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Strange Library
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
From internationally acclaimed author Haruki Murakami a fantastical illustrated short novel about a boy imprisoned in a nightmarish library. Opening the flaps on this unique little book, readers will find themselves immersed in the strange world of best-selling Haruki Murakami's wild imagination. The story of a lonely boy, a mysterious girl, and a tormented sheep man plotting their escape from a nightmarish library, the book is like nothing else Murakami has written. Designed by Chip Kidd and fully illustrated, in full color, throughout, this small format, 96 page volume is a treat for book lovers of all ages."
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review
Robotswithpersonality
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

Reads like someone recounting a nightmare, to the extent that I just kind of floated off into it, didn't feel a real sense of jeopardy for the main character because I always had the sense that they'd wake up and be fine (not quite what happened) and partly because the narrator's general age seemed young enough that it felt unlikely anything truly terrible would happen (also not quite what happened). 1/?.

Robotswithpersonality 2/? That and it's novella/short story length combined with the cheery/abstract/unsettling art collection meant I didn't have long to be in any particular mood/setting. Surrealist horror with an emphasis on the surreal. I suppose I'm the tiniest bit salty about anyone introducing negative vibes into the idea of visiting a library, though I'm now more aware of the vast potential such a space provides for the imagination to entertain darker scenarios 6mo
Robotswithpersonality 3/3 Yeah, I think I liked it. Not sure I'm willing to go novel length for a Murakami experience yet, unless it is told in vignettes that replicate this experience, that I would break from in between...🤔
⚠️Animal death
6mo
CatMS Put on my TBR. Love Murakami, my favorite is The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, its long but worth it. 6mo
Robotswithpersonality @CatMS Love getting a personal recc, that one's been on my tentative TBR for a while, I feel better about it now! ☺️ 6mo
7 likes1 stack add4 comments
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amma-keep-reading
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
Mehso-so

This is a strange little book.

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KristiAhlers
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

A book has never been so aptly titled. I can quite honestly say I have no idea what I just read and yet at the same time I was so totally and completely invested in the heros journey.

CatMS Murakami is often like that, you are reading something strange you wonder why you keep going but you can't stop. 6mo
57 likes1 comment
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AmandaBlaze
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

This little book is strange indeed. Small in size, it's able to be read in an hour or two and contains illustrations. I'm still wondering about its underlying meaning.

26 likes1 stack add
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Leniverse
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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#BeginsWith #Library
I had plenty to choose from with this final prompt (after several difficult ones, including one I failed to complete), but I decided to go with the only Murakami I have read so far: An illustrated children's book where very strange and creepy events begin at the library.

@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect 📚👍🏻 3y
Eggs Oh I remember this one! It was my first Murakami! Great choice❣️ 3y
32 likes2 comments
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Sharpeipup
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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As I‘m in the last pages of 1Q84, I felt inspired to give Murakami another try.

vivastory Impressed you made it through 1Q84! It's been staring at me from my shelves for years... 3y
Sharpeipup @vivastory My book club inspired me to stay with it! 3y
vivastory I really like Murakami, so much that I have the 3 vol edition of 1Q84 but it's so long... 3y
See All 7 Comments
Sharpeipup @vivastory that‘s the version we used. Surprisingly easy to read. 3y
Tamra I really liked the Wind Up Bird Chronicles, but have struggled to really like anything else as much. 3y
suvata ❤️Murakami 3y
CatMS Wind Up Nird Chronicles is my favorite too and I have read many Murakami's. 6mo
33 likes1 stack add7 comments
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AFrostCauseReads
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

This certainly was a strange little book. It was recommended to me as a locked room mystery, but I‘m not entirely sure if thats accurate. My best description would be a dark hero‘s journey. I would also add it‘s a book you experience, not just read, due to accompanying artwork on many pages.

If you want a really wild, outlandish book, it‘s right here. I only gave it a so-so because it feels like the author made up everything on the spot.

