Norwegian Wood....

Just finished 'Norwegian Wood', the novel by Haruki Murakami. I'll be completely honest and open with this. I had never heard of the book or the author but the fact it had a slight Beatles reference was enough to get my few quid that I paid.

Recently I've been demolishing and absorbing books at a pretty steady speed (possibly making up for lost time where books other than music BIOS got a look in) The 'classics' have been picked up, read and put on the shelf and some counter culture indie ones carefully thumbed through although in some cases I can see why not everyone bothered with them.

'Norwegian Wood' has just recently been made into a film and while the majority of great films were before great books I worry that in this case they should have left this one alone as the majority of scenes and stories/plot lines involved happen simultaneously and in hindsight as the characters explain points and without some major razor blade style Tarantino time tricks is going to confuse the audience as the scenes jump back and forward. Or worse still implore the services of a voice over narration (sit back down Morgan Freeman for chrissstsaaake)

There are various sex scenes in the book that I'm sure will be focused on in the film version as they need to fill the hour and a half with something other than forlorn looking Japanese actors. I realise that without the film dramatization I wouldn't have even heard of the book and in fact the cover of the book is the film poster! But now that I've read it and have a Japanese novel in my pantheon of books I've read I fill the urge to mock from my ivory tower at the proles...

If the film is on TV I'll probably give it 10 Min's but I don't think it can compare to the intricate detail and imagery of the books, how can a book that took a week to read be summed up in less than 2 hours?

An easy "in" into highbrow reading and at least you can impress your friends with a bit of indie culture rather than pointing out that The DaVinci Code film isn't as good as the book, and that the book isn't even that good either, it's just a book to get stupid people to read something other than a benefit form or telephone number to the Jeremy Kyle show.

Currently listening to:

Positively 4Th Street - Bob Dylan (Mono collection)
Girl- The Beatles
Don't Sit Down 'cause I've Moved your chair - Arctic Monkeys


also, saw 'Submarine' and yes it's as good as everyone says. Acting, Story, Direction and amazing soundtrack from Alex Turner..

treat yourself to both..

and 'Norwegian Wood' is available for less than a fiver in HMV book section...


go in peace and don't forget your receipts in the bag...