Titanic Coincidences

I used the phrase "Literary Titans" in yesterday's blog about Nastume Soseki and Haruki Murakami as a play on the title of one of the articles I linked to calling Soseki a "Literary Giant." Much to my surprise, an article in today's Japan Times appeared called Murakami: Titan of Postwar Literature. Naturally, I read on with interest.

The article provides a summary of Murakami's career to date, including some key quotations from Murakami and John Updike. What also caught my attention were some similarities in phrasing from the Wikipedia article on Murakami I read yesterday. I have to go to work soon, so I only have time to offer three. Is it just me, or is there too much paraphrasing going on here?

JT: ". . . his first major commercial success came in 1987 with the publication of "Norwegian Wood." A coming-of-age story of loss, nostalgia and sexuality, the novel sold several million copies in Japan and elevated him to superstar status."

Wikipedia: "Murakami achieved a major breakthrough and national recognition in 1987 with the publication of Norwegian Wood, a nostalgic story of loss and sexuality. It sold millions of copies among Japanese youths, making Murakami a literary superstar in his native country."

JT: "Murakami went on to study at Waseda University in Tokyo during the heated student movements of the late '60s, where he met and married his wife, Yoko.

Between 1974 and 1981, Murakami and his wife opened a cafe-jazz bar called Peter Cat that was first located in Kokubunji in western Tokyo and later moved across the city to Sendagaya."

Wikipedia: "Murakami studied drama at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he met his wife, Yoko. His first job was at a record store, which is where one of his main characters, Toru Watanabe inNorwegian Wood, works. Shortly before finishing his studies, Murakami opened the coffeehouse (jazz bar, in the evening) "Peter Cat" in Kokubunji, Tokyo with his wife.[9] They ran the bar from 1974 until 1981."

JT: "Murakami's stories are characterized by their often humorous dialogue and surreal plot turns"

Wikipedia: "Murakami's fiction, often criticized by Japan's literary establishment, is humorous and surreal"