Book Review: Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami 

2:53, My dude, the book isnt about learning about women. Its about how men of all backgrounds deal with the lack of women in their life. Every story is told through a characters narrative. A guy who focues so much on who drives him, may judge people (men and women) through how they drive. Not to mention its dealing with Japanese women, which i would imagine are culturally different than anyone else.

I mean I don’t mind if you don’t like Murakami- but calling him a lazy writer or a bad writer is a bit much, when in fact, it is obvious that he is not.

I just don't understand why some many people get offended in so many ways so easily.

To go against the string of comments praising your review, I'd actually like to disagree with your analysis. While yes I am biased as a lifelong Murakami fan, I do think your review was too focused on particular aspects of perceived misogyny, rather than the short story collection themselves. As I was listening to your review, it seemed to me that you dwelled on that aspect so much, that you didn't talk about much more. While I do appreciate your critique that Murakami has a tendency to have similar characters with similar outlook, I don't believe this is due to laziness, rather the themes of loneliness and inherent flawed characteristics and how that speaks to Japanese culture and society are the themes that he discusses. Other of the world's best authors (MCcarthy, Oe and even James Baldwin all right from the perspective of roughly the same main character.) Perhaps you were offended by the main characters of the novel. Perhaps you did not consider that they were, in fact, very flawed men? Men who do not understand women at all; and make blanket, misogynistic statements about them? And thus the title of the short story compilation? I rarely comment on videos on YT, but this video seemed to be a rant on your frustrations on the author, rather than an actual critique of his work.

Dude, you're the exact reason why books need to have statements like "The views expressed in this book is not necessarily reflective of the authors" at the start.

Sorry not to join the choir, tho I do agree with your choice of best & worst stories. I've read all but one of Murakami's novels (curse you 1Q84!). But I think you & many readers have oversimplified his writing -- it's very hip to bash Murakami these days. As you say, writers can have problematic characters, which I find more interesting than non-problematic ones. We can't always stay in the Shire. Murakami is monochromatic in that he consistently writes about flawed men who cannot connect with other people, especially women. His male characters also tend to have strange relationships with other men, as well as women, & his characters don't understand women, which is why the women come off so badly -- the caricatured women reflect the damaged & dismal men, not real women. The men's *view* is twisted and distorted, not the women themselves -- it's the lens that is flawed. It's a little disingenuous to lay all the twisted men as reflections of Murakami himself (Death of the Author, anyone?). I can see not wanting to read about Murakami's endless parade of defective men, but they reflect a lot of the defective men I've met -- men who can't build a stable or steady commitment. Maybe most people have happier & better relationships than I do. I found the cover, designed by his longtime designer Chip Kidd, interesting: a silhouette of a man, missing a jigsaw puzzle piece. Is the man without a woman, and so missing a part of himself? Or is the man missing something inside that frustrates his ability to connect with women? I think the latter, which is one of Murakami's major themes, repetitive or not. Don't most of us live lives of a series of broken relationships, or has everyone found true love?

Well I personally think that in the first paragraph, Murakami is establishing what the male protagonist of the story thought and how he perceived women rather than make an objective statement. It can be the case that the protagonist thinks that way...that's upto the individual...what's wrong with that? How is that "lazy writing" in any way?

I don't agree that there's a disconnect between his works and his female audience. This is just anecdotal evidence, but the vast majority of his fans that I know of, are women.

He hasn't learned anything about women at the ripe old age of 68? wait wut? I'm no Murakami fan, but I didn't open the book expecting an autobiography... it's fiction... and the thoughts on female drivers in the first paragraph were fitting to the character in that particular story...

Murakami writes such apt descriptions of a certain kind of man. Those that relate fall in love with him because they feel like they've finally been... heard, in a way. If you don't relate to Murakami's characters, it doesn't mean that they are a) unrealistic, or b) shallow. You may just not understand their perspective. It would be the same if you and I were to meet in person. We'd probably judge each other as shallow and immoral in our views (I already judge you as such, and I can tell you would me, too). This is a problem, though. Condemning others who's voices we don't like just creates more rift. The tone of your criticism really turned me off to your views. It was the condescension. In truth, no one can prove that their perspective is most apt. So we'd be wise to do our best to respect each other. The payoff is always greater.

