Firefly and Other Stories

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer who became a classic during his lifetime thanks to works such as “A Wild Sheep Chase,” “Norwegian Wood,” and “Kafka on the Shore.” In the collection “Firefly and Other Stories,” a work that became the basis for one of these novels makes its debut. Can you guess which one?

Each story is a door to the mysterious world of Murakami. A wonderland from which one does not want to return. The firefly, vanished into the darkness, will carry away the pain of losing a friend and the emptiness. The barn burner will choose his next target. And a dancing fairy will visit a man working at a factory producing live elephants.

The book was previously published under the title “Burn the Barn.” Inspired by this story, South Korean director Lee Chang-dong made the film “Burning” – the main discovery of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.