Haruki Murakami's illustrated The Strange Library – exclusive preview

A schoolboy pops into the library to find a book on taxation in the Ottoman empire – this is his first mistake. The quest for knowledge takes an unexpected turn in Haruki Murakami’s The Strange Library, published for the first time in English this December. Get a sneak preview of Ted Goossen’s translation in an exclusive gallery of pages from the illustrated edition

  • ‘“I’m looking some for books too,” I said.’
    Illustration from Strange Library by Haruki Murakami published by Harvill Secker.

  • ‘A key turned in the lock, and in came a girl pushing a teacart.’
    Illustrations from Strange Library by Haruki Murakami, published by Harvill Secker.

  • ‘The food was delicious but I could manage to get only half of it down. If I didn’t make it home, the worry might drive my mother to another breakdown. She would probably forget to feed my pet starling, and it would starve to death.’
    Illustrations from Strange Library by Haruki Murakami, published by Harvill Secker.

  • ‘“I’d really like to introduce you to my mother and my pet starling,” I said to the girl. “My starling is so smart, and very cute.”’
    Illustrations from Strange Library by Haruki Murakami, published by Harvill Secker

  • ‘It was the same dog who had bitten me so many years before. My pet starling’s bloody body was clamped between his teeth.’
    Illustration from Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

  • ‘«If you don’t hurry you’ll be lost for eternity,» said the girl-who-was-a-starling.’
    Illustrations from Strange Library by Haruki Murakami, published by Harvill Secker.
Topics