Wednesday

Acquisitions (94): Hiro Arikawa


Hiro Arikawa: The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2011-12)

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Hiro Arikawa (1972- )

Hiro Arikawa: The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2017)
[Ensemble Consignment Shop, Silverdale - 8/6/2023]:

Arikawa, Hiro. The Travelling Cat Chronicles. ['Tabineko Ripouto', 2011-12]. Trans. Philip Gabriel. Doubleday. London: Transworld Publishers, 2017.


Natsume Sōseki: I Am a Cat (1905-7 / 1986)

I Am a Cat

The first line of Hiro Arikawa's novel reads as follows:
I am a cat. As yet, I have no name. There's a famous cat in our country who once made this very statement.
- Hiro Arikawa. The Travelling Cat Chronicles. 2011-12. Trans. Philip Gabriel. Doubleday. (London: Transworld Publishers, 2017): p.3.
Her narrator is, of course, referring to Natsume Sōseki's famous novel I Am a Cat, pictured above.
I am a cat. As yet I have no name. I've no idea where I was born. All I remember is that I was miaowing in a dampish dark place when, for the first time, I saw a human being.
- Natsume Sōseki. I am a Cat: Three Volumes in One. 1905-07. Trans. Aiko Ito & Graeme Wilson. 1972, 1979, 1986. Tuttle Publishing. (Tokyo / Rutland, Vermont / Singapore: Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., 2002): p.3.
Arikawa's hero continues, in somewhat lighter vein:
I have no clue how great that cat was, but at least when it comes to having a name I got there first. Whether I like my name is another matter, since it glaringly doesn't fit my gender, me being male and all. I was given it about five years ago - around the time I came of age.

Haruki Murakami: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994-95 / 1999)


I guess my own introduction to all this cattiness came via Haruki Murakami, whose Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is certainly being referred to in the title of the English translation, if not the Japanese original.

That novel begins with the narrator boiling spaghetti and listening to opera on the radio (two very typical activities for Murakami characters) until he's rung up by his estranged wife and told that he needs to go and look for their missing cat. "I'm almost certain it's hanging around the empty house at the other end of the alley. The one with the bird statue in the yard. I have often seen it there."
So now I had to go cat hunting. I had always liked cats. And I liked this particular cat. But cats have their own way of living. They're not stupid. If a cat stopped living where you happened to be, that meant it had decided to go somewhere else. If it got tired and hungry, it would come back. Finally, though, to keep Kumiko happy, I would have to go looking for our cat. I had nothing better to do.
- Haruki Murakami. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. 1994-95. Trans. Jay Rubin. (London: The Harvill Press, 1999): pp.8-9.

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, dir.: Drive My Car (2021)


The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was the very first novel by Murakami I ever read, and I have to say the vague trippiness and self-absorption of his characters, though certainly intriguing, was probably too far from my comfort zone at the time to strike a chord.

It wasn't, in fact, till I read Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (1985) that I really began to get on his wavelength. That one was just too brilliantly accomplished to be ignored.

I had a bit of a cooling-off period with him after 1Q84, which seemed a bit out-of-control (for him, at any rate). But I have kept up with his short story collections as well as his novels over the years.

Which meant, just the other day, watching the film above, Drive My Car, based on the short story of the same name from his 2014 collection Men Without Women.


Kôichirô Miki, dir.: The Travelling Cat Chronicles (2018)


The Travelling Cat Chronicles, too, has been made into a movie. I haven't seen it, but I bet it's not a patch on Drive My Car. For all its French nouvelle vague and Hollywood road movie echoes, it's a staggeringly effective piece of work - the first film I've seen for ages which really surprised me into feeling as if I was in the presence of a masterpiece.

I'd say the director and screen-writers are at least as responsible for this success as Murakami himself - while still definitely based on his story, it also incorporates a lot of other material from the same book, as well as from elsewhere (a greatly increased focus on Chekhov's play Uncle Vanya, for instance). It did remind me of just how good he could be, though: the reason I've collected and read his work so obsessively over the decades.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles, for all its charm, is not really in the same league. It lacks the satiric edge of Natsume Sōseki's masterpiece, as well as the weird existential gropings of Murakami's heroes and heroines. But it does seem born to be turned into a road movie: the narrative style is engaging throughout, and Nana would surely have to go down as one of the preeminent cat characters in world literature.

My interest in modern Japanese fiction used to be confined to such mid-century monoliths as Yasunari Kawabata, Yukio Mishima, and (my favourite among them) Junichirō Tanizaki. I'd like to write at more length about those old masters at some stage, but it's nice to know that Japanese fiction is alive and well and definitely headed for some very unexpected places.


