Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche

Murakami acknowledges his debt to the American writer Studs Terkel, but Murakami writes in a style of his own. Like an antropologist he painstakingly describes how he and his two assistants found the persons he interviewed in 1996 and thoroughly discusses whether these persons are representative. It seems like Murakami sticks much closer to the interviews than Studs Terkel does, providing us with both his questions and the interviewees’ answers. Therefore “Underground” is not as fluent a read as Studs Terkel’s “The Good War”, but Murakami’s almost scientific approach makes it much easier to judge, whether the interviewees’ experiences were typical.

“Underground” contains interviews with 28 survivors of the gas attack, three relatives to people who died in the attack, two doctors who were involved in the treatment of the victims and eight former or actual members of Aum.

The interviews are very illuminating and moving in their descriptions of ordinary people’s reactions to a totally unexpected danger and their reactions afterwards. Fortunately Murakami remembered to interview relatives of survivors who are so disabled by the attack, that they usually wouldn’t be included in a study, and he didn’t forget to ask about relatives’, friends’, colleagues’ and employers’ reactions either. The interviews underscore how great the human costs of the attack were and presents the foreigner with an important account of “the Japanese psyche”. Don’t expect to read this book very quickly – the interviews provide too much food for thought to be read casually. For instance it is remarkable how long time it took for many survivors to accept that they were sick; how life went on as usual few meters away from the contaminated stations, the Japanese pride in “impossible” working conditions and that several survivors agree with Aum’s complaints that the Japanese have become too materialistic.

The Aum-members who participate come from Aum’s rank and file; they don’t belong to the top. It seems like many of Aum’s members were recruited among people with low self-worth, people who were unwilling to think for themselves and people who constantly felt cheated or misunderstood. Keeping Aum’s crimes in mind it is quite nauseating to read about some of the members’ self pity and denial.

This reviewer’s sole problem with “Underground” was the translation. Probably the two translators were very busy, stuck closely to the Japanese text or had a very limited vocabulary. In any case the translation is ridden with cliches and does not make for fluent reading (admittedly just like this reviewer’s reviews!).


An insight into Japan and also Murakami himself....   June 14, 2000
30atmospheres (England)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I was eagerly anticipating this book, the first non-fiction from my favourite author and I wasn't disappointed.

Murakami gives us a fascinating insight into Japanese culture and also delivers an excellent account of the horrific events around this attack.

At the same time you get an insight into Murakami himself and some of the thoughts behind his books. For fans such as I this is fascinating stuff.

Highly recommended.


I dreamt it   March 20, 2001
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Murakami fans should not be put off by the fact that this isn't fiction. It invaded my dreamlife just like his fiction does. Very compelling that a normal day can go so awry, that INKlings can turn so real.


fascinationg little windows   July 30, 2000
L. M. Tsui (Philadelphia, PA)
ever gazed at a tall building and wondered what lifes the people had behind all those little windows?

in part 1, murakami gives us insight in what life the people had and how it got influenced by the sarin gas attack.

in part 2, the other part of the story is revealed, giving us insight in the thoughts of the people who joined the aum sect.

highly fascinating, as if you are allowed to take a peek into the lives of all these people. some got away with it without too much after effects, some died in the attack .. but all stories are touching and worthwile reading.

as for the sect members, on the one hand you wonder "how in heaven these people could do something so stupid" and on the other hand you get afraid because you realize how easy it is to get indoctrinated.

very highly recommended.

lok@amsterdam


A dip and a shower into the Japanese psyche......   June 9, 2000
Admittedly a deviation from his usual genre but it is nonetheless still excellently research and interspersed with the usual sumptuous detail that you expect from Murakami.