Andaguraundo [Underground].

SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR

First edition. Map of the underground system as well as diagrams of train stations. 8vo. Original boards in dust-jacket and obi. Signed by Murakami on front free endpaper. A close to fine copy. 727, [ii]pp. Tokyo, Kodansha, 

Underground is a journalistic work with fictional aspects that recounts the sarin gas attacks by the Aum Shinrikyo group in Tokyo on March 20th, 1995.

 

Shortly after the attack, Murakami began interviewing victims and published his thoughts in an essay entitled ‘Blind Nightmare: Where are we Japanese Going?’, which also features as the last chapter in Underground. The interviews were originally serialised in the monthly magazine Bungei Shunju. The book describes 62 individuals based on these interviews, which are arranged in groups according to the subway lines they were on at the time of the attacks. Murakami strove to bring out the unique characteristics of each, heightening their family circumstances, indiosyncrasies, habits, as well as their dreams and fears. Compared to his other novels, Murakami's Underground expresses a different form of magic realism, and is a remarkable feat of psycho-geographical writing.

 

Loosely inserted is a signed photograph by Koichi Inakoshi, whose work was used for the dust jacket design.

Stock Code: 248269