
Hear the Wind Sing forms part of the Trilogy of the Rat, along with Pinball, 1973, and A Wild Sheep Chase.Īlthough the books sold well, it wasn’t until Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World that Murakami started to achieve wide recognition.

He published his first book, Hear the Wind Sing, in 1979, at age 30.īut it was later in his career that he found success in Japan, before achieving global popularity with the English translations of his most popular books. Haruki Murakami is a prolific writer of novels and short stories.

Read this guide to discover the books you need to check out. If you love the magical realism of Haruki Murakami books such as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, you’ll love the works of similar authors such as Franz Kafka, Ryu Murakami, and Milan Kundera. The winner of prestigious awards such as the World Fantasy Award, the Franz Kafka Prize, and the Jerusalem Prize, Murakami is a necessary addition to any bookshelf.īut once you’ve explored the magical worlds of Murakami, what should you read next? Murakami writes in Japanese, but his works have been translated into over 50 languages. Norwegian Wood is one of his most popular novels, and it’s set firmly in reality.

But it isn’t just the fantastical that Murakami celebrates. Haruki Murakami is best known for his magical realism, with books such as The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and 1Q84 detailing extraordinary occurrences in ordinary settings. In his homeland of Japan, Murakami regularly makes the best sellers list. The prolific author is popular around the globe, and his novels detailing a magical meeting point between everyday life and fantasy have sold more than 2.5 million copies in just the US.
