Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Elephant Vanishes
Elephant Vanishes | Haruki Murakami
With the same deadpan mania and genius for dislocation that he brought to his internationally acclaimed novels "A Wild Sheep Chase" and "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World," Haruki Murakami makes this collection of stories a determined assault on the normal. A man sees his favorite elephant vanish into thin air; a newlywed couple suffers attacks of hunger that drive them to hold up a McDonald's in the middle of the night; and a young woman discovers that she has become irresistible to a little green monster who burrows up through her backyard. By turns haunting and hilarious, "The Elephant Vanishes" is further proof of Murakami's ability to cross the border between separate realities -- and to come back bearing treasure.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
rachelk
post image

July — You Like It Darker
August — The Elephant Vanishes

I can‘t decide which collection of short stories I preferred. They were both excellent! Hmmm… #topread2024 #readingbracket

review
rachelk
post image
Pickpick

I absolutely loved this early (1994) collection of 17 surreal short stories with the haunting, mysterious, dream like qualities I have come to associate with Murakami.

BarbaraBB I hadn‘t heard of this one but it sounds good 2mo
rachelk @BarbaraBB I recommend it :) 2mo
32 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
bianka
post image
Pickpick

‘ she‘s walking east to west, and i west to east. it‘s a really nice April morning.‘

blurb
LindaLappin
post image

Of all his delightful, surreal creations -- this enigmatic parable about the loss of an old way of life is my favorite #SavvySettings Day 26, #Circus
@Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs 🖤🙌🏻🤍 3y
WJCintron 👍 👍 3y
13 likes2 comments
review
nao
post image
Pickpick

Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Weird. Wonderful. In this collection of short stories, Murakami makes you ease out of reality into his magnificent world. The book will make you comfortable and relax. Things may appear not be clear first, but by the end stories become longer, language more elegant and things become clearer.

blurb
lauraisntwilder
post image

Reading Murakami in bed this morning, a story about robbing a McDonald's. They don't take money, but 30 Big Macs. I haven't had a Big Mac in years and now I'm craving one at 7:30am.

7 likes1 stack add
blurb
yvo_about_books
post image

It took me two days, but I finally finished my new TBR jar! There are 700+ books in here... 🙈😂 My first TBR jar pick is The Elephant Vanishes, which I've had on my TBR for years now.

slategreyskies Wow, what a cool idea! I love that you color coded by genre. 👏👏👏 4y
Chrissyreadit That looks great! And a lot of work! 4y
yvo_about_books @slategreyskies I'm such a mood reader, so color coding was the only way for me to actually read the TBR picks any time soon... 🙈 The different colors do look great together too. 4y
yvo_about_books @Chrissyreadit it was! But long overdue; the last time I updated my old TBR jar was in 2016. 🙈😂 4y
14 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
swatreads
post image

"Maybe in a few years I'll be able to explain things better, but after a few years it probably won't matter anymore, will it?"

Haruki Murakami, The Elephant Vanishes

review
NeedsMoreBooks
post image
Pickpick

This (the book, not the fluffball) was a gift from two of my besties from college. This is my favorite collection of Murakami‘s short stories. Crazy stuff happens in almost all the stories but they seem somehow more believable in our current times. #AuthorAMonth #dogsoflitsy

wanderinglynn Your fluff ball is super cute! ❤️🐶 5y
NeedsMoreBooks @wanderinglynn thank you! She‘s a professional cuddler 😍🐶 5y
LauraJ This is my favorite Murakami book! 5y
Soubhiville Logged-16📚 5y
NeedsMoreBooks @LauraJ this comes a close second ❤️ @Soubhiville thank you 💖 5y
45 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
Melismatic
post image
Mehso-so

Like any short story collex, some were strong and some were just weird. Lots of recurring themes, ideas, “call backs” and names which was interesting. Most of his POV characters were pretty wry and lackadaisical considering what they were faced with.

#AuthorAMonth #AuthorAMonth2020

Soubhiville Logged-2📚 5y
17 likes1 comment
review
Eggs
post image
Pickpick

Short story collections are an art form in a class by themselves IMHO. And with Murakami you‘re never sure what you‘re going to get. This collection is wry, haunting, sober, and also hilarious (The 2nd Bakery Attack) Between pick and so-so

#authoramonth2020
@Soubhiville

Billypar I never read this, but just saw the film Burning that was adapted from 'Barn Burning'. I really liked it: slow building, but very creepy and tense. 5y
Eggs Cool-I‘ll check for it on Netflix. Thanks @billypar 5y
Soubhiville 📚31📚 5y
80 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
ValerieAndBooks
post image
Mehso-so