Alfred Birnbaum, ed.: Monkey Brain Sushi (1991)
Alfred Birnbaum, ed. Monkey Brain Sushi: New Tastes in Japanese Fiction. 1991. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., 1993.
In the meantime, here are some bibliographical notes on the three main authors mentioned above:
  1. Arikawa Hiro
  2. Murakami Haruki
  3. Natsume Sōseki
Books I own are marked in bold:

Hiro Arikawa: Library Wars 1. Illustrated by Kilro Yumi (2010)



    Novels:

  1. The SDF Trilogy (2004):
    1. Shio no Machi [Wish on My Precious] (2003)
    2. Sora no Naka (2004)
    3. Umi no Soko
  2. The Library War series (2006):
    1. Toshokan Sensō [The Library War]
    2. Toshokan Nairan [The Library Infighting]
    3. Toshokan Kiki [The Library Crisis]
    4. Toshokan Kakumei [The Library Revolution]
  3. Raintree no Kuni
  4. Sweet Blue Age
  5. Hankyū Densha [The Hankyū Railway] (2008)
  6. Shokubutsu Zukan (2009)
  7. Freeter, Ie wo Kau
  8. Soratobu Kōhōshitsu
  9. Tabineko Ripouto (2011-12)
    • The Travelling Cat Chronicles. Trans. Philip Gabriel. Doubleday. London: Transworld Publishers, 2017.
  10. The Goodbye Cat: The Uplifting Tale of Wise Cats and Their Humans. Trans. Philip Gabriel (2023)


Hiro Arikawa: The Goodbye Cat. Trans. Philip Gabriel (2023)




    Novels:

  1. Hear the Wind Sing [Kaze no uta o kike] (1979)
    • Hear the Wind Sing. 1979. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum. 1987. Trilogy of the Rat, 1. Tokyo: Kodansha International, n.d.
    • Included in: Wind Pinball. Two Novels: Hear the Wind Sing / Pinball, 1973. 1979 & 1980. Trans. Ted Goossen. Trilogy of the Rat, 1 & 2. Harvill Secker. London: Vintage Books, 2015.
  2. Pinball, 1973 [1973-nen no pinbōru] (1980)
    • Pinball, 1973. 1980. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum. 1985. Trilogy of the Rat, 2. Tokyo: Kodansha International, n.d.
    • Included in: Wind Pinball. Two Novels: Hear the Wind Sing / Pinball, 1973. 1979 & 1980. Trans. Ted Goossen. Trilogy of the Rat, 1 & 2. Harvill Secker. London: Vintage Books, 2015.
  3. A Wild Sheep Chase [Hitsuji o meguru bōken] (1982)
    • A Wild Sheep Chase. 1982. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum. 1989. Trilogy of the Rat, 3. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2003.
  4. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World [Sekai no owari to Hādo-boirudo Wandārando] (1985)
    • Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. 1985. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum. 1991. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2003.
  5. Norwegian Wood [Noruwei no mori]. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum, 1989 (1987)
    • Norwegian Wood. 1987. Trans. Jay Rubin. 2 vols. London: The Harvill Press, 2000.
  6. Dance Dance Dance [Dansu dansu dansu] (1988)
    • Dance Dance Dance. 1988. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum. 1994. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2003.
  7. South of the Border, West of the Sun [Kokkyō no minami, taiyō no nishi] (1992)
    • South of the Border, West of the Sun. 1992. Trans. Philip Gabriel. 1998. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2003.
  8. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle [Nejimaki-dori kuronikuru] (1994–1995)
    • The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. 1994-95. Trans. Jay Rubin. London: The Harvill Press, 1999.
  9. Sputnik Sweetheart [Supūtoniku no koibito] (1999)
    • Sputnik Sweetheart. 1999. Trans. Philip Gabriel. 2001. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2002.
  10. Kafka on the Shore [Umibe no Kafuka] (2002)
    • Kafka on the Shore. 2002. Trans. Philip Gabriel. 2003. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2005.
  11. After Dark [Afutā dāku] (2004)
    • After Dark. 2004. Trans. Jay Rubin. London: Harvill Secker, 2007.
  12. 1Q84 [Ichi-kyū-hachi-yon] (2009–2010)
    • 1Q84. Books 1 & 2. 2009. Trans. Jay Rubin. Book 3. 2010. Trans. Philip Gabriel. Borzoi Books. Alfred A. Knopf. New York: Random House, Inc., 2011.
  13. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage [Shikisai o motanai Tazaki Tsukuru to, kare no junrei no toshi] (2013)
    • Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. 2013. Trans. Philip Gabriel. Harvill Secker. London: Random House, 2014.
  14. Killing Commendatore [Kishidanchō-goroshi] (2017)
    • Killing Commendatore. 2017. Trans. Philip Gabriel & Ted Goossen. 2018. Vintage. London: Penguin Random House Group, 2019.
  15. The City and Its Uncertain Walls [Machi to sono futashika na kabe] (2023)
    • The City and Its Uncertain Walls. 2023. Trans. Philip Gabriel. Harvill Secker. London: Penguin Random House UK, 2024.

