moobs comments

Coligny

A storyline? It's porn for chrissake. Who needs a storyline!

No worries Sarc. I like your translation. It reminds me of the simpson's episode parodying Twin Peaks where Homer was watching a giant dance with a horse and is impressed by the genius of it all. Then laughs and says "Brilliant! I have absolutely no idea what's going on."

Sarc, my comments weren't really intended to defend Murakami as a writer. They were more or less a criticism of literary criticism which rarely addresses how the book may differ in translation or what effect the translator had on the story itself (or the simple fact that it is a translated work).

If I had been trying to defend Murakami, I agree that "because it's a translation" is not a satisfactory argument to make that point. I thought my tone was clear though--Vonnegut is not a literary genius either, even if entertaining.

Criticizing literature in translation is like criticizing the writing of Ian Fleming based on Roger Moore's portrayal of the James Bond character.

Could it be that the shortcomings attributed to Murakami come through more acutely due to the fact that the books are translated into English for a "Western" consumer and in this a myth of Japan and/or Murakami may be created or perpetuated subconsciously by the translator.

His work reminds of Vonnegut's. I find the books entertaining, but I can never recall the exact details of any one specific book.

Consider too that Murakami himself is said to work with the translators and redact his own works when presenting them in translation (perhaps he is consciously creating his own image as a writer in translation).