NOVELIST AS A VOCATION

Kotaro Watanabe, who recently narrated a collection of Murakami short stories, returns with the famed author's essays about his life as a writer. Watanabe's unembellished delivery clearly conveys the essays' informational tidbits; for example, Murakami produces 10 pages at a sitting, he doesn't know other writers, and he always travels outside Japan to write his novels. Watanabe's straightforward approach is suited to Murakami's usual unadorned writing. However, the author changed his writing style in these essays, wanting them to sound like informal conversations. Sadly, the rhythm and tonal variation of an imaginary chat are missing from Watanabe's smooth, almost flat narration. The material is presented, but the author's voice is absent. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2022]