A Wild Sheep Chase
1982 novel by Haruki Murakami / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A Wild Sheep Chase (羊をめぐる冒険, Hitsuji o meguru bōken) (literally An Adventure Concerning Sheep[1]) is the third novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. First published in Japan in 1982, it was translated into English in 1989. It is an independent sequel to Pinball, 1973, and the third book in the so-called "Trilogy of the Rat". It won the 1982 Noma Literary Newcomer's Prize.
 First edition (Japanese) | |
| Author | Haruki Murakami |
|---|---|
| Original title | Hitsuji o meguru bōken (羊をめぐる冒険) |
| Translator | Alfred Birnbaum |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Genre | Surreal novel, magical realism |
| Publisher | Kodansha International |
Publication date | October 15, 1982 |
Published in English | December 31, 1989 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 299 (US) 405 (JP) |
| ISBN | 0-87011-905-2 (US) ISBN 4-06-200241-8 (JP) |
| OCLC | 19670739 |
| 895.6/35 20 | |
| LC Class | PL856.U673 H5713 1989 |
| Preceded by | Pinball, 1973 |
| Followed by | Dance Dance Dance |
While the original story of A Wild Sheep Chase was set in the 1970s, translator Alfred Birnbaum and Kodansha editor Elmer Luke wanted a story that was more contemporary and also appealed to American readers.[2] In the novel, Murakami blends elements of American and English literature with Japanese contexts, exploring post-WWII Japanese cultural identity. The book is part mystery and part magical realism with a postmodern twist.
A Wild Sheep Chase has been defined as a parody or a renewal of Yukio Mishima's Natsuko no Bōken (夏子の冒険, Natsuko's Adventure).[3][4][5]