Convenience Store Woman: Weirdly Relatable or Just… Weird? | S01 E10

We wrap up Season 1 with our first-ever guest! Matt joins us to chat about Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata—a sharp, surreal look at societal norms, personal identity, and the rhythm of retail life. We discuss quirky characters, Murata’s real-life inspiration, and whether we’ve all felt a little bit like Keiko.Episode Timepoints:00:00 Intro00:32 Welcoming Matthew06:00 A Discussion of Convenience Store Woman56:25 Summary59:00 OutroOther Books Mentioned in this Episode:Normal People - Sally RooneyNever Let Me Go - Kazui IshiguroUntil the Coffee Gets Cold - Toshikazu KawaguchiThe Book Thief - Markus ZusakThe Beekeeper of Aleppo - Christy LefteriEarthlings - Sayaka MurataWill and Testament - Vigdis HjorthFun Home - Alison BechdelFirefly - Jos WheedonBrave New World - Alduous HuxleyFoundation - Isaac AsimovExtra Reading/Homework!The New Yorker Article: Sayaka Murata’s Eerie “Convenience Store Woman” Is a Love Story Between a Misfit and a Store | The New YorkerInterview with the author: Sayaka Murata: 'I acted how I thought a cute woman should act - it was horrible' | Sayaka Murata | The GuardianNaoise Dolan: I thought I was too different to see myself in a novel – but Sayaka Murata got me | Naoise Dolan | The GuardianInterview with the translator: Ginny Tapley Takemori on translating Convenience Store Woman - Books on Asia