I actually finished this a couple weeks ago and nothing from it was anything I could really recall now. So it‘s a so-so 🤷🏻‍♀️

Lindy The title story has stuck with me for 30 years, but I don‘t remember the others. 5y
55 likes1 comment
review
PauPauMuffin
post image
Pickpick

Great so far 😊😊

blurb
Lacythebookworm
Elephant Vanishes | Haruki Murakami
post image

Josie, I love everything! 😍 The cats clips are the cutest and the socks are perfect! I love Murakami and look forward to reading this. (The chocolate is in the fridge and will be enjoyed later with tea! 🍫☕️) Thank you, thank you!

Thanks for organizing the #sockswap, Jessica!

ScientistSam Great socks! 6y
rockpools Hope you‘re well, Lacy! I miss seeing your posts. 🌻 6y
106 likes2 comments
quote
thequeengeek
post image

Short story collections are a particular love. Here‘s a smattering I grabbed. #riotgrams📚

review
suvata
post image
Pickpick

I was on a mission to read read all of Haruki Murakami‘s works. This is the last one I had to read to fulfill my commitment. I connect to his writing in a profound way. I can‘t wait for him to publish another novel but, alas, I am forced to. 😎

twohectobooks I‘m almost the opposite, I‘ve only read one of his books so far. Any suggestion of which one to read next? 7y
suvata @twohectobooks One of my favorites was Kafka on the Shore. 7y
twohectobooks Thanks! 7y
suvata @twohectobooks You‘re welcome 7y
47 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
suvata
post image

Currently reading:
Same book - so many different covers.

vivastory One of my favorite short story collections of all time 7y
suvata @vivastory Murakami is the best in my opinion. 7y
bedandabook Ooh, this looks interesting. Stacked! 7y
Mdargusch So interesting that they‘re all so different. 7y
56 likes4 comments
review
cristiana_de_sousa
post image
Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️

blurb
bitterbear
post image
bitterbear @RealBooks4ever I have 4 copies.. Each a different edition😂😂😂😂 7y
RealBooks4ever Excellent! 😆 7y
18 likes3 comments
blurb
sofiaga
Elephant Vanishes | Haruki Murakami
post image

Boyfriend and I are having a much needed quiet weekend. This is what we are reading.

blurb
Alisnazzy
post image

Little man is down for the night so I can finally get cozy in bed. Taking a break from the heavy nonfiction I've borrowed from the library for #LitsyPartyOfOne I'm in one of my Japan kicks (big Japanophile) so I've got the anime film Only Yesterday on in the background while I either choose to start a Murakami (fave author) or Hayao Miyazaki's memoir part 1 (fave animator). I'm having a blast seeing all your posts. #HostPost

DiruVamp Japanophile! I LOVE that term and am totally going to start using that as I am one myself! 😜👍🏻🤓 8y
Alisnazzy @DiruVamp I watch so much anime that sometimes I neglect my reading. And the whole culture just fascinates me. I'll visit before I die. I have to!!! Plus I have quite a lot of Japanese literature and history in my personal library. 8y
DiruVamp @Ambrosnazzy I am completely and totally enamored with everything about the culture as well! I actually just bought a book to teach myself Japanese. I know a few words and phrases from music and books and I've been practicing hiragana but I'm going full force and couldn't be more excited about it! I will get there myself one day! 8y
See All 10 Comments
Pruzy Miyazaki has a memoir!!! 😯😯😯 How have I not heard of it before?? 8y
CouronneDhiver Pretty room! 8y
Alisnazzy @Pruzy it's actually two books. I just found out about them maybe two months ago and I've been a die hard fan of his for two decades. I kind of kicked myself for being so negligent lol. The first one is 8y
Pruzy Added to my #tbr thanks to you! I'll definitely be supplementing the reading by watching the movies 👌 8y
Lola Thanks for hosting such a great party! 🎉❤And I adore Murakami. One of my fave books ever is 8y
tournevis @DiruVamp Not to be snooty here, but I was taught Nipponophile. But whatever, you like Japan, I lime Japan, life is good. Yé Japan! Love Murakami and loooooved Elephant. 8y
160 likes1 stack add10 comments
blurb
Alisnazzy
post image

That moment when Barnes and Noble gave you a gift card because a previous order shipped a week late AND they have a coupon, so you get to add to your Murakami collection for FREE!!!! Yesssss!!!