I think you're neglecting to separate Murakami's characters from his writing. Just because he writes about men who hold sexist pretences does not implicate his own writing as sexist. In fact, writing about these ignorant men draws attention to these offensive views, and highlights the importance of pushing against these stereotypes.

I take such offense to this. Murakami is a genius. How dare you question him. JK, he can be problematic, but like an alcoholic uncle, I still love him.

I don't know why there are so many dislikes, you justify your points well (including Murakami being lazy). I'll feel like checking this one out soon as well as Hemingway's Men Without Women for a cultural comparison of sexism.

This review is SO GOOD. I'm still going to try Murakami, but I appreciate how you point out that the offensive aspects are hard to ignore, AND that they partially stem from lazy writing. It reminded me of a Francina Simone video where she was like, guys, a lot of characters who seem tropey and tokenist are like that because of bad writing

I wonder if that little puzzle piece is supposed to represent woman, kinda like Adam’s rib. If that is the case, then I would throw the book straight into the trash.

Adam, thank you for this. I have not read any Murakami...although, I have been encouraged to on several occasions. You've made me curious enough here to actually hunt this particular book down if only to form an educated opinion on his work. Thanks again. Well done.

Have you read his short story collection "After the Quake" yet? Murakami has to reign his worst tendencies in and his theme isn't so cloistered, there - plus, he's generally bad at romance (which probably explains why you find so many problems with "Men without Women") and he doesn't really dive into it in this book. I think "After the Quake" is pretty well-written and inventive. But probably the best he's ever done :/ EDIT: Oh, and you should try some Ursula K. Le Guin. Particularly "The Lathe of Heaven", or her short stories: "The Compass Rose", "Orsinian Tales" etc.

Excellent video. I read 1Q84 and noticed a lot of things that would bother me, but I could not put my finger on it. Then I noticed it was the way he continued to describe the protagonist who is a woman. I like the way he writes but not so much what he writes.

i read the first paragraph the other day and thought man Adam's gonna call that out :)

Oh God, poor Antoine Doinel, what's he doing here? Haha LOVED this.

Any 10 minutes I can hear you put your thoughts so condense and wonderfully fiery on any given book is 10 minutes well spent. I need to remember to have my special organ checked out next time I'm at the doctor. Not treated lying-organ diseases may lead to an unwanted ear fetish or something.

great review! it's always interesting to hear your thoughts on Murakami. He's definitely an author that's polarizing.

9:00 Epic ending. Excellent.

Hey, I liked your review..i have already read the book. I think it is a fiction book. All the stories were interesting to read. I have finished the book in very good time. Don't have to do detail analysis of women. I don't think the author wanted to bring out the details about women. It was just a fiction book.

You are so well spoken! I'm so impressed!

This was ............................ um. . . spectacular. Nuff said. Love your reviews almost as I love my own. 😂😜 hope to start seeing more reviews from you this summer! (I also imagine if Steve reviewed old boy Cormac it would be something eerily similar to this.)

I think You are reading to much reason into this short story, this is not a book of ideology, its just a fiction . "Men Without Women is best when it engages directly with its heroes’ alienation, their estrangement not only from women but from themselves. It’s not really about the women; it’s about the without-ness, using male characters as a lens to examine lack."

I just never have a clue why any of the characters in Murakami's books do any of the things they do. They just seem like thousand-sided dice continuously rolling.

I've never heard a single "endorsement" about Murakami that has made me want to read him, so your pans are not self-indulgent in my view. If you were to recommend one to the uninitiated (i.e. me), which one would it be? Also, when you were talking, I was reminded of an author I love who struggles to write complex women in many of his novels-Milan Kundera-but that writer has a whole lot to offer nonetheless. What does Murakami do that is so unique and special? Maybe you're not the right person to ask that! :)

I like to read along with you/others this coming September 'The Decameron' what translation will you be using? I have two translations in my library-one by Richard Aldington and one by unknown translator/published by The Bibliophilist Society Illustrated/this book is old. So how do you read such a big book with a group of people?

Oh man. You and Val have a great case here. I have only read one short story collection and Kafka on the shore by him. I have Norwegian Woods? Not sure of the title, it's on my kindle. I think I will stick to his nonfiction, I have heard he has a decent book on music. Great video!

