Name: Men Without Women
Rating: 3.602713178294574 (258 reviews)
ISBN: 9781473547308

Haruki Murakami

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A dazzling new collection of short stories from the beloved, internationally acclaimed Haruki Murakami Across seven tales, Haruki Murakami brings his powers of observation to bear on the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are vanishing cats and smoky bars, lonely hearts and mysterious women, baseball and the Beatles, woven together to tell stories that speak to us all. Marked by the same wry humor that has defined his entire body of work, in this collection Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic. ‘Supremely enjoyable, philosophical and pitch-perfect new collection of short stories...Murakami has a marvelous understanding of youth and age’ Observer ‘Murakami at his whimsical, romantic best’ Financial Times

Stories

Men Without Women

hannah 

Aren't you a little young to be, like, the voice of reason or something?

He always spoke of his women friends with great respect and affection, and took care to keep any personal information secret.

And he wasn't all that afraid of revealing his weaknesses to others –– an unusual quality. [...] It's what's on her core that attracts me so strongly. Like a powerful magnet. It's beyond logic.

(sadly), there is no such thing as love antibodies

"But maybe it would have been better if i'd experienced this while I was still young," Tokai said. "Then I would have developed love antibodies."

Falling in love is like that. You can't control your feelings, and it's like some outrageous power is manipulating you.

aditi 

“You’re right,” Kafuku said. “I guess I was happy then. But that much happiness can lead to an equal amount of pain.”

But the proposition that we can look into another person’s heart with perfect clarity strikes me as a fool’s game. I don’t care how well we think we should understand them, or how much we love them. All it can do is cause us pain. Examining your own heart, however, is another matter. I think it’s possible to see what’s in there if you work hard enough at it. So in the end maybe that’s the challenge: to look inside your own heart as perceptively and seriously as you can, and to make peace with what you find there. If we hope to truly see another person, we have to start by looking within ourselves.

**International Bestseller **A New York Times Bestseller **An NPR Best Book of 2017 **An Esquire Best Book of 2017 **A Washington Post Notable Book of 2017 **A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2017 The major new work of fiction from the internationally acclaimed, #1 NYT bestselling author--a dazzling collection of short stories. The much-anticipated new short story collection from the beloved Haruki Murakami--his first major new work of fiction since the #1 New York Times bestselling Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage--Men Without Women showcases the author at the peak of his powers. Across seven tales, Murakami draws his piercing observation to the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are vanishing cats and smoky bars, lonely hearts and mysterious women, baseball and The Beatles, woven together to tell stories that speak to us all. Marked by the same wry humor that has defined his entire body of work, in this collection Haruki Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic.

Tiff W

I know it’s a collection of short stories but I wish they were each a novel

A dazzling new collection of short stories--the first major new work of fiction from the beloved, internationally acclaimed, Haruki Murakami since his #1 best-selling Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. Across seven tales, Haruki Murakami brings his powers of observation to bear on the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are vanishing cats and smoky bars, lonely hearts and mysterious women, baseball and the Beatles, woven together to tell stories that speak to us all. Marked by the same wry humor that has defined his entire body of work, in this collection Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic.

Ben Hutchings

Particularly uncomfortable

Just not his best writing 

The taxi story is very good though

I enjoyed this collection. It felt like peering into the mind of a man - something I don’t get to do quite often 

Nkechi A

Although I still prefer his novels, this is definitely among Murakami's better short story collections.

Frederik De Bosschere

Anjorin Molayo 

I love the worlds Murakami creates, but the women in this book felt flat, painted just to illustrate the sadness of these men incapable of pulling themselves together. The descriptions of them (and the one gay character) made me uncomfortable, functioning just to depict them as “other”, with any “unconventional” beauty or characteristics highlighted to show how strange it was that they were actually “normal”.

I am adding 2 stars mostly for "Kino" and "Samsa in Love," for fully leaning into the surreal and bizarre, and for the final, title story "Men Without Women," for finally making me feel the character's loneliness and loss. The rest were forgettable, more character sketches than stories, with characters whose motivations were poorly elaborated and for the most part left me cold.

It was good but, lord, why is Murakami obsessed with sex ???

Romy

i love how murakami's characters could say the quaintest thing and everyone around them just passed it off like nothing lol. 

i love 'Kino', but overall it's 3.5

enjoyed some stories better than others, but the ones i did like i loved 

geri chan 

Kendall McClain

3.5 stars
My favorite thing about these stories is the focus placed on character analysis- If you’re plot reader you probably won’t love this, but as a character girl this slayed! My downside is the similarities between characters throughout the stories (a “player” man with few friends, an unattractive women that men shockingly like (this trope of women is an issue on its own) etc.) but the depiction of relationships were very thoughtful and I’m a fan of the writing!
Fav stories- Kino & Yesterday

★★★☆ // murakami’s short story collection about men experiencing intense emotional and life-altering changes after a woman vanishes from their lives can both be a hit or miss. he’s a great writer and i do love him, but he still has a few ways to go before he can really write something profound and non-restrictive about women. my favourites were Drive My Car, An Independent Organ, Kino, and Samsa in Love. Samsa, in particular, was a welcome surprise because it’s unusually optimistic for a murakami story.

