I don’t know why I started reading for fun in college. Like all decisions made by men my age, it probably originated as some roundabout way to impress a girl and evolved into a tool to feign intellectualism. Regardless of motive, I achieved rare bragging rights for a college student in the digital age: I read a book just for kicks.
The book in question, “Kafka On The Shore” by Haruki Murakami, elicited a visceral reaction from me on my first reading. So much so that when I realized I had left it at home over break I had my mother mail it back to me, a testament not only to the book’s effect but to the loving nature of my mother. Published in 2002, the book is a surreal fantasy story set in modern times. It follows the intersecting stories of a 15-year-old named Kafka who runs away from home and an old man with the uncanny ability to talk to cats.
Before I write any further I should acknowledge that I tend to dislike fantasy stories. Unless done masterfully, I usually find the prose of fantasy writers to be too on the nose in their efforts to convince the reader of the legitimacy of their story. In other words, it’s hard to feel the mystery of an unknown world that is constantly being justified.
By contrast, Murakami’s prose is lush with surreal imagery that hints towards something grander. There’s not a drop of justification within the 505 pages that make up “Kafka On The Shore.” Even when spirits leave bodies they do so naturally, never breaking the unspoken rules of Murkami’s world. The story flows at a dream-like pace that lulled me into a rhythm and then jolted me awake with unexpected shifts in action and writing style.
Reading for pleasure in college is somewhat of a weird flex for my generation. Maybe it’s always been this way, but in an era where the internet has only made attention spans shorter, taking the time to sit with a book without having a grade over your head feels like a revelation. That’s the dilemma though: it shouldn’t be this way. On the scale of entertainment priorities, reading comes last for most because it demands that you step away from the constant social elements of college life.
However, I needed to withdraw and be with myself and a story. It’s a rare feeling for a student to experience during the most social their life will probably ever be. For me, having “Kafka On The Shore” as a story to keep returning to was an unexpected blessing. Being able to sit with characters and themes for longer than a movie’s runtime or a song’s length is a unique feeling that students should chase more.
“Kafka On The Shore” will be a book I always hold close to my chest, regardless of how my feelings towards the story might shift over the years. It was the book that kickstarted my habit of reading, a hobby that has since become a consistent source of relief from anxiety and a challenge to my perspectives. Murkami’s modern prose and daringly original stories may serve as an easy gateway back into a habit of reading for students. With or without him, though, students in the 21st century should begin to search out their kickstarter.
