 | Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Buy new: £5.59 / Used from: £3.20 Murakami has been described as the greatest living writer; I would concur after reading this. I read this on a bullet train traversing Japan & wished the train was slower so the book wouldn't end!
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 | Gold Rush by Miri Yu
Buy new: £3.88 / Used from: £10.79 A colourful & sensual journey through the back streets of Tokyo. A 'coming of age' tale of a outsider, a young yakuza.
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 | Confessions of a Mask (Peter Owen Modern Classics) by Yukio Mishima
Buy used from: £3.98 The semi-autobiographical story of an outsider; who fits into society by hiding behind a mask of conformity while struggling with his identity.
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 | The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Buy new: £5.99 / Used from: £3.66 A fusion of the realistic & the fantastic. The plot jumps from pre-war Manchukuo to modern day Tokyo and includes re-occurring themes of wells, jazz, loss & cats infuse this tome.
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 | Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami
Buy new: £7.69 / Used from: £2.84 The "other" Murakami brings us an intricate story of abandonment, siblings, pain, loss & redemption. A challenging but worthwhile book.
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 | The Noodle Maker by Ma Jian
Buy new: £5.99 / Used from: £1.36 The intertwined lives & communal living of a small town sketched by an accomplished up & coming Chinese writer.
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 | Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
Buy new: £2.98 / Used from: £2.98 Another fine read from Murakami. A ménage à trois of desire, loneliness & alienation; an exploration of the conflict between reaching for ones dreams & conforming in an emotionally rigid society.
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 | Sixty-nine by Ryu Murakami
Buy new: £3.01 / Used from: £3.85 An enchanting story of youth & rebellion during the summer of 1969
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 | The Birth and Death of the Miracle Man: And Other Stories by Albert Wendt
Buy new: £11.24 / Used from: £9.47 A fine collection of stories from the Somaon poet, writer & academic. A beguiling insight into the lives of the South Pacific Islanders.
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 | Monkey Brain Sushi: New Tastes in Japanese Fiction (Japan's Modern Writers)
Buy used from: £7.99 A great collection of Japanese short stories from a varied selection of writers. For some of these, it is a real shame that no more of their works are available in translation.
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 | Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Buy used from: £3.22 Sixth winner of the Franz Kafka Prize. Infused by many reoccurring themes that cross between the two distinct but interwoven plots. An exigent book full of riddles, cats & magical realism.
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 | The Girl Who Played Go (Vintage East) by Shan Sa
Buy new: £0.99 / Used from: £0.01 An intriguing tale of the relationship & games played between a young Chinese girl/tomboy & a Japanese officer/spy during the Manchurian occupation. An endearing read from a lovely young writer.
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 | Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Buy new: £2.29 / Used from: £1.49 A delicate tragedy dealing with the themes of loss, love & denial. Infused with imagery of food & kitchens.
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 | Candy by Mian Mian
Buy new: £3.59 / Used from: £2.00 Epic Chinese Generation-X tale of drugs, sex & rock'n'roll. Banned in China but nevertheless a masterpiece.
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 | Monkey by Wu Ch'eng-En
Buy used from: £3.25 Monkey (Saiyūki) is a arduous but enlightening read. It is a story infused with Buddhist & Taoist philosophy. An ancient road trip and adventure with a moral centre. Much deeper than the popular TV se
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 | The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (Vintage East) by Yukio Mishima
Buy used from: £1.35 A Novel that explores the rejection of the adult world, seen as hypocritical, by the young protagonist when his widowed mother takes a new lover. This anger & fear lead to acts of savagery that could
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 | Almost Transparent Blue by Ryu Murakami
Buy new: £3.38 / Used from: £2.42 This fine award-winning novella explores the relationship & conflict between Japan & the West, tradition & modernity. Brimming with violence, drugs, booze, eroticism & music it gives an insight into t
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 | Strangers by Taichi Yamada
Buy new: £3.49 / Used from: £0.01 A strange, mystical & surreal novel. Very readable & enjoyable.
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 | The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Vintage Classics) by Yukio Mishima
Buy new: £3.11 / Used from: £1.85 The afflicted Mizoguchi is driven by an increased obsession with beauty & wanting to destroy it. A journey into envy, mania & psychosis. Inspired by the destruction of Kyotos gorgeous Kinkaku-ji temp
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 | Snakes and Earrings by Hitomi Kanehara
Buy new: £1.87 / Used from: £1.30 A journey into body art, alcoholism, co-dependency & tragedy. This debut novel by the very young writer & high school drop-out Kanerara, won the auspicious Akutagawa Prize for literature.
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 | A Thousand Years of Good Prayers by Yiyun Li
Buy new: £5.59 / Used from: £0.90 A fine collection of short stories exploring life in contempoary China.
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 | Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami
Buy new: £5.99 / Used from: £2.50 A enjoyable compilation of Murakami's short stories including Tony Takitani which was made into a fine film. A good starting place for anyone new to Murakami.
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 | Twinkle Twinkle by Kaori Ekuni
Buy new: £5.80 / Used from: £7.27 A fine story exploring themes around relationships, sexuality, denial, deceit, family expectations & duty in Japan today.
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 | Outlet by Randy Taguchi
Buy new: £4.56 / Used from: £4.46 A mesmeric bizarre story of death, guilt, escape & redemption. Beguiling.
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 | Innocent World by Ami Sakurai
Buy new: £2.65 / Used from: £4.64 A nihilistic novella probing themes of trauma, violence, sex, drugs, despair & the journey towards redemption. Not for the faint hearted.
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