Russian bookworms turn backs on classic literature in favor of Murakami's novels

MOSCOW -- Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is enjoying great popularity in Russia, the home of many literary giants, where young people are becoming less interested in classic literature.

I found a total of 23 titles written by Murakami and translated into Russian at a major bookstore in Moscow. Though his latest book "1Q84" has yet to be released in Russia, the shop seemed to have most of his major works available.

"I've read all of his books sold here," said a female college student who was looking at Murakami's novels displayed on the shelf. She told me she became captivated by his literary works after she opened the first page of "Kafka on the Shore" a few years ago, after the book was recommended by a friend.

"The storyline is always interesting, and above all, I like the philosophical elements in his books," she said.

A 28-year-old law firm employee at the store was set to buy "Underground," a nonfiction novel featuring the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack in 1995.

"All of his works are brilliant, and Murakami depicts the innermost of human emotions. There are no writers like him in today's Russia," he said in praise of the Japanese writer, adding that Murakami is becoming increasingly popular in the country, especially among young Russians.

Several Russian publishers have released Russian translations of Murakami's novels since the writer made his debut here in 1998. One of the publishing firms, Eksmo, has released over 3 million copies over the past six years, while another publisher put out more than 1 million pieces of his work.

As Murakami himself admits, he has been influenced by the 19th-century Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Literary critic and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies President Ikuo Kameyama points out that "Kafka on the Shore" has "successfully digested Dostoyevsky's 'The Brothers Karamazov,' with both of them dealing with the killing of a father by his son."

Is that why a lot of Russian people feel affinity to Murakami's literary works? I asked Serguei Logatchev, 57, who translated seven of Murakami's novels into Russian.

The answer, however, was rather unexpected.

"Not all young Russians read Dostoyevsky today. Murakami's works are high quality, and they are simply interesting. That's why people read his books," he said.

Russians used to be known as the world's greatest bookworms; however, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the arrival of Western pop culture, people have become less enthusiastic about reading great literary works from their own country.

"A certain number of young Russians become interested in Dostoyevsky and start reading his books after they've read Murakami," Logatchev stressed, stating that the Japanese writer is playing a role of encouraging Russians to read and rediscover the literary magnates of their own country.

"Today Murakami has a great influence on the trends of the Russian literary world," the translator said. (By Hitoshi Omae, Moscow Bureau)