Omg I love you Adam haha. I started reading Murakami when I was 14, and I just LOVED him, oh was I overwhelmed by his eerie, dreamy worlds :D I don't know anybody who even knows him where I live, so I was never aware of the hype and the haters until I started using goodreads/booktube. I still want to read all of his work to come back to these worlds, because I know they're always the same, they're my comfort zone :P but I'm also more interested in other writers, ideas, writing styles and characters the last few years. I'm not a really critical reader though, I read for enjoyment and to learn something from another perspective.

Great video, Adam. I'm pretty forgiving of Murakami and admittedly Kino sounds right up my street, despite my usual reservations. But, equally, O.M.G. was there a lot of boob chat in 1Q84 (the last of his I read) and I don't know if I can take it anymore. I saw your Instagram story about that opening paragraph and I'm disappointed (yet unsurprised) to learn it didn't improve from there. Have you read the Hemingway collection from which the title is borrowed? I did years ago and can't remember enough to draw any comparisons, but I'm fairly certain the women were completely absent rather than absent /as/ characters, if that makes sense.

I love Murakami. I definitely wasn't really impacted by any of these stories, though. Probably my least favorite collection of his short stories and definitely one of the lowest in his bibliography in general for me. I understand why people would hate Murakami, and I understand that as a man I definitely read Murakami different than a woman would. I find it interesting though, that from what I've seen (in my limited perspective), is that Murakami tends to have just as many women reading his books as men. I don't think the observation of the shallowness of his women characters is unfounded, but as a previous commenter said, his male characters are just as preposterously underdeveloped in a traditional sense. So why do people read him? I don't know. What I do know is that I, going through an immense depression, found some sort of "comfort" (for lack of a better word) in Murakami's writings, particularly in Wind-Up Bird. I think the existential longings and the mystical aspects of his worlds really tap into something about human nature that at least millions of readers around the world connect to. It doesn't excuse any laziness or, as you say, "problematic" sentiments he writes about, but those things don't dismiss him as a writer either. Maybe we're all just flawed human beings trying to find our way in this world. Either way, I'm glad Murakami's works came into my life when they did.

I see no problem with stuff like the first paragraph of the first story if it helps illustrate the character of said story. I haven't read it yet, but many times I see people calling out the dreaded P word to every situation even when the writer constructs a complex character and it should be interpreted as such and not as if the author was telling you what's on his mind. BTW, I liked your distinction of that and how you presented that it's all the same throughout all his books. I mean, one is not required to like what he reads, but he sure is to try to at least think about it, and not just recoil from it in awe, feeling "offended". 🙄

if women are generaly more likely to get anorexia than man and that the genarely the reason people get anorexia is beacuse of a lot of things such as social pressure to LOOK BETTER that lead to the loss of weight, how can what haruki murakawi said be at all absurd and even sexist if he is speaking facts, people get easily ofended and u dont even have time to question if it is true or not so go do some research on google and if you do u will find something similar to this "When it comes to negative perceptions of physical appearance, social pressures are believed to play a key role. Since women tend to be more susceptible to such pressures, this may explain in part why eating disorders affect women more than men".

I haven't enjoyed a Murakami book for a while, and have all but given up after 1Q84. I spoke to a well-known author who knows his shizzle about Japan and the business and he said that something he feels has happened is that as Murakami has become this behemoth author, perhaps he is being edited less. As in, no one has the balls to tell him/give him edits, he writes what he wants and it gets published. If 1Q84 is anything to go by (1,000 pages in English and Jay Rubin had to convince Murakami about cutting 25,000 words from the translation) then this is definitely the case. Which is definitely ironic seeing as the book, which has a character who is editing a book, talks about what the editing process involves. I remember this really frustrating me, as I felt like, "well why hasn't anyone done that to THIS book!?" I dunno, might try him again in the future, or reread some of the old stuff to see how I feel about it now that I'm a little older and it's been 10+ years since I read some of those books...

