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A Wild Sheep Chase

by Haruki Murakami, Alfred Birnbaum
A Wild Sheep Chase

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ISBN13: 9780375718946
ISBN10: 037571894X



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From Powells.com

25 Books to Read Before You Die: World Edition

Travel the globe with these not-to-be-missed titles.


Staff Pick

When a powerful man tells you to find something or else, you do what he says. So when the nameless narrator of Murakami's game-changing third novel is tasked with tracking down a uniquely marked sheep pictured in a photo, he begrudgingly accedes. This absurd assignment becomes the catalyst for a surreal, fatalistic journey for the narrator, who, by his own admission, has nothing to lose. But much is at stake in A Wild Sheep Chase, set in Japan in the '70s, and Murakami weaves in commentary on politics, philosophy, and modernity to create a rich, evocative tale. A Wild Sheep Chase was the author's first book to be published in English, and it showcases the irresistible charm and propulsive creative energy of an author destined to become an international sensation. Recommended By Renee P., Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

A marvelous hybrid of mythology and mystery, A Wild Sheep Chase is the extraordinary literary thriller that launched Haruki Murakami's international reputation.

It begins simply enough: A twenty-something advertising executive receives a postcard from a friend, and casually appropriates the image for an insurance company's advertisement. What he doesn't realize is that included in the pastoral scene is a mutant sheep with a star on its back, and in using this photo he has unwittingly captured the attention of a man in black who offers a menacing ultimatum: find the sheep or face dire consequences.

Thus begins a surreal and elaborate quest that takes our hero from the urban haunts of Tokyo to the remote and snowy mountains of northern Japan, where he confronts not only the mythological sheep, but the confines of tradition and the demons deep within himself. Quirky and utterly captivating, A Wild Sheep Chase is Murakami at his astounding best.

Review

"[A] postmodern detective novel in which dreams, hallucinations and a wild imagination are more important than actual clues. With the help of a fluid, slangy translation, Murakami emerges as a wholly original talent." Publishers Weekly

Review

"That such unruly, disjunctive elements mingle harmoniously within it is perhaps the signal feat in a highly accomplished piece of craftsmanship. If A Wild Sheep Chase is not in itself an unqualified success...it may be something more heartening still for the Japanese novel, a presentiment of fresh outlooks and impulses." The New Yorker

Review

"A delight...equal parts screwball comedy, detective story, and heroic quest." USA Today

Review

"Murakami is a mythmaker for the millennium, a wiseacre wiseman." New York Times Book Review

Review

"Murakami is a daring writer....Sheep Chase draws from both Japanese existentialism and the absurdist work of writers such as [Kobo] Abe. I suspect Murakami is as popular as he is because he is a reader's writer." Lisa Lynch, San Francisco Review of Books

Review

"While the climax of the story is somewhat unrewarding, many readers will enjoy being pulled along by the playful and engaging style and fluid structure. Interesting as an example of current Japanese writing and as an unusually hip and irreverent look at contemporary Japanese society." Library Journal

Review

"Marvelously engaging, at turns witty, dry, wicked, even loopy. Reading A Wild Sheep Chase is like spending a splendidly foul weekend with the Four Raymonds — Chandler, Carver, Massey, and Queneau." Frederick Barthelme

About the Author

Born in Kyoto, Japan, in 1949, Haruki Murakami grew up in Kobe and now lives near Tokyo. The most recent of his many honors is the Yomiuri Literary Prize, whose previous recipients include Yukio Mishima, Kenzaburo Oe, and Kobo Abe. His work has been translated into twenty-seven languages.

4.6 5

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating 4.6 (5 comments)

`
Max , May 19, 2013 (view all comments by Max)
Weird and wonderful, part detective story, part postmodern novel. The characters are fascinating and quirky, and you will want to read to the end to unravel the mystery of the mutant sheep.

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monica moniker , August 18, 2012 (view all comments by monica moniker)
It took me longer to get hooked on this book than on any other Murakami I've read, but it was worth it to stick with it because it got SO GOOD. Classic Murakami strangeness that I just love, and really well built up to the end.

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diippi , January 01, 2010
A wild wild tale in imagination...a gripping journey into the unknown..

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Arboreality , July 17, 2007 (view all comments by Arboreality)
What I like about Murakami is that although his stories come from left field, he is kind to his characters; he never seems to feel he needs to make them jerks or unlovable just because his story is unusual (DeLillo and Palahnuik come to mind...). I don't even know what to say about the Sheep Boy, but if you liked other Murakami, you'd like this one, as well.

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geonine , April 24, 2007 (view all comments by geonine)
One of my favorite books of all time right now. The writing style has magical way about it that really makes strange things happen in your head.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780375718946
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
04/09/2002
Publisher:
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
Series info:
Vintage International
Pages:
368
Height:
.78IN
Width:
5.01IN
Thickness:
1.00
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2002
UPC Code:
2800375718948
Author:
Haruki Murakami
Translator:
Alfred Birnbaum
Media Run Time:
B
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Subject:
Japanese fiction
Subject:
Allegories
Subject:
Sheep

Ships free on qualified orders.
Add to Cart
$16.95
List Price:$17.00
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2Hawthorne
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