Murakami reading list: Books mentioned in Kafka on the Shore

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Takamatsu Station where Kafka started his journey in Shikoku

One thing that I love about Haruki Murakami books is there is always one character who loves to read – a sliver of Murakami’s personal love for reading.

In Kafka on the Shore, Kafka is a young boy who adapted the name of his favourite author and who reads a lot in preparation for when he will run away from home. In the first part of the story, it was mentioned that Kafka’s dad has a study filled with books. He also regularly visits the library after school reading everything he can get his hands on.

When he ran away with no fixed destination in mind, he found shelter and solace, where else, in a library managed by librarian Oshima and Miss Saeki where he spent his days poring over literature starting with The Arabian Nights. Later on, trying to evade the police searching for him, Oshima sent him to a cabin in the woods with a bookshelf filled with history books. If you have read the book, the story itself borrows the theme from Oedipus Rex.

Here are the book titles mentioned in Kafka on the Shore.

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