Nice things first: You've read the materials you're reviewing closely, and clearly given a lot of thought to what your reactions are. Some things I think are a waste of time for a reviewer: Writing the review as an explanation of another book you wish he had written instead, or a style he had used instead, or an aesthetic, form, plot. etc. You're far from the only one--film critics do this even more commonly. But it's a waste of time, and raises the suspicion that the "critic" is actually a wannabe author envious of someone else. If you're sufficiently offended by the sexism of characters, by all means you're entitled to that opinion. But that's a critical dead-end: Marukami writes these flawed characters--repeatedly!!--yes...and??? Thinking that you have uncovered the actual mind of the author via the characters he writes--unless some author has told you that directly, it betrays a naivete'. I appreciate your reading an excerpt and giving your reaction to *that*---it's what reviewers are for. You're also leveraging the Internet in a very cool way---you have replied substantively to some of your comments here. Speaking of authors repeatedly writing sexist flawed characters, does that aspect also ruin for you: Isaac Bashevis Singer? Philip Roth? Hemingway? (This could be a very long list).

I've never read a Murakami book and was interested in this one, but the passages you read definitely convinced me NOT to read it. I can generally read "problematic" books and not be offended, but this is just irritating and if it's continued throughout all of his books I'm not sure if he's an author I want to invest any of my time in to.

Interesting! I definitely agree with your point about the main characters but I also think that the book does have good qualities, like discribing the main character's feelings. Also, I do think that he partially succeeds in portraying the respective woman of every chapter. Obviously the first paragraph driving metaphor sucks but it got pretty much disproven when Misaki's driving style is discribed as smooth and pleasant to Kafuku. So it's basically the opposite, stating that women do not just fall into these type of categories and instead can also have the kind of character traits that Murakami typically assignes to his male/main characters. (In this case Misaki is laid-back, unemotional and competent.) For other chapters tho he just completely fails and does what you said (like the scheherazade one). Still, after reading I generally felt more sympathy for the female characters than the male once since they, like you said, are very bland and don't ever do anything else than to yearn their past lovers. Also I haven't read anything else by him so if thats what he usually does it's really dissapointing. Oh and also you are completely right about the cigarette burns, the "indepentent organ" and the anorexia stuff like wtf was that.

When I read the line that you referenced about how all women lie, I threw the book across the room in disgust, feeling all the things you mentioned. I was offended and shocked that I had only heard gushing praise about this book and nothing about how deeply misogynistic the material read. Thank you for this video!

Its moo rakami

I totally agree with you on the part about women having anorexia, real reason is to some it's a way to have control over their lives and their body.

V don't know u might like it give it a try 😊

Whoa whoa whoa. Hold your horses, young man. You have read 6? I have read 9. MWW is my current read. I was searching for a decent review because i wanted sort of someone to talk to about it but what I got was this. How about i review your review? How poorly you review stuff. This is not a review, in the first place. This is brainwashing people into ditching Murakami's works in general. If you don't like his style, say it decently, objectively. Like why? What are the flaws of this book? What would you have done if you were the writer? What would be a better ending? I think you are trying too hard here, but you ended up being shallow. Maybe you don't like introspective characters? Dreamy worlds? Then why did you let yourself read 6? We have different perspectives and takes on things. Ever wonder why a lot of people like Murakami? Maybe you should start asking yourself what's wrong with your understanding or level of grasping things. Sometimes you are too caught up in certain sentences and generalize things without even allowing yourself to enter the characters' minds. Idk but reading murakami requires clearing up your mind first. Maybe you should work on that level first before deliberately shaming an author.

I think you are smart at approaching people.

Six Murakami's? SIX? Masochist! Lol. I dont mind the so-called 'offensive' or 'problematic' stuff in his books. He just bores the living daylight out of me.

A wild sheep chase era’s writing is way different and better ive just found

I am going to check our library to see if they have his books! One week till I see Suspiria! Are you in LA or NY? I ask cause it open a week early for LA and NY. I am planning to take a vomit bag a long because all reviews say the horror is very grotesque lol! I have been listening to the music Thom Yorke does for the movie and I am not liking it. Thom Yorke music/voice is not for me.

Thanks for different perspective.

I'm reminded about why I just don't really like Murakami. I enjoy hearing your criticisms!

i think theres a fundamental problem of people viewing literature as problematic. the problem is that people cant hold an idea, look at it and think about it if it goes against what they expect the world to be like. its not problematic, its a story.

I Hear you… But... he’s not wrong! Women do have an independent organ…

Great video Adam, thank you for this. I always appreciate articulate and well thought out reviews. I have not yet read anything by this author so I do not know if I agree with you, but agreeing is not a prerequisite of appreciating. I like the perspective, the direct quotes and personal insight you shared. Please keep creating such great booktube content.

