Get your first crack at Haruki Murakami’s new book at Chop Suey Books tonight at midnight

by | Dec 1, 2014 | COMMUNITY

Japanese writer Haruki Murakami has won many fans over the past few decades with his popular masterpieces. Books like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, and Kafka On The Shore have captured people’s imaginations with their refreshing mix of surrealist fantasy, postmodern alienation, and timeless literary quality. His latest book, The Strange Library, will be released tomorrow, and you can grab your very own copy at a celebration taking place at Chop Suey Books in Carytown tonight at midnight.


Japanese writer Haruki Murakami has won many fans over the past few decades with his popular masterpieces. Books like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, and Kafka On The Shore have captured people’s imaginations with their refreshing mix of surrealist fantasy, postmodern alienation, and timeless literary quality. His latest book, The Strange Library, will be released tomorrow, and you can grab your very own copy at a celebration taking place at Chop Suey Books in Carytown tonight at midnight.

Chop Suey has quite a bit planned for the evening, which will begin several hours before midnight at Don’t Look Back (2929 W. Cary St). There, things will kick off with a screening of the 2010 Japanese film version of Norwegian Wood, which you should of course enjoy accompanied by a serving of delicious tacos. At 11 PM, the party will move back over to Chop Suey (2913 W. Cary), which will reopen at that time to prepare for The Strange Library‘s midnight release. There will be a raffle held during the final hour before the book’s release, and anyone with a receipt from Don’t Look Back or Chop Suey dated December 1 and totaling $10 or more will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of The Strange Library, along with some related Murakami goodies.

The Strange Library is not the first Murakami title to be released in America this year; Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years Of Pilgrimage came out back in August. However, The Strange Library‘s original Japanese release took place in 2008, and it’s only now being brought out in English. The short book (96 pages) tells the story of a boy who is kidnapped by an old man. While in captivity, the old man forces the boy to read and memorize a large number of books, which the man intends to absorb by eating the boy’s brain. With the help of a girl and a man dressed as a sheep, the boy begins to plot his escape.

Join Chop Suey and Don’t Look Back tonight for an evening of Murakami-related entertainment (plus tacos), and get your own copy of The Strange Library at midnight!

Marilyn Drew Necci

Marilyn Drew Necci

Former GayRVA editor-in-chief, RVA Magazine editor for print and web. Anxiety expert, proud trans woman, happily married.




more in community

It’s Still Our City Ep. 27 | PRISONER

RVA Mag and NODDERLY presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. "Formed sometime in 2012, PRISONER started out as a four-piece. Their earliest songs were mostly punk/hardcore mixed...

Finding A Light at Maymont’s Garden Glow

Editor's Note: This essay includes a personal account of a mental health crisis. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, support is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Richmond-area...

Tim Barry Part 2 | Richmond, Family & November Fest

Tim Barry just released his ninth full album, Clear Blocks Ahead. He and I had a long, overdue conversation about everything and nothing, but sometimes about that new album. In part one of this three-part series, I brought up my first AVAIL show and found out that it...

Richmond is Dropping Flock, But the Technology Could Remain

On October 10, Avula announced that Richmond would not renew its contract with Flock Safety, following a similar decision by Henrico County, whose contract expires in November. Richmond's agreement runs through June 30, 2027. Mayor Avula raised the possibility of a...

It’s Still Our City Ep. 26 | Mac Wood & the Historic Pump House

RVA Mag and NODDERLY presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. "Mac Wood is an illustrator and a welder, spending much of his time hauling racing simulators around the country...