The Financial Times ran a review of Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman over the weekend. It's by Ben Naparstek, the same journalist whose interview with Murakami I posted on recently.

It contains many of the same quotes and goes further into the writer's feeling of alienation from the country of his birth. Apparently he's just about to move back to the U.S. for a teaching spell. The newspaper's introductory text to the piece is forthright and uncompromising:

The lone wolf of Japanese literature snaps at the stultifying convention of Japanese society by determinedly looking west for inspiration - and freedom.

I read this piece during the hour-and-a-half flight from Sydney to Maroochydore yesterday, and last night lying on the sand-coloured couch in the living room of my rented apartment I finished reading Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. It's a very satisfying read. Some of the stories I've read before in various journals, but many of them are new. The overall feeling is of depth and competence. This is a writer at the top of his game, perfactly able to handle anything his imagination brings forth.

I planned on reviewing the book here, but now I think I'll wait until I've read it again, as I didn't have the opportunity to take notes, as I normally do.

But it's very interesting to know that Murakami might make a "public statement" about Tokyo's governor, Shintaro Ishihara. I absolutely cannot wait to see what he comes out with. Bring it on, Haruki!