You read problematic books? I never...:) I haven't read a Murakami in a few years now but I liked most of his stuff. He cannot write women, but the dream-state that Michael describes always gels with me. His memoir on running is probably my favorite.

I read murakami books only. If im read the other author it seems like i cant grasp a full meaning of the book. So which author u recommend?

I haven't read this book yet but I feel the same thing you feel when I read After the Quake. The characters in his books are so repettative (Especailly when you read short stories colletion like this you know). Sometime those sexual comments is so not necessary I was like 'whattt?!'. But I really enjoy some aspect of his books that reflect Japanese culture though. (I have read only two of his books though, After the quake and After Dark though.)

Guess you don't like Bukowski uh?! Would be too much for you?

Phew! A honest and refreshing take. Ugh. I'm glad I never picked that up.

I watched this again and again. I dont know what happen to me.

I haven't read anything by this author but this review actually had me intrigued. I had heard mostly good things about him, and it's good to know the other side as well. I'm looking forward to trying some of his work so I can form my own opinion.

I really enjoy your reviews :)

Seriously this this dude doesnt know how to read. It's called perspective, mirikamk is writing from a different perspective. You know a different point of view. Each character is giving their accounts of something in their life based on experiences. It's his style of writing. You missed the point of each story if you just thought about the author and not the character separated by you know a different perspective. Have you read anything by Gillian Jacob? She right passive aggressive conniving women, is she one? That doesnt make the author the same as their character.

I need to say I love you video and I think you give great review, but I kind think the reason you couldn't " like " murakami is because the culture barrier.

This has just solidified my resolve to never touch another Murakami book again. It's a shame that he's the most widely known author from Japan in the West (there are so many better candidates.) I must say I'm relieved though that "the independent organ" was some Freudian reference to penises. At least he didn't go there.

What a smart and nice boy!

I don't know if you know this...but your videos are perfect to listen to while cooking. I wanna point this out to you, because it's something I have to remind myself of often. Perhaps Murakami is trying to infuriate the reader to make a point. Like with the women driving thing, it's a stereotype that women can't drive. Is he bringing that to our attention to make a point? Or is the author actually sexist? That's something I struggle with frequently when reading, trying to decide if that's the author's intent or just the author. Food for thought. Great video :)

Nice review ❤️

Ok I read 1Q84 and I thought my only issue was with the ending... now I think you've opened my eyes on how all the female characters (but the main protagonist, I must say) are just there to be sex objects... #Epiphany

I love problematic and offensive novels

Just listening to that first sentence you read out loud I was reminded why I don't read him anymore.

PREACH. I was listening to to this as an audiobook in the car, so needless to say the first paragraph almost killed me as I listened to it while driving. It made me wonder... hmm... which kind of lousy female driver am I? Really started off the collection on a sour note for me. It's great that the only memorable female character (Scheherazade) is an obsessive pencil thief who thinks she was a lamprey in a former life... cool Murakami....

I haven't read anything by Murakami, but now I can consider myself forewarned should I decide to! Thanks for the clearly stated and honest review. (I probably would have passed on that edition of short stories based simply on the hokey cover!)

Listening to your review had me cracking up! Ooh, I have a lie organ. Yaaay! ha ha ha! Fun review!

This could be the biggest debate on booktube. I suppose "problematic content" aside, formulaic fiction has it's place...just don't call it literature. In the 50's Pollock was considered a great artist. Hmm. But as for the problematic content (described by Valerie at valereads), i personally think there's things we don't need to expose and desensitize ourselves to.

This was just as great as I hoped it be😂 I have no desire to really read anything by him

Great review. I love short stories and I tried to read this but I found myself just bored with the stories and style of writing. It was hard for me to keep reading so I never even finished the whole book!

I came here to get a little glimpse of what the book is about and oh my gosh, I definitely do not plan on buying it! Thank goodness I watched this first! The title threw me off, thinking this was going to be about men realizing the importance of women in their lives when they are left without them, especially since these were short stories. I was totally wrong.

Yep. I would have flung this one out the window. Sorry about the pigeon.

Well at least I know a Murakami to avoid. No, I've read one Murakami and from the sound of things once you've read one you've read them all. Great review.

