Wind/Pinball

Two novels

By: Haruki Murakami, Ted Goossen - translator

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

In the spring of 1978, a young Haruki Murakami sat down at his kitchen table and began to write. The result: two remarkable short novels—Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973—that launched the career of one of the most acclaimed authors of our time.

These powerful, at times surreal, works about two young men coming of age—the unnamed narrator and his friend the Rat—are stories of loneliness, obsession, and eroticism. They bear all the hallmarks of Murakami’s later books, and form the first two-thirds, with A Wild Sheep Chase, of the trilogy of the Rat.

Widely available in English for the first time ever, newly translated, and featuring a new introduction by Murakami himself, Wind/Pinball gives us a fascinating insight into a great writer’s beginnings.

Early Murakami

This was my second time reading this, the first was on my own without narration after I found out that “The Wild Sheep Chase” was a sequel of sorts to this. If you have not read Murakami before I wouldn’t start here as even he considers it to be among his worst works however if you have read and enjoyed “The Wild Sheep Chase” or even some of Murakami’s short stories it is definitely worth a listen especially with this narrator. You do get a glimpse into ideas and structures featured on the Wild Sheep Chase and have additional time to become familiar with supporting characters common to both which makes both novels the better for it.

If you are a Murakami Fan

And I am. So, I am going to say time well spent, but I can't say it was great. Overall experience for me was pretty good because Murakami's style speaks to me. I was captivated by 1Q84. I have to say, there were some moments in these books which made me think and stick with me. I may even listen to them again. However, when I compare to other works, I have to give this a lower rating.

I agree with the girl

He should have left her apt. instead of sticking around like a creeper and staring at her breasts and vagina as she slept.

Disappointing

If this is the great Murakami I have so long been waiting to read, I am quite let down. The stories of both novels are ok but ultimately unremarkable. Perhaps if you are reading /listening to explore his early work, this would have value as his first two efforts. But otherwise skip it and jump
to much later stuff. It’s got to be better than this.

Murakami never disappoints

Great couple of novellas in complete Murakami style! You don’t quite understand a thing until suddenly everything falls into place!