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Cathythoughts
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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2 books for #Booked2021 #Spring
#TitleIncludesLibrary #UNPeacekeepers
💕💕 excited for both

KVanRead Ha! Bookish coincidence—I just started Reluctant Fundamentalist last night! I really like it so far. 4y
Cathythoughts @KVanRead oh good ! I‘ll look forward to your thoughts... I won‘t get to it for a month or so ... 4y
LeahBergen I love the cover of the Murakami! 4y
See All 8 Comments
BarbaraBB I loved The Reluctant Fundamentalist! 4y
andrew61 Great choices. 4y
batsy Happy birthday, Cathy! I hope you have a splendid day ❤️🎉🎂📚 4y
Cathythoughts @batsy Thanks a million Suba 😘 X 4y
61 likes8 comments
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rachelsbrittain
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

As strange as any Murakami story should be with a boy imprisoned in a cell in the basement of the library by a spooky old man who wants to eat his brain. A short read but not as much depth to the story itself beyond the actual premise as I would've liked.

36 likes1 stack add
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jb72
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

#bookspin #bookspinbingo #24B4Monday #readthon

Strange book, but interesting for sure.

1 hour for the readathon

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
28 likes1 comment
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triplem80
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

What a strange little book! It's not what I would typically enjoy reading, but the artwork and unusual format (and the fact that it's super short) made it a winner for me. Plus, it's about a library, so how can you not appreciate that?!

#TeamReadNosedReindeer @StayCurious

Nouveau I‘m terrified of libraries now 😆 4y
5 likes1 comment
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TsundokuManasi
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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What a strange Book!! The fact that this is supposed to be a children's Book, frightened me. Possibly because the whole time I was reading the book, I was that little boy from the book. That's the power of Murakami I guess. Every time you read any line written by him, you feel it's somehow your own line.

Nouveau I‘m still trying to overcome the fear of the library this little book evoked! 4y
12 likes1 comment
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Rissreads
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

Hmmmmm, it was strange all right! 😬

Curiouser_and_curiouser 😂🤣🤣 4y
39 likes1 comment
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GeekGirlOnAQuest
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

This was an unexpected, fun, quick read. I honestly had no ideas what to expect going in, but I loved the idea of it and just enjoyed following where the story led me.

18 likes1 stack add
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amber_ldsmom
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

Strange is definitely the right word! A short read and it kept me entertained throughout. I don‘t think I‘ll ever forget the sheep man. 😂 #Booked2020 #PanAsianAuthor

Cinfhen Great choice for author 🎉 5y
24 likes2 comments
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dariazeoli
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

What a strange little book! At a time when many of us can‘t visit our library, this one has its main character trapped in one unless he memorizes 3 books in a month. I can‘t remember things I read last week; I‘d be doomed!

I like how descriptive Murakami is with his writing. I could picture everything clearly. This one is super quick, too.

#authoramonth

KathyWheeler This is the only Murakami book I‘ve read. It was a weird little book, but I liked it. 5y
Soubhiville Logged, that‘s 5📚 5y
58 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Soubhiville
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Once again I‘m incredibly impressed with how much reading you all are doing for #authoramonth! You‘ve read 34 Murakami books so far! I‘m especially impressed because I attempted the tagged book and could not stick with it. His fiction seems pretty surreal.

Which book has been your favorite so far?

See All 19 Comments
JaclynW I'm working on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and really liking it so far. 5y
sudi Yeah, i'm still working my way through Hard Boiled Wonderland, it's definitely a book i can't read too much of in one sitting. But i'm liking it a little now, so lets see how that goes. 5y
BookishMe I think i will stick with his short stories though I enjoyed this more than expected 5y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I‘ve read Wind Up Bird and also Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki (which I found more approachable and readable). I don‘t have a lot of experience with his work, but reading his stuff takes some effort on my part. 5y
Chrissyreadit I can only say I‘m determined to read Underground Railroad from last month.... 5y
Eggs I‘ve read 16 of Murakami‘s this month - faves are: Birthday Girl, Underground , What I talk about...running, After Dark 5y
Sarahreadstoomuch I‘ve just about finished with Norwegian Wood! 5y
sheshedbooks Well, definitely time to find another book. I've been reading 1Q84. 5y
AmyG Always my favorite 5y
AmyG And I didn‘t like the tagged book either. 5y
Andrew65 Hated Norwegian Wood, possibly my favourite would be 5y
Andrew65 A struggle to get hold of some but also enjoyed his first book 5y
CareBear Really enjoying this one. Does it count if I started it in January as long as I finish it in March lol 5y
Soubhiville @CareBear sure I‘ll count it, as long as you post the review this month. 5y
ValerieAndBooks I didn‘t like my book for this month (Norwegian Wood) but of what I‘ve read of his before, the two I liked the most was Sputnik Sweetheart and 5y
62 likes19 comments
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Texreader
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

