Haruki Murakami Biography

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese author cum translator whose works of fiction and non-fiction are critically acclaimed the world over and not just in Japan. Considered a significant figure in postmodern literature, his works are characterized by elements of surrealism and nihilism. Themes like loneliness and alienation are recurrent in his works. He is the proud recipient of several awards like Franz Kafka Prize, the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award and the Jerusalem Prize. The surprising fact about this famous author is that he never dreamed of being a writer from a young age. He entered the writing profession purely by chance. After studying drama he opened a coffeehouse and jazz bar, and writing was the last thing on his mind. He got the sudden inspiration to write a novel when he was watching a baseball match and since then there has been no looking back. He wrote his first piece of literary work, a 200-page novel which he sent to a writing contest for new writers. He won the first prize and was inspired to write more. He soon quit his jazz bar business and began writing full time. Today, he is considered to be "among the world's greatest living novelists" by ‘The Guardian’.