Men Without Women: Stories

"Each story in Men Without Women is about a man dealing with who they are in relation to the women around them, whether it’s their lover, deceased wife or chauffeur. Without these women, they’re nothing – sometimes literally. Haruki Murakami’s female characters have always fascinated me. Though even the most banal seem like otherworldly beings, they never read as manic pixies; their mysteriousness is captivating, not nonspecific. The women make me sit at the edge of my seat, and I never feel resolved enough to relax back into my chair. Despite Murakami’s focus on male protagonists, it’s the women that keep me reading."