A kid goes to the library to check books out on Ottoman taxation and ends up in a jail cell called the “Reading Room.” He and his visitors dream of escape. Very strange; best things about it: it was short and I liked the illustrations. #authoramonth @Soubhiville

Soubhiville Logged, that‘s 2📚 5y
77 likes1 comment
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BookwormAHN
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Panpan

One of the weirdest things I have ever read. Its about a kid trapped in a library and I think its supposed to be rather dreamlike but mostly its just nuts.
#AuthoraMonth
@Soubhiville

Soubhiville Logged, Ive got you at 6?📚. 5y
70 likes1 comment
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NeedsMoreBooks
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

For a really short introduction to Murakami, read this novella that features a young boy, a terrifying old man with sadistic tendencies, a sheep man, and an ethereal young girl who serves delicious food. This novella, with unique illustrations, is weird but interesting, just paints a terrifying picture of a strange library. #AuthorAMonth

BookishMe Yes, it's inexplicably strange... I recall wondering what I had read! Haha 5y
erzascarletbookgasm Strange indeed. I liked it. 5y
NeedsMoreBooks @BookishMe yes! His books are very strange, almost like magical realism 5y
See All 7 Comments
BookishMe I am thoroughly enjoying Sputnik Satellite... Possibly his least strange and magical?? 😉 😁 5y
NeedsMoreBooks @BookishMe haven‘t read that but it is in my TBR 5y
Soubhiville Logged, that‘s 12📚 5y
47 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Texreader
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Husband has all of Murakami‘s books so I asked him to pick a short one so I can read at least one for #authoramonth. This was his pick. Reading the reviews here I wonder if this will be a very strange introduction to him.

Kayla.Adriena I haven't read Murakami despite owning IQ84 but I love this cover! 5y
Chrissyreadit I agree with @Kayla.Adriena -I love the cover! 5y
erzascarletbookgasm It‘s bizarre and weird, but I liked it! 😊 5y
Creadnorthey All his books would be a strange introduction- that‘s the beauty of Murakami in my opinion. Haven‘t read this yet- enjoy! 5y
83 likes4 comments
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Eggs
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

Between so-so and pan. It‘s interesting visually with the typeface and graphics, but might fare better in a short story collection. If you like surrealism and dark, nightmarish tales, (in a library setting!!)this is for you. (Not for children). It is grim, as in Grimm‘s Fairy Tales...

#authoramonth2020

AmyG Agree with this. An odd book for me. 5y
Sapphire Not my favorite Murakami. At least it‘s short! 5y
Eggs @amyg @Sapphire 👍🏼🙌🏻 5y
Soubhiville Logged, 17📚 5y
82 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Brewychock48
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

What the heck did I just read!!??
It was a good story,but strange and creepy.
I think I will read more of Haruki Murakami's books.
Of you like weird and strange tales,you will like this.

ElizaMarie Have you read 1Q84? I am currently working on it and its good but long long. 5y
Brewychock48 @ElizaMarie ,is it good? I requested Kafka on the Shore ,from my library 5y
ElizaMarie @Brewychock48 I am still working on it but I‘m liking it so far. It‘s good just because of the size it‘s hard to carry around. I ended up getting it on Audible too so I can listen on my way to work and read when I‘m home. 5y
60 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Adventures_of_a_French_Reader
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

It's been a while that I wanted to read this book, and it didn't disappoint. From the first few pages I was taken into the story of this strange and scary library... I also really liked the illustrations (the big dog eye watching you read is a little bit disturbing though, haha). It's a short and entertaining read, perfect to escape a hard day at work...

