Men Without Women is the fourth book that I’ve read from acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. Despite being familiar with Murakami’s writing, I found this collection of stories distinct from his other works of fiction yet at the same time oddly similar. Men Without Women explores various themes ranging from infidelity and betrayal, to love and obsession through the lens of various fictional tales about the peculiar types of relationships that men, who are in one way or another alienated from mainstream society, have with the women with whom they interact. Each story is centered on a male protagonist who finds himself in a peculiar, challenging situation in his life, in which an individual woman plays a pivotal role. Written in the silkly smooth-as-jazz style that is the hallmark of Murakami, Men Without Men, leaves you enraptured and craving more from Murakami. My two favorite stories in the anthology are Kino and Scheherazade, both of which end in cliffhangers pregnant with intrigue and possibility. My only minor critique of Men Without Women is the last story in the book, with an eponymous title, which I found bizarre and confusing. Somehow the message it conveys was beyond my grasp. Nevertheless, overall I highly recommend this enthralling anthology from Haruki Murakami, who is certainly among my favorite authors of all time. Enjoy!
Have you ever read Men Without Women? What was your favorite story in the anthology? What do you enjoy most about Muakami’s writing? Is there another of his literary works that you would highly recomend for me to read? Please feel free to share your thoughts in a comment below. Thanks as always for stopping by! Also, if you would like to receive more updates about my writing please consider joining my newsletter mailing list by subscribing below.