White people love Murakami! ;)

MUR-akami. Not “mira-kami”

I don't care about all these things. Is it not fun to read? I thought it was fun to read. The first three stories were meh, but the last four were very enjoyable. I was beginning to worry there weren't going to be any cats, but then we got one in Kino. Didn't talk though. Stupid cat.

WHAT DID THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE DO TO YOU, HARUKI? His writing must either be coming from a place of deep hurt or hatred, or both! These stories pretty much sound like a compilation of everything I hate about the dude. Burn it!

I love this book... Reviewer is trying to much to be "cool" and bash the writer. Worse than that is seeing commenters who haven't read the book saying "Thank God I didn't pick this one!"..... go figure this logic.

This might be a stupid thing to say but maybe these character traits are a reflection of Murakami's experience with women and how poor it is.

Oh my godddd, I just finished An Independent Organ and was so mad I wanted to pull my hair out so thank you for pointing out the anorexia bit. That got me so frustrated. I love Murakami's style and the tone and atmosphere he creates in his stories, but Men Without Women is....a pile of flaming trash so far and I'm struggling to even want to pick it up again.

How do you not see the first part of that book is written from the perspective of the character? Lazy? The book is literally called men without women - its a bunch of stories about men who dont understand women? That is the basis of your entire argument? Talk about low hanging fruit.

Oh Adam well done and thank you.

i believe it. women can lie without remorse.

Here's to more adults reading books like "adults." Man I wish I was a better driver. 😂😂😂 Very enjoyable review! OK. The organ thing. What was that?! Ok. The curiosity is killing me. I need to get a Murakami. I think I'm going to be shallow and get the one with the cat on the cover (sorry for the stream of consciousness commenting).

Wait a minute, Adam... Are you saying you believe that there are women out there who are not one-dimensional and not spastic? As a woman, thank you! I hope I meet one of them one day. I've never read anything by Murakami, and am a bit concerned that so many female BookTubers include him as a favorite. Yikes! I'm gonna have to edit my YT subscription list. Weed out the weirdos. That needs to be a hashtag!

Just today I have finished Kafka on the Shore, my first and last book by Murakami. The man needs an editor! The ending of the book went on and on and on! I kept thinking he had surely run out of things to say. Nope. Maybe his computer's battery had to lose power before he could finally call a stop to the madness! The book was not totally awful. Just mostly so. Also, his placement of sex into the story was uncomfortably creepy. I love Greek tragedies. I've read Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Great piece of literature. But, Sophocles did not go into intimate details about the sexual nature of Oedipus' relationship with Jocasta. If only Murakami had allowed the reader's imagination to fill in the blanks concerning the fifteen year-old boy's sexual relationships with the women in the book. It was so unnecessary and distasteful. Concerning the symbols and metaphors and the magical realism aspects of the book, I felt I was being bludgeoned to death by Murakami's need to show off his knowledge of symbolism, metaphor and silly, rather immature insertions of talking cats, liquor advertising and fast food icons. As a thinking adult, if I am feeling the need to read something in the vein of absurdity, I'll grab Pirandello's "Six Characters In Search of an Author" or Gunter Grass' novel, The Tin Drum. Both of these men stand head and shoulders above a writer of Murakami's stature. I have not read enough of the man's books to speak to the issue of women as he writes them. I will say, though, that as far as writing skills is concerned, he lacks nuance and subtlety. In Kafka on the Shore, he spells out everything in explicit, pop-oriented language. He does not allow the reader to make decisions concerning character motivations. He has to spell everything out for us. And, unfortunately, he does so in that annoying manner that refers to all things in pop cultural terms. How lame is that? Maybe it is a foreign country cultural thing. If it is, then I will admit I could never be that on board with a view of life that is so superficial. And, that one word sums up Murakami's writing style for me.

How can you say anything about his writing when you haven't read it in Japanese. I can understand having a weak personality to the point where you get offended by non existent characters

The way you re looking at Murakami is so limiting.

It’s not about being sexist......it’s I imaginative writing!!

Oh wow, you just majorly put Murakami off for me but I'm grateful? Too bad I have just purchased one of his books, finger crossed he doesn't screw up completely in that one :/

Hey talk more..

LOL!

I cam here for the trolling, and you didn't disappoint...however more trolling is needed, you are getting soft if you are holding back :P