16 likes1 stack add
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tjwill
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Booksnchill Ohh- I liked that cover! I shall accept the challenge and post! 5y
tjwill @Booksnchill 🙂👍🏼 5y
48 likes2 comments
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Lindy
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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LeahBergen Oh, I like this cover! 5y
Tanisha_A I love your bedsheet too 5y
Lindy @LeahBergen It‘s the UK edition. Very different from the American edition designed by Chip Kidd. 5y
See All 6 Comments
erzascarletbookgasm I have this edition too! 😊 5y
Lindy @Tanisha_A Thanks! I would love to have an entire bedsheet in that shibori pattern, but alas. It‘s a piece of cotton I dyed recently. I like the way the colour matches the cover of the book. (edited) 5y
Lindy @erzascarletbookgasm 👯‍♂️ 5y
74 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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Mimi28
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

This is the most weird thing I have read since Gaiman‘s How To Talk to Girls at Parties. Very strange, lol, well I guess I should have expected it, “strange” is in the title right?! I still want to read his other stuff now, mostly because I heard there is always a cat entangled in his storylines, lol. This library book was very old and damaged. I hope they don‘t charge the damage to me, lol. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ only because I didn‘t like one character.

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Sarah83
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Visited the exhibition with my bestie in Siegen today. It's about libraries, about what to do with books and so on. 😍

Nute That looks like a super cool place to hang out! 5y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego That would be a cool exhibit. 5y
Buechersuechtling @Sarah83 Thanks loads for the tipp. My significant other and I are just making plans to also go there because I saw your posts and yelled: “Need to see that❣️😍” 5y
68 likes4 comments
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bonitacrisolita
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

This book was entertaining, and VERY short. It's a total of 96 pages with large print, and fully illustrated pages yay! It's a fun read in the form of a scary short story. Quite different from some of Murakami's other works. It may not be for everyone, but I am a huge horror fan and found it enjoyable.

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Gissy
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

Book 2 in the Asian YouTube readathon-read a book translated. Story idea is good, boy is send to a room to find a book and he enter into a surrealist world. I don't know why but some scenes reminded me Alice in Wonderland, like concept of time and some characters. Beautiful written but story development and conclusion, in my humble opinion, were confused, not well developed, inconclusive.But is Murakami and it has high rating, for me is 3/3.4⭐️

Chrissyreadit I love how diverse your books are. I never remember to check out YouTube/booktube. 6y
Gissy @Chrissyreadit I need to read different genres to avoid getting bored 🙄☺️ 6y
WanderingBookaneer A mi tampoco me encantó. La premisa sonaba interesante pero la ejecución fue media floja. 6y
Gissy @WanderingBookaneer Yo creo que se olvidó que no lo había terminado?? 6y
36 likes4 comments
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Gissy
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

Book 2 in the Asian YouTube readathon-read a book translated. Story idea is good, boy is send to a room to find a book and he enter into a surrealist world. I don't know why but some scenes reminded me Alice in Wonderland, like concept of time and some characters. Beautiful written but story development and conclusion, in my humble opinion, were confused, not well developed, inconclusive.But is Murakami and it has high rating, for me is 3/3.4⭐️

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vumblereads
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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My first Haruki Murakami Book 🧡 Hope I chose the right one to start with. Does anyone else have any good Murakami suggestions?

heikemarie One I really liked and didn‘t find super intimidating was 6y
vumblereads Stacked both books. Thank you @heikemarie and @swe_eva 6y
See All 13 Comments
Kerrioke The only one I‘ve read so far, but I really enjoyed it 6y
m.galehuxley My favorite is Kafka on the Shore! Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and Norwegian Wood are good reads as well 6y
vumblereads Thank you @kerrioke. I stacked it. 6y
vumblereads @m.galehuxley I have heard of Kafka on the shore and Norwegian Wood. I see them once in a while on my goodreads feed. Thanks for the suggestion. I stacked them. 🙂 6y
pdever I'm with @Swe_Eva ... Wind-up Bird Chronicle is still my fave (but I haven't read one I didn't like). 6y
vumblereads @pdever I might have to pass on #windupbirdchronicle. 😅 Or maybe slowly build up to it. The reviews are saying it‘s violent. 6y
Tonton Kafka on the Shore! 6y
Tonton Also 1Q84 6y
vumblereads @tonton yes I‘ve heard of those two! I‘ve been eyeing 1Q84 lately, I like the cover 😂 6y
pdever I had to read the Wikipedia page for Wind-up Bird Chronicle because I didn't remember the violence to such an extent. I guess it is, but it was also so dreamlike that the violence didn't stick with me. I'm currently reading Patti Smith's M Train and she calls it a "devastating book ... wherein the writer seems to infuse living energy into words as the reader is spun, wrung, and hung out to dry" 6y
64 likes1 stack add13 comments
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BeansPage
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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j.rye 😍 6y
Stacy_31 The Last Bookstore! 😍 6y
78 likes2 comments
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Azar
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

