Carousel Battle Chronicle

Author: Haruki Murakami
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: This is a collection of nine short stories, most of which have not been published in mainland China before. Two of them are included in "The Disappearance of the Elephant" by Lixiang Press. The book is based on real stories the author has personally encountered, with themes that portray the exhaustion, lack of choice, and psychological distortion of life in big cities. The content includes stories about couples divorcing over minor issues, people's mid-life uncertainties, a proud lady's hidden love, a teenager's youthful impulses, a disabled person's inner desire for resilience, and humorous tales. Each story is different, but they all share a humorous and engaging style, strong philosophical depth, and compelling storytelling. It reflects the author's consistent writing technique and is also one of his early works. In the "Carousel" collection of Haruki Murakami's works, Haruki Murakami offers his definition of life—"It's better to have a battle to the death than to realize you've only come full circle when looking back. Isn't that right? A woman travels all the way from abroad to buy her husband a pair of perfectly fitting shorts, yet upon returning, she decides to divorce. She finds a cherished painting while panning for gold and burns it with kerosene just before leaving. A beautiful and proud princess is so intimidating that no one dares to look up at her, yet she "unintentionally" curls up in "my" blanket during a night of cohabitation in the snow. She pines for a woman she has never met for three whole months by moving and spying on her with a telescope, yet she feels nothing for her upon reunion when they speak for just a few words. But Haruki Murakami says: "This isn't a novel—it's his firsthand account of what he has seen and heard."