    16. Short stories:

  16. Yume de Aimashou (1981)
  17. The Elephant Vanishes [Zō no shōmetsu, 1980–1991] (1993)
    1. The Wind-up Bird and Tuesday's Women [used in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle] (1986)
    2. The Second Bakery Attack (1985)
    3. The Kangaroo Communiqué (1981)
    4. On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning (1981)
    5. Sleep (1989)
    6. The Fall of the Roman Empire, the 1881 Indian Uprising, Hitler's Invasion of Poland, and the Realm of Raging Winds (1986)
    7. Lederhosen (1985)
    8. Barn Burning (1983)
    9. The Little Green Monster (1981)
    10. Family Affair (1985)
    11. A Window (1991)
    12. TV People (1989)
    13. A Slow Boat to China (1980)
    14. The Dancing Dwarf (1984)
    15. The Last Lawn of the Afternoon (1982)
    16. The Silence (1991)
    17. The Elephant Vanishes (1985)
    • The Elephant Vanishes. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum & Jay Rubin. 1993. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2003.
  18. After the Quake [Kami no kodomo-tachi wa mina odoru, 1999–2000] (2000)
    1. UFO in Kushiro
    2. Landscape with Flatiron
    3. All God's Children Can Dance
    4. Thailand
    5. Super-Frog Saves Tokyo
    6. Honey Pie
    • after the quake. 2000. Trans. Jay Rubin. London: The Harvill Press, 2002.
  19. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman [Mekurayanagi to nemuru onna, 1980–2005] (2005)
    1. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (1983 / 1995)
    2. Birthday Girl (2002)
    3. New York Mining Disaster (1980 / 1981)
    4. Airplane: Or, How He Talked to Himself as If Reciting Poetry (1987 / 1989)
    5. The Mirror (1981 / 1982)
    6. A Folklore for My Generation: A Prehistory of Late-Stage Capitalism (1989)
    7. Hunting Knife (1984)
    8. A Perfect Day for Kangaroos (1981)
    9. Dabchick (1981)
    10. Man-Eating Cats (1991)
    11. A 'Poor Aunt' Story (1980)
    12. Nausea 1979 (1984)
    13. The Seventh Man (1996)
    14. The Year of Spaghetti (1981)
    15. Tony Takitani (1990)
    16. The Rise and Fall of Sharpie Cakes (1981 / 1982)
    17. The Ice Man (1991)
    18. Crabs (1984 / 2003)
    19. Firefly [used in Norwegian Wood] (1983)
    20. Chance Traveller (2005)
    21. Hanalei Bay (2005)
    22. Where I'm Likely to Find It (2005)
    23. The Kidney-Shaped Stone That Moves Every Day (2005)
    24. A Shinagawa Monkey (2005)
    • Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. Trans. Philip Gabriel & Jay Rubin. 2005. London: Harvill Secker, 2006.
  20. The Strange Library [Fushigi na toshokan]: children's novella, revised from his 1982 short story 'Toshokan kitan' (2005)
    • The Strange Library. 2008. Trans. Ted Goossen. Harvill Secker. London: Penguin Random House Company, 2014.
  21. Men Without Women [Onna no inai otokotachi, 2013–2014] (2014)
    1. Drive My Car
    2. Yesterday
    3. An Independent Organ
    4. Scheherazade
    5. Kino
    6. Samsa in Love
    7. Men Without Women
    • Men Without Women. 2014. Trans. Philip Gabriel & Ted Goossen. 2017. Vintage. London: Penguin Random House Group, 2018.
  22. First Person Singular [Ichininshō Tansū, 2018–2020] (2020)
    1. Cream (2018)
    2. On a Stone Pillow (2018)
    3. Charlie Parker Plays Bossa Nova (2018)
    4. With the Beatles (2019)
    5. Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey (2020)
    6. Carnaval (2019)
    7. The Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection (2019)
    8. First Person Singular
    • First Person Singular: Stories. 2020. Trans. Philip Gabriel. 2021. Vintage. London: Penguin Random House Group, 2022.

