Babble Book Club: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami

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Mon, 2011-11-28 21:09

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Babble Book Club: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami

Hello again Babblers!

So the Babble Book Club (unique name, I know) has officially found some legs and has got some movement!

The official first book: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Marukami

The deadline for completion: January 15th (begin early, it's a doozy! -- but in a good way)

This will be the discussion group for this book -- I will try to keep everything in here for ease.

Also, the Babble Book Club is now a facebook group! For those of you already on the rabble.ca groups page, I have put up a link to the group! Please feel free to join the group and/or pass along the notice -- the more the merrier!

And, look for the upcoming blog post on the lovely books blog Bound but not Gagged, giving some more insight and detail in the Babble Book Club!

I have yet to start reading the Wind-up Bird yet -- still enjoying Consider the Lobster -- but will get on it! And I am very excited, I feel I have been skirting around this book for awhile because of the length and my ability to only read very, very slowly.

Issues Pages:

Arts & Culture

Tue, 2011-11-29 16:19

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

So, I have a question, I was writing up a what's up events posting for the completion date of January 15th, and had this thought:

'should we try to have a time frame for when we will have a discussion or would it work better and be easier for everyone if we all just commented throughout the day?'

the main issue, I believe, is that we are all in different time zones (I assume), and I wouldn't want anyone to be left out; however, would the conversation be more lively if we were all on babble at the same time?

thoughts?

Tue, 2011-11-29 18:02

Gaian

I'm just going to make observations as I read. Would hate to see all trying to have a "discussion...at the same time." A recipe for bedlam, surely? Unless that "all" is only a tiny crew.

Wed, 2011-11-30 13:14

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

yes i agree, and I doubt any of us would like to see me try to make decisions again.

Wed, 2011-11-30 16:59

Gaian

You can "think out" your decisions in your posts any time, Kaitlin. Wonderful change of pace from the standard fare. :)

Wed, 2011-11-30 17:16

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Gaian wrote:
You can "think out" your decisions in your posts any time, Kaitlin. Wonderful change of pace from the standard fare. :)

haha yes, babble has become the forum of my mind -- at some points it seems healthier?

Thu, 2011-12-01 14:57

Elizabeth1970

I just posted on the Facebook page how strange it was to find this book club considering I am already half-way through this book. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is my third foray into Murakami territory. Looking forward to discussing it.

Thu, 2011-12-01 16:26

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Elizabeth1970 wrote:

I just posted on the Facebook page how strange it was to find this book club considering I am already half-way through this book. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is my third foray into Murakami territory. Looking forward to discussing it.

yes me too! I am hoping to start tonight!

I have read and been told a lot about this book, and too am interested in seeing how it compares to the others I have read. I have heard there are some elements of magical realism throughout the novel, which tingles my very soul!

Thu, 2011-12-01 19:39

Catchfire

Glad to have you on board, Elizabeth! I still need to track down a copy of this book. A trip to MacLeods might be in order this weekend.

Thu, 2011-12-01 20:33

#10

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Catchfire wrote:

Glad to have you on board, Elizabeth! I still need to track down a copy of this book. A trip to MacLeods might be in order this weekend.

yes! or maybe the people's co-op bookstore on the drive will have a couple copies!

Fri, 2011-12-02 12:45

#11

Caissa

I purchased a copy of the book last night. Should be able to start it next week.

Fri, 2011-12-02 13:53

#12

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

@Caissa -- nice!

Finally pushed my anxieties aside and started last night.

I forgot how seamless Murakami is as a writer, especially weaving in Western influences and describing scenery. I find my mind always slips into thinking he is describing a neighbourhood I am familiar with -- I always have to reframe my perspective.

Fri, 2011-12-02 14:58

#13

Catchfire

The thing that strikes me about Murakami is the translations, actually. I always have to deliberately remind myself that he is not writing in English, nor even in a North American/Western Cultural context.

