Haruki Murakami was born in Kyoto in 1949 and now lives near Tokyo. He is the author of many novels as well as short stories and non-fiction. His works include Norwegian Wood, A Wind-up Bird Chronicle, Kafka on the Shore, After Dark and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. His work has been translated into more than forty languages, and the most recent of his many international honours is the Jerusalem Prize, whose previous recipients include J.M. Coetzee, Milan Kundera, and V.S. Naipaul.
Sputnik Sweetheart has touched me deeper and pushed me further than anything I've read in a long time -- Julie Myerson Guardian How does Murakami manage to make poetry while writing of contemporary life and emotions? I am weak-kneed with admiration Independent on Sunday A beautiful novel, as light as a feather, and yet enduringly sad... a captivating book from one of the world's most interesting authors Sunday Herald Murakami has been compared to everyone from Raymond Carver to Raymond Chandler - which should tell you only one thing: he's unique Independent Confirms Murakami as a master of his craft... Out of this world Time Out