Norwegian Wood

by Haruki Murakami

Published in 1987 this novel tells the tale of Toru, 39-years old and looking back at his time as a student and his first love, Naoko, the girlfriend of his best friend. It's beautifully written and full of insight and thought on time and memory. 

"I straightened up and looked out of the window at the dark clouds hanging over the North Sea, thinking of all I had lost in the course of my life: times gone for ever, friends who had died or disappeared, feelings I would never know again..."

Norwegian Wood propelled Murakami to international recognition, it has sold millions of copies worldwide and has become something of a classic. When you start reading it, it's easy to see why.