Haruki Murakami is one of the most acclaimed authors of our day. Born in Japan on 12th January 1949 the contemporary author has seen his books and stories translated into fifty different languages, selling millions worldwide.
When that fact is considered, it seems hard to believe that he didn’t even think to be a writer, it wasn’t one of his ambitions in life. The story goes that Murakami was in Jingu Stadium watching a baseball game when American player Dave Hilton came to bat and hit a double. It’s said that in that instant Murakami realised he could write a novel and went home and began writing that very night.
Murakami himself is said to enjoy crime novels, but his own blend of magical surrealism also offers many snippets, quotations and advice that are as grounded on earth as anything can be, here are a few of them.
“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”
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“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
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“Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.”
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“Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting.”
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“Nobody likes being alone that much. I don’t go out of my way to make friends, that’s all. It just leads to disappointment. ”
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“I dream. Sometimes I think that’s the only right thing to do.”
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“It’s like Tolstoy said. Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story.”
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“Listen up – there’s no war that will end all wars.”
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“Unfortunately, the clock is ticking, the hours are going by. The past increases, the future recedes. Possibilities decreasing, regrets mounting.”
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“In this world, there are things you can only do alone, and things you can only do with somebody else. It’s important to combine the two in just the right amount.”
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Seems Murakami certainly knows a bit about life, and this shines through in his writing. By 27 he hadn’t even thought of becoming an author, and at 33 the author began running and is now a regularl marathon runner. Perhaps the best lesson he can teach us is that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.
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