More Murakami

Read two more stories in the Murakami collection today. One was very short, and is entitled "The Mirror." Alas, it is only available online at The Yale Review site, and for a price, as it apparently is in the July 2006 issue of that periodical.

The second story appeared in The New Yorker in June 2003 and can be read here. In the Uk edition, it is called "A Folklore of My Generation: A Pre-History of Late-Stage Capitalism." The "American" version linked above is just called "The Folklore of Our Times."

It is a very good story and I recommend a reading to those who have the time. Interesting to see the difference in titles, I am guessing the UK title is more true to the Japanese and that the U.S. title has been altered. I have found a review of the story here.

It is interesting, as well, to note the differences in the translations...."The king and his retainers (UK)" vs. "The king and his courtiers (US)". Or, prostitute (UK) vs. hooker (US).

Early in the story, Murakami's narrator tells the reader he has changed facts of a story he is retelling of a character in the story. Murakami says "the tone's the main thing," so even through the mysteries of different translations, words may differ, but if the tone remains true, the story is the same.