86. Japan

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

Now, most people would have chosen The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle or Kafka on the Shore, but personally, I preferred this. TWUBC and KotS are very good, don't get me wrong, but if you're new to Murakami they can be a bit challenging. HBWatEotW, on the other hand, I found to be easier and just as enjoyable. 

I read this about twenty-odd years ago, so the plot is not fresh in my mind, but it is split between two realities. One thing that has stuck with me over time is how the narrator calms himself by trying to count the change in both pockets of his trousers at the same time. I'm not sure why that made an impression, but that's what I've carried with me.

I find Japanese writing interesting because the way stories are told is so different to the way we're used to in the West. If you've grown up on American and British writers, then delving into Japanese writing can be challenging. Well, I found it challenging in my twenties, and I'm not sure if my understanding has developed with age or if I've just gotten used to it.

This novel was awarded the Tanizaki Prize, one of Japan's most sought-after literary awards, in 1985.