EPISODE · Dec 2, 2025 · 1H 6M
Murakami's Norwegian Wood: the sadboi and his manic pixie dream girls
from Do You Even Lit? · host cam and benny feat. rich
In 1987, Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami set himself a challenge: to set aside his magical realism schtick and try to write one 'straight' novel in the realist tradition. The result was Norwegian Wood, in which the author-insert protagonist is transported back to his college days, breaking free of ennui and depression just long enough to sleep with a string of hot but crazy chicks (and giving each of them the greatest sexual experience of their life). Naturally it was a smash hit among the youth. Murakami was propelled to fame and had to move to Italy, hounded from his home country by a mob of shrieking Japanese girls intrigued by his magical but sad penis. But is the book actually any good? The boys are divided on this. We talk about Murakami's treatment of suicide, his portrayal of female characters, use of memory and nostalgia as a writing device, in which ways we relate to Toru Watanabe, which demographic this book aimed at, and in general whether this is a work of great art or should be relegated to r/iam14andthisisdeep. If you're a Murakami fan, please write in and tell us what we got wrong, and especially which other book of his you'd most recommend we read. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) blather (00:05:06) On memory as a writing device (00:11:15) Portrayal of suicide (00:24:15) Toru Watanabe character analysis (00:36:03) Norwegian Wood as a teenage boy fantasy (00:49:20) A profound and deeply moving ending (00:54:30) Final judgments (00:58:25) Next book announcement + One Battle After Another argument WRITE US: We love listener feedback. Send us a note at [email protected] to correct our hot takes, add your own, or ask a question. NEXT ON THE READING LIST: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Gravity's Rainbow — Thomas Pynchon
What this episode covers
In 1987, Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami set himself a challenge: to set aside his magical realism schtick and try to write one 'straight' novel in the realist tradition. The result was Norwegian Wood, in which the author-insert protagonist is transported back to his college days, breaking free of ennui and depression just long enough to sleep with a string of hot but crazy chicks (and giving each of them the greatest sexual experience of their life). Naturally it was a smash hit among the youth. Murakami was propelled to fame and had to move to Italy, hounded from his home country by a mob of shrieking Japanese girls intrigued by his magical but sad penis. But is the book actually any good? The boys are divided on this. We talk about Murakami's treatment of suicide, his portrayal of female characters, use of memory and nostalgia as a writing device, in which ways we relate to Toru Watanabe, which demographic this book aimed at, and in general whether this is a work of great art or should be relegated to r/iam14andthisisdeep. If you're a Murakami fan, please write in and tell us what we got wrong, and especially which other book of his you'd most recommend we read. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) blather(00:05:06) On memory as a writing device(00:11:15) Portrayal of suicide(00:24:15) Toru Watanabe character analysis(00:36:03) Norwegian Wood as a teenage boy fantasy(00:49:20) A profound and deeply moving ending(00:54:30) Final judgments(00:58:25) Next book announcement + One Battle After Another argument WRITE US: We love listener feedback. Send us a note at [email protected] to correct our hot takes, add your own, or ask a question. NEXT ON THE READING LIST: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Gravity's Rainbow — Thomas Pynchon
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Murakami's Norwegian Wood: the sadboi and his manic pixie dream girls
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