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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Did not make me want to take up long distance running
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Here is a thoughtful meditation on life from Haruki Murakami, one of Japan’s most beloved modern writers. In his memoir Murakami takes a simple subject, preparing for a marathon, and uses it to examine different aspects of the human experience. He contemplates obsession, habit, and passion, focusing on the human desire to seek out meaning through routine. This leads to some intriguing parallels between Murakami’s marathon running and his writing process. He believes that developing a sensible exercise schedule, for example, has helped him to form better writing habits. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running should appeal to writers and runners alike, as well as to fans who just want to learn about the author. And even if you have no interest in the man himself, you will likely learn something from Murakami’s unique personal philosophy. – Anthony C.
The self-effacing clarity is endearing, but towards the end I began to understand why people who have read other Murakami books talk about existential despair after reading his stuff. There's a sort of desolation that seeps into his writing that I would much rather ignore, because I read to feel inspired and illuminated, rather than to depress myself about how life is sad, meaningless, and we will all die in the end.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
I'm really glad Haruki Murakami wrote this book. It was a nice glimpse into his head and his life. He made some funny comments about writing and running and about himself and it seemed very honest. I enjoyed his philosophy, even though sometimes it seems like he is a rigid person. He definitely has discipline and I'm starting to realize how important self-discipline is for productivity and creativity. So this was a nice reminder.
Book: from Robby's collection.
Book: from Robby's collection.
Meh. It was okay. I am not much of a Murakami fan, and find him an odd voice in any case. This departure into nonfiction/essay/memoir (even he admits having trouble defining it in the endmatter) is interesting enough, and would probably resonate with runners more than it resonated with me.
The best section in my opinion was the description of Murakami's first (and, I believe only) ultramarathon, which he ran in Japan. The physical toll this took on him, as well as his deeply felt sensory experiences while running (the exquisite pickled plum around half way, for instance, when his body is desperate for salt and sweet and liquid). Other sections of note are his run from Thermopalye to Marathon (a backwards route to the "original" run), and his training for a triathlon, which involves learning cycling and swimming.
His self-deprecation and effacement (he continually qualifies his status as an athlete) are both funny and a little odd in Western parlance-- they probably make the most sense to a Japanese audience-- but still contribute to a sense of the person we're meeting here through the context of running.
Honestly, I found the most interesting and heartfelt section of the book to be the acknowledgements, in which Murakami thanks Ramond Carver's widow for letting him borrow one of his short story titles ("What We Talk About When We Talk About Love"), and the other runners who he has passed, and who have passed him, for pushing him.
The narrator for the audiobook (Ray Porter), is the same guy who narrated [b:The Silver Linings Playbook|13539044|The Silver Linings Playbook|Matthew Quick|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358277412s/13539044.jpg|2915346]. I immediately noticed his odd, matter-of-fact style, and how he sped up in speaking certain observations, as if they didn't matter, which was an interesting extra layer to the self-deprecating tone Murakami uses.
The best section in my opinion was the description of Murakami's first (and, I believe only) ultramarathon, which he ran in Japan. The physical toll this took on him, as well as his deeply felt sensory experiences while running (the exquisite pickled plum around half way, for instance, when his body is desperate for salt and sweet and liquid). Other sections of note are his run from Thermopalye to Marathon (a backwards route to the "original" run), and his training for a triathlon, which involves learning cycling and swimming.
His self-deprecation and effacement (he continually qualifies his status as an athlete) are both funny and a little odd in Western parlance-- they probably make the most sense to a Japanese audience-- but still contribute to a sense of the person we're meeting here through the context of running.
Honestly, I found the most interesting and heartfelt section of the book to be the acknowledgements, in which Murakami thanks Ramond Carver's widow for letting him borrow one of his short story titles ("What We Talk About When We Talk About Love"), and the other runners who he has passed, and who have passed him, for pushing him.
The narrator for the audiobook (Ray Porter), is the same guy who narrated [b:The Silver Linings Playbook|13539044|The Silver Linings Playbook|Matthew Quick|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358277412s/13539044.jpg|2915346]. I immediately noticed his odd, matter-of-fact style, and how he sped up in speaking certain observations, as if they didn't matter, which was an interesting extra layer to the self-deprecating tone Murakami uses.
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
First non-fiction in my list ig, I always knew that non-fiction and me will be like oil and water, but when the non-fiction revolves around your fav author and his lifestyle, you can't help but like it .
I surprisingly liked this one, I no longer run, nor do I feel I will anytime soon, but still reading this book was an experience worth remembering. A very cozy read which also manages to tell a lot about the author and his lifetime along with his thoughts.
Couldn't have gone wrong with it
I surprisingly liked this one, I no longer run, nor do I feel I will anytime soon, but still reading this book was an experience worth remembering. A very cozy read which also manages to tell a lot about the author and his lifetime along with his thoughts.
Couldn't have gone wrong with it