“Lies are terrible things. One could say that the greatest sins afflicting modern society are the proliferation of lies and silence. We lie through our teeth, then swallow our tongues. All the same, were we to speak only the truth all year round, then the truth might lose its value.”

Japanese writer

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer known for his novels, essays, and short stories. His work has reached readers in Japan and far beyond, and he has received many major literary awards. Murakami’s books have been best-sellers, with translations in 50 languages and millions of copies sold outside Japan. His honors include the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Tanizaki Prize, the Yomiuri Prize for Literature, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Noma Literary Prize, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Kiriyama Prize for Fiction, the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction, the Jerusalem Prize, and the Princess of Asturias Awards.