Sat, 2011-12-03 10:48

#14

jas

I'm surprised y'all are trying to finish by Jan 15th, especially with xmas and all... Ten bucks says the deadline gets extended. ;)

But I have a suggestion if you did want to meet as a group in real time (and I do not intend this as an advertisement!), you could start a group in PalTalk. Takes about 5 seconds to download the software and allows for voice and text chatting simultaneously.

Sat, 2011-12-03 13:02

#15

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

@jas: I am hoping we won't have to because I think most of us are planning to use the break for reading. But we'll see!

It's only 600 pages, so what, 100 pages a day, 6 days. boom.

(kidding)

We were talking about potentially meeting real time but I think with all the different time zones and schedules it might be a nightmare to organize, sowe are using the deadline as more of a day to be able to talk about the whole book, and the time beforehand the discuss while we are reading.

Tue, 2011-12-06 17:53

#16

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

how's everyone doing with their reading?!

I have just come to realise that @jas is right -- this is quite the feat, but I remain optimistic it can be done!

there have been some great links on the facebook group as well, check them out if you haven't already.

Wed, 2011-12-07 06:58

#17

Caissa

I'll be starting the novel this evening. This morning I finished the Laurie King novel I was reading.

Wed, 2011-12-07 15:29

#18

Elizabeth1970

Kaitlin McNabb wrote:

how's everyone doing with their reading?!

I have passed the half-way point but came down with an awful 'flu that has set me back. Planning to get back to reading in a few days.

I found a copy of the book in very good condition at Value Village, of all places, and it wasn't alone. It was as if someone had dumped their entire Murakami collection.

Wed, 2011-12-07 16:00

#19

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Quote:

I have passed the half-way point but came down with an awful 'flu that has set me back. Planning to get back to reading in a few days.

I found a copy of the book in very good condition at Value Village, of all places, and it wasn't alone. It was as if someone had dumped their entire Murakami collection.

wow! great find! Which VV was is, maybe we can send some bargain-hunters that way.

Wed, 2011-12-07 20:12

#20

Gaian

One is supposed to be "on the way" from London through interlibrary.

Thu, 2011-12-08 03:04

#21

margarethur

I'm just wondering when the discussion about chapter 1 begins

Thu, 2011-12-08 08:07

#22

Gaian

Gaian wrote:
I'm just going to make observations as I read. Would hate to see all trying to have a "discussion...at the same time." A recipe for bedlam, surely? Unless that "all" is only a tiny crew.

How would one manage cross-posting?

Thu, 2011-12-08 13:59

#23

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

@margarethur I don't think we have structured things to a point yet where we were going to have chapter discussions, but please feel free to start a discussion or maybe ... hmm. I will start a new forum page about say chapters one to three?

Do you like that idea -- I think it would work better so we don't make an enormous thread here, but also, those who have to read that yet don't get any spoilers!

Thu, 2011-12-08 14:13

#24

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

Oh, I see what I did there with naming it 'chapter one'. I thought that was a clever use to signify that this was the first book. will fix that and start a new discussion on chapter one.

sorry about the confusion, 'internet skills' is not something on my resume.

Thu, 2011-12-08 16:38

#25

Catchfire

Ha! I was confused too!

Thu, 2011-12-08 17:39

#26

Kaitlin McNabb Kaitlin McNabb's picture

yes definitely!

thanks for pointing out the confusing @margarethur!

will post a new forum very, very soon!

Fri, 2011-12-16 10:25

#27

Elizabeth1970

Kaitlin McNabb wrote:

wow! great find! Which VV was is, maybe we can send some bargain-hunters that way.

Our local VV here in Belleville, ON. It was during the same visit I scored other nifty literary treasures. Shelves are disorganized but worth the search.

Mon, 2011-12-19 15:07

#28

Caissa

Finished it this morning. A book I never would have chosen to read on my own; for that I am grateful.