Although this is the most recently published book by Japan’s most popular author, it is actually the first two works he ever wrote.  Written between 1969 and 1979, these two novellas share most of the same characters.  Like most of Murakami’s works, the plot is almost impossible to describe while his prose is succinct and casual.  These are not nearly as good as some of his later works, however; one can see the beginnings of a great author.

For me, the introduction was the most interesting part.  In it Murakami describes how he decided he was a writer as well as the process he used to invent his own style.