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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Why I read this book:
I have heard a lot of people on YouTube talk about this book and added it to my reading list. I received it as a thoughtful Christmas present.
What I loved:
This book makes you feel good. It is full of great messages about not giving up, listening to your body, and being open to changing your goals in life. I was looking for a quick and inspiring read and this did just the trick.
What I would change:
N/A
New words/phrases I learned:
N/A
Something I learned/realized and will apply in my life:
I am very competitive in many aspects of my life. I have always enjoyed running, but never had the urge to compete or join a race. This book helped me reflect on why I feel the need to "win" at certain things and that winning in life isn't the same for everyone.
I have heard a lot of people on YouTube talk about this book and added it to my reading list. I received it as a thoughtful Christmas present.
What I loved:
This book makes you feel good. It is full of great messages about not giving up, listening to your body, and being open to changing your goals in life. I was looking for a quick and inspiring read and this did just the trick.
What I would change:
N/A
New words/phrases I learned:
N/A
Something I learned/realized and will apply in my life:
I am very competitive in many aspects of my life. I have always enjoyed running, but never had the urge to compete or join a race. This book helped me reflect on why I feel the need to "win" at certain things and that winning in life isn't the same for everyone.
I'm not a runner, and I have never read from Murakami before. However, I do find long distance running fascinating, so I thought this would be a good introduction to his works. This book is his memoir about his relationship with running, writing, and getting older- and Murakami ties all three together beautifully. I definitely will be thinking about this for a while!
Liked it, but I think taking in a book like this in audio form, if read by some other than the author, is a mistake. The reader's inflections and [dramatic] emphasis were dubious at points, and I wonder if they were at odds with what the author would have conveyed; so, for a personal memoir like this, things like that can convey a very different feeling. For a narrative, or a history book, or a science piece, I imagine an audio version might be a better choice.
I may actually read the printed book at some point, to see if I get a different feel. I did like the book, and he makes some interesting points, though after a while I got the feeling I was listening to a slightly repetitive journal.
I may actually read the printed book at some point, to see if I get a different feel. I did like the book, and he makes some interesting points, though after a while I got the feeling I was listening to a slightly repetitive journal.
Something I have noticed recently - there is something that connects runners. Whenever someone manages to capture that something it's a real delight. This is not just about running, though, it's just as much about writing and Murakami himself. It's a good book.
Even if you are just an amateur jogger, who likes to think he ‘runs’ (like me), this is an excellent set of reflections upon why an individual runs, and runs seriously. His running is an integral part of his life and seems interwoven with his inspiration as a writer. For the casual jogger or proper runner, this is a fascinating read.
ah it was ok but not engrossing enough to get me through a 4 hour train trip. I get it - he writes. He runs. Both complement each other. The only interesting observation he made was that it's better to be prone to putting on weight because you have to work harder to shed it and the effort in doing this helps preserve your good health. This wouldn't happen if you could eat badly and stay skinny as those types of people will face disintegration of their health later on. But that was the only good observation. Maybe running is better off kept as a private sport. He tried hard not to come across as a smug runner and maybe he tried too hard.
I just love this book. Re-reading this for comfort reading.
i picked this up because i enjoy murakami and i enjoy memoirs. a murakami memoir (of sorts) seemed like a good fit, even if it was about running (bleah). reading it, though, was an experience i can only describe as weird. his usual 'voice' as an author, which i like so much, was stripped away, leaving a very mundane style. if this were a blog, you probably wouldn't read more than one entry. unless you were really into running.. i suppose(?). i was just hoping it would be deeper than it was, but in the end i didn't come away with anything. bummer.
In my opinion, for a book called What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Murakami sure spent many, many pages talking about writing and training for the non-running parts of a triathlon. It felt like a bit of a bait-and-switch. A more appropriate title may have been What I Talk About When I Talk About Myself. I guess I'm just not a fan of false advertising, and it's a shame because the sections where he did discuss running were quite relatable and insightful. There was just too little of it for my taste.
Didn't love the writing style at the beginning, but eventually got used to it and enjoyed the 2nd half.