Bernard jou Iwaku

Third Volume: Murakami Haruki and SF and Stuff

Hey, Kanbayashi.

What?

Can you tell me something?

What's "SF"?

Sigh

Is this one of those things?

Is she going to say "SF" isn't for "science fiction," but for "speculative fiction"?

Science Fiction

Fictional works written to speculate on and pursue worlds that differ from the real world in various ways.

Speculative Fiction

Or for "slightly freaky"?

Slightly Freaky

Something about expansion and permeation?

Or whether you have an SF mind,

or if it's just a sense of wonder, etc...

I've had it!

I thought you wouldn't care about all that!

I'm disappointed!

I have no idea what I did, but I'm sorry!

Are those Murakami Haruki's works?

Yeah. What do you think is the right distance to keep from Murakami Haruki's books?

Distance?

To ignore them as if they're something disgusting?

To find them intriguing because of their popularity at home and abroad?

To get totally hooked? Which is it?

Do you even know if you like Murakami Haruki or not?

I haven't read a single book of his!

Well, read one.

I've never known anyone to say all that before they—

Endou-kun.

You seem to read books without any thought at all.

Do you understand what books really are?

The true nature of a "book" is...

A word storm!

To take on a book seriously demands

a strong sense of resolve from the moment you open the cover.

If you don't decide what stance to take toward it, along with many other decisions,

you'll never be able to step into that storm.

Don't underestimate books!

Bang

Did I just get lectured?!

S-Sorry...

1 Hour Later

Endou-kun, I figured out the best distance to keep from Murakami Haruki's works.

It's...

The Great Gatsby

Yes! A light, casual touch, by reading works that he translated!

It's the position that you just like his literary style.

That way, you can read

Fitzgerald, Chandler, Salinger, and others along with Murakami!

You kill two birds with one stone!