Lmstraubie 🙆🙆🙆 8y
MemoirsForMe 👍🏻👍🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y
DebinHawaii Nice!! 📚👍 8y
Desha 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️☺️ 8y
165 likes5 stack adds4 comments
review
ephemeralwaltz
post image
Pickpick

Another magical collection by Haruki Murakami! His writing has mesmerized me since the first time I read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and it never leaves me untouched. My favorite tales from this book have been "Sleep", "Barn Burning", "On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl", "The Silence", and "The Dancing Dwarf". Overall solid 4/5 ⭐️??
????? Also, can we appreciate the cover design?

Alisnazzy 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖 8y
Pruzy Love the minimalist cover! 8y
ephemeralwaltz @Ambrosnazzy 😍 @Pruzy yes! All the vintage Murakami covers are so satisfying 8y
54 likes4 stack adds3 comments
blurb
ephemeralwaltz
post image

#bookishhoroscope "I was just thinking about heading over with the fixings for the oyster hot pot, okay?" Yeah okaaay works for me ???

Thanks for this guys! Haha!
Open the book next to you on page 117. The second sentence will predict your personal 2017!

gibblr I'd say your year is lookin good 😎 8y
ephemeralwaltz @gibblr tell me about it. Maybe 2017 is finally the year I get to try oysters 🙌🏻😂 8y
41 likes2 comments
blurb
ephemeralwaltz
post image

Okay, it's 3 AM again. I'll take this as a sign 😂😴

44 likes1 comment
blurb
ephemeralwaltz
post image

This week's read to take my mind off my exams during breaks 🤓📚 All I Wanted for Christmas was Murakami ❤️

Libby1 I have yet to read any books by Murakami. Where should I begin? 8y
ephemeralwaltz @Libby1 This is one of his short story collections. That's a good way to start to get a feel of his writing if you like short stories. On the other hand, I would start with 8y
See All 10 Comments
ephemeralwaltz Which are shorter novels. You'll get to see the type of characters he writes about and enter his world of magical realism. 8y
ephemeralwaltz One of my favorites is this one, though! I don't recommend starting there because it's a lengthy novel but do so if you're adventurous! It's a magnificent mind-blowing novel! Real Murakami essence ❤️ (edited) 8y
ephemeralwaltz @Libby1 (I get carried away recommending Murakami 😂 you're very welcome 😙) 8y
katedensen Love that cover! 8y
ephemeralwaltz @katedensen Me too! All the Vintage Murakami cover designs are wonderful. 8y
SuperPunkNinja I ❤ Murakami! 8y
53 likes2 stack adds10 comments
review
Mr.Okada
post image
Pickpick

The way these seemingly pointless stories hits you perfectly in the end.... an indeed wonderful feeling! #murakamicultmember

blurb
Mr.Okada
post image

Hilarious! :D

JeannieReads Paul, I am reading this right now too! 8y
Mr.Okada :) Gold! 8y
5 likes2 comments
quote
Pinzinet

I realize now that the reality of things is not something you convey to people but something you make

blurb
Tamara67
Elephant Vanishes | Haruki Murakami
post image

3 likes1 stack add
blurb
Flaneurette
post image

Kidlets are skiing and I'm hanging out in the bierstube with seasoned tots and homemade ranch #ereader#blamemrbook#totpics

Lindy ❤️ my first Murakami was 8y
Flaneurette My first Murakami was A Wind Up Bird Chronicle and it is still my favorite of his 8y
34 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
Flaneurette
post image

#ereader #seasonsreadings2016 my voyage(aka "my precious")and my first kindle from way back which doesn't charge.

review
MarzanaHossain
post image
Pickpick

4/5
I loved few of the stories, few were good and few were okay-ish.

quote
tea_stankovic
post image

47 likes2 stack adds
blurb
LauraJ
post image

Love Murakami! His short stories are even better than his novels. #booktober #shortstories

Alisnazzy 😍😍😍😍 8y
Bette 🐶❤️ 8y
44 likes6 stack adds2 comments
blurb
Alisnazzy
post image

The only #shortstories collection of HM that I haven't yet read. I shall rectify that soon enough #Booktober #MurakamiCultMember #stockphoto

Lacythebookworm Oh, I haven't read that one either! Added! 8y
Spiderfelt Me neither. I can only imagine what Murakami does to the short story. 8y
85 likes8 stack adds2 comments
blurb
stephanielc2
post image

Murakami on concrete. ( @KafkaKitten is gumdrops and rainbows and surprise orchestral albums).

KafkaKitten YAAAAY 😍😍😍 8y
3 likes1 comment
blurb
Faintingviolet
post image

Short stories are not for me, but this collection has a string through it that works. I prefer the cat though