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zoinyoi's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
daphivn's review against another edition
5.0
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”
I've never read any memoirs. It just doesn't sounds very appealing to me, but I have always wanted to read it because it was Murakami's and now that I've read it, I would like to say that I love this very much. And now I understand the appeal of reading a memoirs.
The thing about memoirs is, I'm scared that it would a perfect-cut life. Someone perfect, wonderful, and someone who is so wise that you feel like you have to listen to every single word that they said. And I am scared that it would be too preachy.
But it didn't. It actually didn't. It still taught a me a lot, without trying to. I enjoy the writing style immensely, it made me feel good. I am reading this when I am very unmotivated to do anything, so this book is akin to a salvation at that time. I began to dedicate my time to do my assignments, to study, to try and be responsible of my tasks, and I try to dedicate a part of my time to do things that I love, not wasting away in my bed feeling terrible because I am such a failure.
This book gave me a lot of pleasure despite being a memoirs that revolved around running and marathon. (I am a very non-athletic person, this book should be unappealing to me), but a lot of things that he said is very relatable. He describes running and marathon, even triathlon in a very appealing way that it made me want to do stuff.
I've never read any memoirs. It just doesn't sounds very appealing to me, but I have always wanted to read it because it was Murakami's and now that I've read it, I would like to say that I love this very much. And now I understand the appeal of reading a memoirs.
The thing about memoirs is, I'm scared that it would a perfect-cut life. Someone perfect, wonderful, and someone who is so wise that you feel like you have to listen to every single word that they said. And I am scared that it would be too preachy.
But it didn't. It actually didn't. It still taught a me a lot, without trying to. I enjoy the writing style immensely, it made me feel good. I am reading this when I am very unmotivated to do anything, so this book is akin to a salvation at that time. I began to dedicate my time to do my assignments, to study, to try and be responsible of my tasks, and I try to dedicate a part of my time to do things that I love, not wasting away in my bed feeling terrible because I am such a failure.
This book gave me a lot of pleasure despite being a memoirs that revolved around running and marathon. (I am a very non-athletic person, this book should be unappealing to me), but a lot of things that he said is very relatable. He describes running and marathon, even triathlon in a very appealing way that it made me want to do stuff.
aryaag's review against another edition
4.0
Haruki Murakami isn't the greatest writer of his generation. He says so himself. But anyone who's read his books knows Murakami operates on a plane that is uniquely his own. This book is a kind of pseudo-memoir that revolves around the author's romance with running. It draws parallels between long distance running and writing a novel and talks about the talent, focus and endurance needed to pursue a career as a novelist - these parts were especially interesting to someone like me who fancies himself as an aspiring novelist (an unbelievable over-exaggeration!). I recommend this book to anyone who relates to the act of running, or any endurance sport for that matter. I don't consider myself a fan of running, yet I found this book borderline philosophical. This book won't change your life overnight. But if you are reading closely and with an open mind, there are ideas described in this book that will stay with you, chisel at your being, until one day, a long time hence, you will find yourself changed. Long-distance running works in a similar fashion.
Several times in the book, Murakami talks about how no matter how tired or in pain he was, he never walked in a marathon, because he was there to run. This is what he ends the book with. And this is what he hopes shall summarise his life -
Now that's something to strive for.
Several times in the book, Murakami talks about how no matter how tired or in pain he was, he never walked in a marathon, because he was there to run. This is what he ends the book with. And this is what he hopes shall summarise his life -
At Least He Never Walked
Now that's something to strive for.
_kmao_'s review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
bookish_brain_rot's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
2.5