I'm no literary scholar, so this review does not contain any illuminating insight on the deep, profound meaning of these short stories by Murakami, should any exist. All I can say is that each story effected me intensely, so much that I had to stop and digest each one individually, letting each story's impact slowly sink in. The oddness of these stories is that that are so ordinary. It is almost as if Murakami reached inside your brain and wrote down those random, weird thoughts that cross your mind ocassionally. The kind of thoughts that you think are interesting for about 5 minutes until you realize how uninteresting they really are. And yet, by the end of each story, you're not where you expected to be. He either leaves you gasping for breath or dangling out a window, wondering if he's going to come back and get you.

Part daydream (or nightmare as the story may be), part fairytale, each story encompasses the realness of being human. The person (whom I can't remember his name) who recommended this book said it was a good one to start with if you were new to Murakami. And I would have to agree. I'm not sure if diving straight into [b:The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle|11275|The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle|Haruki Murakami|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166468418s/11275.jpg|2531376] without proper guidance I'd have been able to get all that he puts into his stories without knowing his writing style.

"The Silence" is probably my favorite of the stories. It's the most "realistic" and the issues he raises are interesting to think about. "The Second Bakery Attack" was quite humorous. "Sleep," "The Little Green Monster," and "The Dancing Dwarf" I found to be disturbing in that he strips bare the cruelty of man, yet cushions you by placing them in these fantastic settings. The latter two have an almost Brothers Grimm/Aesop Fables feel to them.

I recommend this to most readers. I definitely count myself as a fan of Murakami and look forward to reading more of his works.

¿Será casualidad que los mejores relatos estén más o menos relacionados con 'Crónica del pájaro que da cuerda al mundo'?

-El pájaro que da cuerda y las mujeres del martes: 4/5
-Nuevo ataque a la panadería: 3/5
-El comunicado del canguro: 2/5
-Sobre el encuentro con una chica 100% perfecta: 3/5
-Sueño: 3/5
-La caída del imperio romano: 2/5
-Lederhosen: 3/5
-Quemar graneros: 5/5
-El pequeño monstruo verde: 2/5
-Asunto de familia: 3/5
-Una ventana: 3/5
-La gente de la televisión: 3/5
-Un barco lento a China: 3/5
-El enano bailarín: 1/5
-El último césped de la tarde: 4/5
-Silencio: 4/5
-El elefante desaparece: 4/5

Title short story received free through Audible. I still don't get Murakami. Have listened twice to this short story collection...

Loved some of the stories in this. Others not so much.

Por primera vez puedo decir que un libro de Murakami me ha dejado fría... alguna historia es interesante, pero no salva el libro. En fin, que meh...

Would have been 5 stars save for the inclusion of the stories "TV People" and "The Dancing Dwarf." And overall, just a little too twee for me. Take a lesson from Donald Barthelme, Haruki: absurdist stories work best when they're 1) concise and 2) the wackiness serves a deeper purpose.

There's far too much banality in terms of action, plot and character in these stories. So many repetitions that don't add up to anything. Maybe it's the translation's fault but far too many English cliches ("In my opinion" "In any case") that just bog things down. And rhetorical questions. Not all the stories are dreadful--but when they suck they really suck.

There are many joys to be had in reading. One of them is dipping into the back catalogue of an author you have historically enjoyed to uncover a gem that had escaped your notice. Let’s be honest: there is a lot of Murakami that I haven’t read, so theoretically there’s a lot of joy to be had. The only problem is that I had gone so long without making a concerted effort to get back to him.

Here, allow a generalisation: most people don’t like short stories. Sometimes it feels like the only people who enjoy reading them are the people who write them. There are many valid short story writers - my friend Julie Koh among them - and many valid short stories. But they’re not novels, so people are hesitant to even start them.

Murakami makes you forget this. The Elephant Vanishes is a collection of his work that was originally put together for the English market well ahead of its Japanese release, and it is whole wheat.

Special mentions belong to “Sleep”, an excellent examination of the temporary thrills of mania and the terrifying depths that inevitably follow; “Lederhosen”, the bizarre justification for the termination of a marriage; and “Barn Burning”, an anecdote that strangely became the much longer and less worthy film “Burning”.

For this reader, the true star of The Elephant Vanishes is “The Dancing Dwarf”, which, in its 24 pages, builds a word more effectively than many 1800 page trilogies. This is a real, breathing and grounded (albeit absurd) universe, and it is a true delight to behold. (It also anticipates Twin Peaks six years in advance)

With alternating translators, every story in The Elephant Vanishes feels slightly different: some more realistic, some more fantastic, but each tastes of Murakami. This is a good smorgasbord for someone who hasn’t given the man a chance yet, something that seasoned veterans can return to, and a reward for readers with an unintended blind spot.

I swear, I could read only Murakami books for the rest of time. This collection of excerpts and short stories kept me entertained and wondering. I especially loved the tale of the little green monster that proclaims his love to the lady- Murakami somehow manages to make me feel hate and pity for the little guy at the same time- I was completely conflicted. An incredible task that few authors can accomplish. Another great book from my favorite author!