Book Notes/The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

by Haruki Murakami

"The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" follows Toru Okada, an unassuming man whose life spirals into a surreal journey after his cat goes missing and his wife, Kumiko, disappears. As he searches for them, he encounters a cast of bizarre characters and delves into themes of existentialism, the subconscious, and the nature of reality. The novel weaves together elements of magical realism and psychological exploration, ultimately leading Toru to confront his own identity and the darker aspects of human nature.

10 curated highlights from this book

Key Insights & Memorable Quotes

Below are the most impactful passages and quotes from The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, carefully selected to capture the essence of the book.

The only thing that we can do is to keep on living.
If you can’t understand it without an explanation, you won’t understand it with an explanation.
Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.
It’s like a dream, but it’s not a dream.
I want you to know that it’s okay to be sad sometimes.
Life is not a matter of milestones, but of moments.
Everyone has their own reasons for doing things.
The world is full of things that are not true.
The past is something that you can never grasp.
In the end, you will be just another person who has passed through this world.