READ@PolyU is delighted to announce the 2022 Common Book, First Person Singular, a collection of eight short stories written by the internationally bestselling author Haruki Murakami (村上春樹), who explores the world from an utterly unique perspective.
The eight stories in this new book are all told in the first person by a classic Murakami narrator. From memories of youth, meditations on music, and an ardent love of baseball, to dreamlike scenarios and invented jazz albums, together these stories challenge the boundaries between our minds and the exterior world. Occasionally, a narrator may or may not be Murakami himself. Is it memoir or fiction? The reader decides.
Read with Us!
- Get a free copy during the annual Book Pick-Up event
- Borrow the print book from the Library
- Read the e-book version here
Learn more about the book from the author's website.
"If you have a chart of historical chronology of the time I’d like you to write, in small letters, in one corner, the following: 1968. This was the year that Haruki Murakami became a Sankei Atoms fan."
"A minute is a minute, an hour is an hour. We need to cherish it. We need to deftly reconcile ourselves with time, and leave behind as many precious memories as we can–that’s what’s valuable, above all else."
"No matter how vivid memories may be, they can’t win out against the power of time."
Common Book Selection Criteria
The selection process with a campus-wide call for nomination in January 2022, and concluded with the final selection by the READ@PolyU Programme Committee in May 2022.
The selection criteria help ensure that the common book will support the programme goal of cultivating a reading culture at PolyU, as well as the University's goals to provide a campus experience that is international and enriching.
- The book will be in English, preferably less than 300 pages
- It should be engaging for the PolyU community
- It should be accessible, not difficult to read
- It should appeal to students’ imagination, and should include some elements of exploration of and reflection on multi-cultural issues
- It should preferably have been adapted for film
- It should preferably have an electronic version
- It should preferably have won international and critical acclaim
- Ideally, the author would be available to visit PolyU
Events
Get Your Common Book
Collect your free print copy of First Person Singular to explore the magical world of Haruki Murakami (村上春樹)
- Time: 29 Aug - 9 Sep 2022 (Mon - Fri), 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
- Venue: Podium Floor, PolyU Library
- Eligibility: All PolyU Students (Quota: 800)
All PolyU readers can also access the e-book version of the common book here to read anytime, anywhere.
Join a Book Chat Group
Why read alone? Share your reading experience in a Book Chat Group! Membership is open to all PolyU students. You can choose to meet either face-to-face or online this year.
Time: Week 3 - 5 (Mon - Fri), 11.30 / 12.30 / 13.30
Venue: The Bubble, 6/F South Wing of the Library or Online
- Meet 3 times in September and October under the guidance of a staff facilitator
- Share your responses to reading in a relaxed, informal setting
- Build relationships with students from diverse backgrounds
Registration opens in August 2022 until all groups are full. All PolyU students (except HKCC, SPEED or non-PolyU degree students) are welcome. Let’s make new friends and develop soft skills during the thought-provoking discussion.
Book Exhibition
Date: Now until 30 Nov 2022
Venue: Bookshelves in Current Awareness Centre
The exhibition features Haruki Murakami’s important works and other novels by famous Japanese authors, including Natsuo Kirino and Kōbō Abe. Let’s immerse yourself in the world of Japanese literature.
Books by Haruki Murakami and Other Famous Japanese Authors
Webinar: A Magical and Critical Journey to Haruki Murakami's Literature
Time: 4 November 2022 (Fri), 3:30 pm - 4:40 pm
Guest Speaker: Dr Michael Tsang, Lecturer in Japanese Studies, Birkbeck College, University of London
As the most famous Japanese novelist today, Haruki Murakami needs no introduction. Dr Michael Tsang will demonstrate how to approach Murakami's work with critical depth, such as through the lens of gender and ideology. By examining selected passages of his works, the talk will seek to resituate Murakami both in Japan and in the world respectively.
READ@PolyU: Master Storytelling to Engage and Inspire
Time: 1 March 2023 (Wed), 2:30 – 3:30 p.m | Hybrid Mode
Guest Speaker: Ms Olivia Tang, Walk in Hong Kong
Good stories have the power to captivate, inspire and influence people. Meet with Ms Olivia Tang, the communication expert who coaches the TEDxEncompassHK speakers to shine on the stage. You will learn the secret behind stellar storytelling for academic and career success.
This workshop will teach you how to craft compelling stories that resonate with your audience and make your presentation stand out from the rest. Through engaging exercises, our experienced facilitator will guide you through the processes of storytelling and introduce the tools that help you develop narrative competence.
Call for Book Nomination
Date: End of 2022
Send us your Common Book nominations for a new year of reading. It will help us decide which book the PolyU community will read in 2023.
*For PolyU students only.