue is the story. This is the first book I’ve read by Haruki Murakami, after hearing lots of good things, and I’ve gotta say I’m disappointed. I hope the other books delve a little deeper. This book was very well written, but it was too short! The book ended and nothing was answered or summed up, and not in the clever “let the reader interpret” kind of way, it’s like he wrote himself into a hole and just gave up. Didn’t want to explain ANY THING. This book left me wanting so much more! At least give the reader some clues, so they could draw their own conclusions, come up with their own theories. NOTHING. I’m dying to know the reasons! Explain yourself Mr. Murakami! Explain this book! Is there a sequel? If not, you better get to writing. This book is a serious let down. EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE PEOPLE AND WHY! FINISH YOUR BOOK D/\MNIT!

Emotional, deep in thought

Loved the book! It's full real life situations and thoughts, ideas that actually leave you thinking after reading... Ideas that leave you deep in thought about your own love life, about how love feels like itself and how fragile a life and or relationships can be.

South of the Border, West of the Sun

Once again, I came into one of Murakami’s books thinking I might know what to expect and was blown away. Each one has its own world and strange powers, but still there is Murakami’s wonderful style and ability to write us straight into the core of an emotion. I love the way Murakami’s characters go from total strangers and slowly unravel into someone we know intimately. I felt the protagonist’s every emotion and this book left me deeply moved, like I gained something special by reading it. This is art, and those who love to read will recognize it as the very sort of book that makes us fall in love with reading. I hope you get the same things from Murakami’s writing as I do. This is my fifth book of his that I’ve read/listened to and I am hooked. If you loved Norwegian Wood, I think you’ll also find a similar love for this book.