i haven't been here for a while, and that's because i've spent the last few days doing little else other than reading murakami's the wind-up bird chronicle. compelling? oh yes, terribly. satisfying? no, far too many loose ends, at times careless. like pynchon? yes and no. much more fun than pynchon. fascinating, frightening, imaginative, absolutely. quirky, insouciant, funny, yes. clever? without question. flawed? that too. difficult, no. read it? a must. fits into my literary worldview of tale-telling? of course. ultimately, enjoyed it, very much yes. salon interview with murakami on the writing of the book here.