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Novels about sex, drugs and alienation: Japanese writer Ryu Murakami dies
With his provocative works, Ryu Murakami appealed primarily to a young audience. The Japanese writer has now died at the age of 74. more...
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afp | The Japanese writer Ryu Murakami, who became known for his novels characterized by sex, drugs, alienation and violence, has died at the age of 74. “We are deeply saddened by the death of Ryu Murakami, who tirelessly published provocative works for younger audiences throughout his career,” his publisher Gentosha said Friday. Ryu Murakami's books have been translated into numerous languages, including German.
Among his best-known works is his first novel, “Blue Lines on Transparent Skin.” It depicts the decline of a rebellious youth amid excesses and was awarded the Akutagawa Prize in 1976, one of Japan's most prestigious literary prizes.
In "Coin Locker Babies" from 1980, the author describes the fate of children who are left in luggage lockers at a train station and make their way in the underworld of Tokyo. His later book “In the Miso Soup” follows a tourist through the red light district of the Japanese capital.
Gentosha explained that Murakami “went through life with full force as a pioneer of his time.”