"The debut short novels--nearly thirty years out of print-- by the internationally acclaimed writer, newly retranslated and in one English-language volume for the first time, with a new introduction by the author. These first major works of fiction by Haruki Murakami center on two young men--an unnamed narrator and his friend and former roommate, the Rat. Powerful, at times surreal, stories of loneliness, obsession, and eroticism, these novellas...

As the band races toward their first live concert, Mafuyu struggles to write lyrics for their new song but can't find the words to express the emotions burning within him. Meanwhile, Uenoyama ears rumors about Mafuyu's past and is bewildered by his own feelings. The tension builds until the night of the show, when the band explodes into a raging, life-changing performance.

Sometimes a song can save your life. Love of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music-and to one another-always brings them back together again. Hiragi's band-with Uenoyama's help-is ready to make their big debut....

Love of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music--and to each other--always brings them back together again. The final round of the music festival tryout is about to begin, but that's not the only source of tension...

Epic historical fiction meets scientific suspense in this award-winning tale that inspired an upcoming anime--available in English for the first time in oversized omnibus editions! A mysterious pendant sparks a quest to shed light on an astronomical truth...even if it would mean Earth-shaking revolution. In fifteenth-century Europe, heretics are being burned at the stake. Rafal, a brilliant young man, is expected to enter university at an early age...