The Creative Act vs. South of the Border, West of the Sun

The Creative Act

“I set out to write a book about what to do to make a great work of art. Instead, it revealed itself to be a book on how to be.” —Rick Rubin

South of the Border, West of the Sun

Hajime has arrived at middle age with a loving family and an enviable career, yet he feels incomplete. When a childhood friend, now a beautiful woman, shows up with a secret from which she is unable to escape, the fault lines of doubt in Hajime’s quotidian existence begin to give way. Rich, mysterious, and quietly dazzling, in South of the Border, West of the Sun the simple arc of one man’s life becomes the exquisite literary terrain of Murakami’s remarkable genius.

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Cons
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Pros
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Thoughtful exploration of memory and desire1
Engaging, well-developed characters1
Cons
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Slow-paced narrative1
Ambiguous ending1
Limited action, heavy on introspection1

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