1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Yet another Murakami epic. As usual, not much happens in 1000 pages, but it’s still good.
1) “This may be the most important proposition revealed by history: ‘At the time, no one knew what was coming'”
Something else I red recently – if you think something is unprecedented, that just means you don’t know enough.
2) “‘And that’s the simple fact that you want to do this'” – Komatsu
Make other people think that they came up with the idea.
3) “The feel of the words he chose would change depending on whether he was writing them on paper in pencil or typing them on the keyboard”
I used pen and paper yesterday, and it felt like I had forgotten how to write.
4) “Either I’m funny or the world’s funny, I don’t know which. The bottle and lid don’t fit. It could be the bottle’s fault or the lid’s fault”
Great analogy
5) “But still, a basic desire to obtain knowledge at a universal level – which Tengo assumed to be a more or less natural urge in people – was lacking in the man”
This is one of the scarier things about humanity that I’m starting to see more of.
6) “Mathematical functions stroked their backs; theorems sent warm breath into their ears”
O.
7) “‘It’s like the Tibetan Wheel of the Passions. As the wheel turns, the values and feelings on the outer rim rise and fall, shining or sinking into darkness. But true love stays fastened to the axle and doesn’t move'” – Aomame
I googled this. Seems like it’s not a real thing, but there is a Buddhist wheel of life.
8) “‘Once a gun appears in a story, it has to be fired'” – Tamaru
I miss the days of pistol class 6(!) years ago.
9) “The world moves less by money than by what you owe people and what they owe you”
This is the one-line summary of modern financial markets.
10) “‘True, I don’t eat meat. That was no lie. I’m going to take you home in my mouth and trade you for lettuce'” – the cat
A lesson that everything has value. And, as always, cats talk in Murakami books.
1Q84 is not my favorite Murakami book. It’s also definitely the best one to start with, since it’s even more mellow than usual.