There's More Murakami Coming in December

Despite just being treated to the release of the bestselling Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage in August, U.S.-based readers will have more of their favorite author to look forward to: Haruki Murakami will release The Strange Library in English in December. And it sounds like you'll need to strap in for the 96-page book, which The New York Times calls "surreal and experimental"... even for those used to Murakami's already pretty strange worlds.

Just take one look at the premise, according to the Times, and you'll see why:

[The Strange Library] is narrated by a boy who visits a library on his way home from school. An old man takes the boy hostage and forces him to memorize a large number of books. The boy eventually realizes that the man plans to absorb the information he’s memorized by eating his brain.

Maybe 96 pages is all we need to get sucked in. Regardless, I'm game. And already sort of terrified.

Originally published in Japanese in 2008, the book is going to get a makeover for its U.S. debut, being packaged will all-new full-color art by Knopf's Chip Kidd inspired by vintage Japanese graphics.

So, yes, holiday gift list. If you can hold out that long.