First Person Singular by Haruki Murakami

What is it about?

With “First Person Singular,” Murakami delivers eight short stories from the view of a first person narrator. The stories range from nostalgic memories of adolescence to dreamlike encounters and include many of the author’s typical elements: his musings on music, philosophy and the mysterious.

Is it any good?

I used to adore Murakami, and I’d still consider myself a fan. Whenever he publishes a new book, be it short stories, full length novels or non-fiction, I’ll be sure to buy it. But, as they say, love is blind. I was always so enthralled by his storytelling, this unique gift of combining the real world with the fantastical and supernatural, that I couldn’t wait to open the book and jump into the worlds he created.

Recently, however, I have approached his works with a more critical mind. A lot has been said about Murakami’s problematic portrayal of women, and while I haven’t revisited many of his former works that drew me in in the first place, I have to agree to a certain extent. Having this thought in the back of my head, however, turned me into a wary reader. When I started reading “First Person Singular”, I caught myself looking out for anything that might be problematic, and to be honest, it did take away some of the magical anticipation I used to feel going into his former works.

But I thoroughly enjoyed the first five stories – they were very Murakami-esque and made me remember why I fell in love with his writing in the first place. Unfortunately, this feeling faded very quickly when I turned the page to “Carnaval,” which starts with the following sentence: “Of all the women I’ve known until now, she was the ugliest.” There it was, right? And yes, there it was.

It irked me that he described – at length – how unattractive the woman was. He seriously used the word “ugly” more times than I can count. Her ugliness, however, didn’t stop the narrator from becoming friends with her (why, thank you, that’s mighty good of you). At the same time, the woman’s ugliness was the reason his wife was never jealous or worried when he spent time with her – because surely he couldn’t be attracted to someone who looks like that? Maybe the message of the story is that we have to look beyond the façade, and that people are often not what they seem to be at first glance, but I was still extremely irritated, if not to say upset, by this story.

Phew, I honestly had to take a break after “Carnaval.” Maybe the bitter aftertaste that this story left was also the reason I didn’t enjoy the remaining two – I don’t know. But I couldn’t help thinking, dear Haruki Murakami, this was highly unnecessary and you could do so much better.

Favorite story?

As is always the case with an anthology, you will like some stories more than others. Like I mentioned before, I truly enjoyed the first five stories, was pretty much appalled by “Carnaval,” couldn’t quite connect to “The Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection” and left the world of Murakami on a conciliatory note with “First Person Singular.”

I was particularly fond of “Cream” – the premise was intriguing, if a little eerie, and I liked the message a lot: not everything that happens in our life can be explained or analyzed with structured arguments and good reasons. Sometimes, there simply aren’t any explanations, but it’s in our human nature to want explanations, to have closure. Once you’re able to yield, to leave some questions unanswered, it might even be a load off your shoulder.

I also liked “On a Stone Pillow,” which left me melancholy, because sometimes, we connect to someone, deeply, if only for a brief moment. But life is fleeting, and regardless of how important we thought a person we crossed paths with in the past was – as the years go by, their memory simply fades away.

Another favorite was “Charlie Parker Plays Bossa Nova.” While I am not a fan of jazz music myself, I admire the way Murakami always conveys his deep love for music in his books. The music comes alive on the page, and I found this story to be strangely uplifting.

Most memorable quote?

“As is true of most people, I imagine, I had experienced a number of turning points in my life, where I could go either left or right. And each time I chose one, right or left. (There were times when there wasn’t a clear-cut reason, but most of the time there wasn’t. And it wasn’t always like I was making a choice, but more like the choice itself chose me.) And now here I was, a first person singular. If I’d chosen a different direction, most likely I wouldn’t be here. But still – who is that in the mirror?“ 

Conclusion? 

I think Murakami enthusiasts will enjoy this anthology. If you haven’t read anything by this author yet, this may not be the book you want to start with. I’m just wondering if this is the end of my fascination with Murakami, or if I’m still willing to give him another chance. Only time will tell - but I think the honeymoon phase is over.

AT A GLANCE

Title: First Person Singular

By: Haruki Murakami

Published by: Harvill Secker (2021)

Pages: 256

Language: English

Translated by: Philip Gabriel