Apr 5, 2021 What makes a writer’s voice addictively readable, selling millions of copies in 50 languages? And how can the same voice remain deeply personal while also speaking to readers all over the globe? For Haruki Murakami, Japan’s maestro of contemporary fiction, first-person narratives were his signature style for years, until he transitioned to the third-person in recent works such as “1Q84” and “and “Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage.” His collection of short stories “First Person Singular,” which will be released in English April 6, marks a welcome return to the voice that helped the writer gain international acclaim.