Rifqaiza Pravangesta

Enggak bisa bohong sih, seberapa pun bencinya sy dengan Murakami, sy selalu bisa suka dengan cerpen-cerpen yang ditulisnya (lebih daripada novelnya), termasuk kumcer ini. Untuk rating per cerpen;

1. Drive My Car (5*) 
2. Yesterday (4*)
3. An Independent Organ (5*)
4. Scheherazade (3*)
5. Kino (3*)
6. Samsa In Love (1*)
7. Men Without Women (1*)

Still typical Murakami, but much more thinking and contemplating. Much more realistic too, as expected from his stories, maybe that’s why they’re more compelling to me. But he is always making men as a victim lmao. And still objectifying women.

Loreng

deleted texts: 

haha, sa ganda mong 'yan wala kang boyfriend? 

bawal ka mag-shorts.

summary: sadboi literature



jess

I am infatuated with Murakami's books, and when I say infatuated, I mean that I was unable to unlove his books. But this is my second disappointment with his books, having Killing Commendatore as the first one. The story of seven short stories, personally, with no essence of Murakami that you can get from 1Q84 or Kafka on the Shore, this book is just falling out. A shockingly OK story is probably Samsa in Love, which refers to the Kafka's version of The Metamorphosis, but with a tingle romance in it. However, accumulation disappointment is what I get after reading this book. A quite obvious distinguishable gender problems and their stories, but not compelling enough to call it Murakami's work, even though certain elements fit to be called Murakami's specialty.

A dazzling new collection of short stories--the first major new work of fiction from the beloved, internationally acclaimed, Haruki Murakami since his #1 best-selling Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. Across seven tales, Haruki Murakami brings his powers of observation to bear on the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are vanishing cats and smoky bars, lonely hearts and mysterious women, baseball and the Beatles, woven together to tell stories that speak to us all. Marked by the same wry humor that has defined his entire body of work, in this collection Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic. From the Hardcover edition.

isabel ⋆｡°✩

remiel

As a whole, it's fair to say that 'Men Without Women' falls short of being one of Murakami's finest works. While I harbor some affection for it, given that the recognition 'Drive My Car' received at the Oscars prompted me to delve into his literary world, it failed to capture the distinctive 'Murakami Charm' that I've cherished in many of his other creations.
The short story that lends its title to the book, 'Men Without Women,' also misses the mark in bringing forth this charm. It is simply disappointing and superficial.
The true gems of the book undoubtedly lie in 'An Independent Organ,' 'Scheherazade,' and 'Kino' — the latter being the one that continues to affirm my belief in the saying, 'Murakami's books will find you when you need them the most.'

garnet

Pretty interesting stories, but I feel like all of his works sound/feel the same. Also, you can definitely tell that this is a man's writing (do what that information what you will).

Sami Uzzama

“Haruki Murakami’s Men Without Women examines what happens to characters without important women in their lives; it'll move you and confuse you and sometimes leave you with more questions than answers.” —Barack Obama Across seven tales, Haruki Murakami brings his powers of observation to bear on the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are lovesick doctors, students, ex-boyfriends, actors, bartenders, and even Kafka’s Gregor Samsa, brought together to tell stories that speak to us all. In Men Without Women Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic, marked by the same wry humor and pathos that have defined his entire body of work.

i enjoyed this reading experience so much more than colorless tsukuru tazaki and his years of pilgrimage, i’d nearly given up on murakami entirely after that one. glad i gave this one a go 🫡 

༺ kat ༻

jess larry

dnf got bored, might go back at some point

THE SUNDAY TIMESBESTSELLER Across seven tales, Haruki Murakami brings his powers of observation to bear on the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are vanishing cats and smoky bars, lonely hearts and mysterious women, baseball and the Beatles, woven together to tell stories that speak to us all. Marked by the same wry humor that has defined his entire body of work, in this collection Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic

half of them were really good half of them were okay

First Murakami book down :)) overall, really enjoyed his writing style, very easy to read and very me. Although his portray of women is just not it, but expected so I was prepared. 

Fave story: men without women, loved the whole sailor and sea references and metaphors. I also enjoyed the Samsa in Love, and Kino. 

Denisse Garcia Ramírez 

First Murakami book down :)) overall, really enjoyed his writing style, very easy to read and very me. Although his portray of women is just not it, but expected so I was prepared. 

Fave story: men without women, loved the whole sailor and sea references and metaphors. I also enjoyed the Samsa in Love, and Kino. 

This book was definitely a pleasant read although I feel it didn’t reach up to its potential. The romanticizing of men without women and the varying intensity of their feels was beautifully portrayed. There weren’t any other views from men that enjoy the solace when without women. I feel it lacked diversity when it came to men who enjoy being without women.

I think my favorite story was the story about Dr. Tokai showed the painful death of oneself when left without love or when love is ripped out of your chest.

Tess 

This book was definitely a pleasant read although I feel it didn’t reach up to its potential. The romanticizing of men without women and the varying intensity of their feels was beautifully portrayed. There weren’t any other views from men that enjoy the solace when without women. I feel it lacked diversity when it came to men who enjoy being without women.

I think my favorite story was the story about Dr. Tokai showed the painful death of oneself when left without love or when love is ripped out of your chest.

Aakankaha Dwivedi

Midori Kobayashi

Whether you want to or not. But the place you return to is always slightly different from the place you left. That’s the rule. It can never be exactly the same.


Typical Murakami style with quiet rains, somber music and a tinge of the supernatural. Loved reading all seven short stories, they are all about men who have never or atleast in the present had woman in their lives and tho each story has a diff set of characters, they are all very intriguing nonetheless.

If you're already familiar with Murakami's writing and want a short reliving of that experience this a perfect book for you, or if it's gonna be your first time reading Murakami, this is a short yet very good book to get a hang of his writing style.

Men Without Women Stories

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