    23. Non-fiction:

  23. Walk, Don't Run [Wōku donto ran: Murakami Ryū vs Murakami Haruki] (1981)
  24. Rain, Burning Sun (Come Rain or Come Shine) [Uten Enten] (1990)
  25. Portrait in Jazz [Pōtoreito in jazu] (1997)
  26. Underground [Andāguraundo] (1997)
  27. Underground 2 [Yakusoku sareta basho de] (1998)
    • Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche. 1997-98. Trans. Alfred Birnbaum & Philip Gabriel. 2000. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2002.
  28. Portrait in Jazz 2 [Pōtoreito in jazu 2] (2001)
  29. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running [Hashiru koto ni tsuite kataru toki ni boku no kataru koto] (2007)
    • What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. Trans. Philip Gabriel. 2007. London: Harvill Secker, 2008.
  30. It Ain't Got that Swing (If It Don't Mean a Thing) [Imi ga nakereba suingu wa nai] (2008)
  31. Novelist as a profession [Shokugyō to shite no shōsetsuka] (2015)
  32. Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa. Trans. 2016 (2011)
  33. Haruki Murakami Goes to Meet Hayao Kawai. Trans. 2016 (1996)
  34. What Is There To Do In Laos? [Raos ni ittai nani ga aru to iun desuka?] (2015)
  35. Abandoning a Cat: Memories of My Father [Neko o suteru chichioya ni tsuite kataru toki] (2019)

    36. Edited:

  36. Birthday Stories [Bāsudei sutōrīzu] (2002)
    • Birthday Stories. 2002. Trans. Jay Rubin. 2004. Vintage. London: Random House, 2006.

    37. Secondary:

  37. Rubin, Jay. Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words. 2003. Vintage Books. London: Random House, 2005.


Haruki Murakami: 3 Books You Must Try



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Damian Flanagan: The Hidden Heart of Natsume Sōseki (2016)

Natsume Sōseki
[Natsume Kinnosuke]
(1867-1916)

    Fiction:

  1. I Am a Cat [Wagahai wa Neko dearu] (1905)
    • I am a Cat: Three Volumes in One. 1905-07. Trans. Aiko Ito & Graeme Wilson. 1972, 1979, 1986. Tuttle Publishing. Tokyo / Rutland, Vermont / Singapore: Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., 2002.
  2. The Tower of London [Rondon Tō]. Trans. 2004 (1905)
  3. Kairo-kō [Kairo-kō] (1905)
  4. Botchan [Botchan] (1906)
  5. The Three-Cornered World [Kusamakura] [aka The Grass Pillow] (1906)
    • The Three-Cornered World. 1906. Trans. Alan Tuney. 1965. An Arena Book. London: Arrow Books Ltd., 1984.
  6. The Heredity of Taste [Shumi no Iden] (1906)
  7. The 210th Day [Nihyaku-tōka]. Trans. 2011 (1906)
  8. Nowaki [Nowaki]. Trans. 2011 (1907)
  9. The Poppy [Gubijinsō [aka Field Poppy] (1907)
  10. The Miner [Kōfu] (1908)
  11. Ten Nights of Dreams [Yume Jū-ya] (1908)
  12. Sanshirō [Sanshirō] (1908)
  13. And Then [Sorekara] (1909)
  14. The Gate [Mon] (1910)
    • The Gate. 1910. Trans. William F. Sibley. Introduction by Pico Iyer. New York Review Books Classics. New York: nyrb, 2013.
  15. Spring Miscellany [Eijitsu shōhin] [aka Long (Spring) Days, Small Pieces]. Trans. 2005 (1910)
  16. To the Spring Equinox and Beyond [Higan Sugi Made] (1912)
  17. The Wayfarer [Kōjin] (1912)
    • The Wayfarer [Kōjin]. 1912-13. Trans. Beongcheon Yu. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1967.
  18. Kokoro [Kokoro] (1914)
    • Kokoro. 1914. Trans. Ineko Kondo. 1941. Tokyo: Kenkyusha, 1970.
    • Kokoro. 1914. Trans. Meredith McKinney. Penguin Classics. London: Penguin, 2010.
  19. Grass on the Wayside [Michikusa] (1915)
  20. Inside My Glass Doors [Garasu Do no Uchi]. Trans. 2002 (1915)
  21. Light and Darkness [Meian] (1916)

    22. Non-fiction:

  22. Recollections / Random Memories [Omoidasu Koto nado]. Trans. Maria Flutsch. 1997 (1910)
  23. My Individualism [Watakushi no Kojin Shugi] (1914)




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