Amazing book cover and a very strange book! Should I be afraid of libraries now? Hmmm....
#murakami #library

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cathysaid
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Just gonna drop this right here...

britt_brooke Cute!! 6y
cathysaid @britt_brooke @Hooked_on_books Right? If only I could pull it off... 6y
britt_brooke @cathysaid That‘s the same thing I was thinking. I‘m not cool enough to wear it. 😆 6y
58 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Jennivardier
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
Pickpick

This was a really fun, quick read!

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Gina
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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One more... Slinger library in slinger WI. This is the tiniest library and soooo cute. I am a library tramp. When I vacation I also visit libraries...

#showyourlibrary

vumblereads I visit libraries too! 6y
Gina @vumblereads niiiiice! 6y
22 likes2 comments
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Gina
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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So this is the Germantown library in WI that is 20 min from my house. The architecture screens German...

#showyourlibrary

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Gina
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Disclaimer, I did not take this incredible picture of my home town library, Hartford WI. That's the Mill Pond behind the library.

#showyourlibrary

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As_An_Adamant
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
Panpan

Maybe I just don‘t have any sense of wonder or appreciation for the magic of mundane oddities or whatever but this book was awful. Worst thing I have read in awhile. I think this was a weak short story that couldn‘t be published on its own merits so it was fleshed out with some enigmatic illustrations. Chip Kidd‘s name should be on the cover, as the artist/illustrator, he was responsible for the only good part of this book. 1/5

19 likes1 stack add
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Tonton
Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Little free library designed like a subway carriage in a Tokyo train station.

LauraBeth 😍😍 6y
BookwormAHN Cool 💚 6y
Redwritinghood Neat! (edited) 6y
45 likes3 comments
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mreads
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Mehso-so

This seemed like a good pick for Halloween and was my first Murakami. I like odd books but this was odd without any direction or purpose so not sure how I feel about it. Plus libraries are awesome not scary traps. 😀

Would try other Murakami's though.

38 likes1 stack add
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erzascarletbookgasm
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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In this imaginative and bizarre illustrated novella, a boy is imprisoned in a nightmarish #library and plot to escape from it. Weirdly good!

#31bookpics

BarbaraBB Sounds great! 6y
Jee_HookedOnBookz Loved it too! 6y
84 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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BookishRedhead
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

What a weird, cute, unique book.
The words and pictures flow together beautifully.

OhNoMersault Love the cover art! 6y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Adventures_of_a_French_Reader
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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@CaliforniaCay Thanks too for these wonderful books!!! Wish I could just spend my time reading... You really rock!
@avanders #FallingForFallSwap

38 likes1 comment
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rockabillybibliophile
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Ever since I was little my mother had told me, if you don‘t know something, go to the library and look it up. (The Strange Library)

I'm hopefully signing up to volunteer at one of my local libraries later this week - I can't wait 😻

14 likes1 stack add
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Phantasma.Maddie
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami
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Pickpick

Been having a bit of a reading slump so I went with a weird short story by a good author to get back into the swing of things. 🖤📖 #TheStrangeLibrary #Murakami

9 likes1 stack add
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Bertha_Mason
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami

The book reminded me a lot of Roald Dahl's work, for good and for ill.

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Bertha_Mason
The Strange Library | Haruki Murakami

"It was too weird--how could our city library have such an enormous labyrinth in its basement? I mean, public libraries like this one were always short of money, so building even the tiniest of labyrinths had to be beyond their means."