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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Very pleasant, a definite simple account of writing and running. Not junk reading but more casual conversing with the reader.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
It’s a diary in which the author shared his thoughts on the process of running, self reflection, setting goals and achieving them, finding happiness in small things and cooperating with people in a healthy way.
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
I received this book from a friend and to be honest, I was a little hesitant to read it, afraid I might not enjoy it or have good things to say about it, hence disappointing the giver. But, I really enjoyed this! It was a quick 180 pages of reading. Murakami calls himself a mediocre runner, but I'm of the opinion that he's pretty above average for choosing to run daily like he does (for over 25 years) and to compete in marathons and triathlons every year.
After I was half way through, I wished I'd been in the habit of underling in books, as there were many great take-aways from one recreational and aging athlete to another. It is not a philisophical book, but there were so many great thoughts. Murakami spoke of running and the purposeful choice that it is. How our exercise (training, methods, performance etc) can evolve over time. Exercise, or running in this case, does not happen just if there is enough time in the day -- we are all so busy that there is no extra time in the day -- but if you plan and make it part of your routine, it becomes habit and part of who you are.
But more than the thoughts on exercise, and I'm not sure if the giver of this book realizes this, the best take-aways my brain gleaned from this book were those that had to do with writing, especially novel writing. This has been a dream of mine forever. I've sat down to put hands to keyboard countless times. And I always fall out of rhythm and give up saying that I don't have the time for this! But more than likely, it's my lack of planning that accounts for my unsuccessful attempts at writing.
Anyways, the only reason this book didn't get 5 starts from me was that at times, I was a little confused by where the writer was (literally). He bounced around the world and sometimes the scene he was describing and the timeline in which it fit found me scratching my head a little bit.
After I was half way through, I wished I'd been in the habit of underling in books, as there were many great take-aways from one recreational and aging athlete to another. It is not a philisophical book, but there were so many great thoughts. Murakami spoke of running and the purposeful choice that it is. How our exercise (training, methods, performance etc) can evolve over time. Exercise, or running in this case, does not happen just if there is enough time in the day -- we are all so busy that there is no extra time in the day -- but if you plan and make it part of your routine, it becomes habit and part of who you are.
But more than the thoughts on exercise, and I'm not sure if the giver of this book realizes this, the best take-aways my brain gleaned from this book were those that had to do with writing, especially novel writing. This has been a dream of mine forever. I've sat down to put hands to keyboard countless times. And I always fall out of rhythm and give up saying that I don't have the time for this! But more than likely, it's my lack of planning that accounts for my unsuccessful attempts at writing.
Anyways, the only reason this book didn't get 5 starts from me was that at times, I was a little confused by where the writer was (literally). He bounced around the world and sometimes the scene he was describing and the timeline in which it fit found me scratching my head a little bit.
I loved the runalogue.
I listened on Audible while running myself and if spurred me on.
In particular I loved how he admitted the challenge he feels to sometimes get up in the morning and run, how daunting it can feel, even though he loves the activity so much he has written a book about it. I relate.
Running has for me been as life-lifting as discovering Murakami's literary canon. Here, the two roads met, almost perfectly!
Perhaps I would have liked him to add a tad more profundity - ie how running makes him feel about life itself - his views on the universe, life lessons beyond running lessons. But this is perhaps an unreasonable expectation - and maybe those things are there to be read in between the lines. His fiction doesnt hand you answers on a plate, it poses the questions - perhaps I should reflect more simply on the subtext, or even, but enjoy the afterglow from this read/listen for what it was - a beautiful meditation on running. Which IS life.
I listened on Audible while running myself and if spurred me on.
In particular I loved how he admitted the challenge he feels to sometimes get up in the morning and run, how daunting it can feel, even though he loves the activity so much he has written a book about it. I relate.
Running has for me been as life-lifting as discovering Murakami's literary canon. Here, the two roads met, almost perfectly!
Perhaps I would have liked him to add a tad more profundity - ie how running makes him feel about life itself - his views on the universe, life lessons beyond running lessons. But this is perhaps an unreasonable expectation - and maybe those things are there to be read in between the lines. His fiction doesnt hand you answers on a plate, it poses the questions - perhaps I should reflect more simply on the subtext, or even, but enjoy the afterglow from this read/listen for what it was - a beautiful meditation on running. Which IS life.
This book is so good! It's a different style than I'm used to but it was a welcome respite from some of the rest of the book I've been reading. It's very beautiful writing, written almost stream of consciousness style. It was great!
Murakami is an irascibly charming writer. While a terrifically successful writer, you wouldn't know it from how he talks about himself. He mentions "writing another novel" or translating F. Scott Fitzgerald with the casualness of letting your housemates know you're going for a jog.
And he loves running. And he's pretty honest about his capacity for it too. Murakami picks up running in earnest when he's no longer a spring chicken (but anyone doing an ultramarathon at any age is to be deeply admired). The wall at the 20+ mile mark in a marathon, dealing with the heartache of an injury at the finish line, and just the depression of realizing your narrow time for peak performance is disappearing -- Murakami captures what basically every runner has experienced.
The essays aren't exactly structured to flow very well. They often overlap, and don't form a cohesive narrative. But every runner on this earth can pick up these essays, even if they aren't a world-class writer themselves, and go "this guy really gets it."
And he loves running. And he's pretty honest about his capacity for it too. Murakami picks up running in earnest when he's no longer a spring chicken (but anyone doing an ultramarathon at any age is to be deeply admired). The wall at the 20+ mile mark in a marathon, dealing with the heartache of an injury at the finish line, and just the depression of realizing your narrow time for peak performance is disappearing -- Murakami captures what basically every runner has experienced.
The essays aren't exactly structured to flow very well. They often overlap, and don't form a cohesive narrative. But every runner on this earth can pick up these essays, even if they aren't a world-class writer themselves, and go "this guy really gets it."
I thoroughly enjoyed and was inspired by this book. The author was able to capture and effectively communicate some of the complex set of motivations that cause life-long runner to get out on the road on many (most?) days of their life.
A quick, engaging read.
A quick, engaging read.
I finally finished reading this book, after a couple of months on and off. Overall I enjoyed this book. It was very difficult to get into it at first due to Haruki's journalistic approach to writing. It documents his time striving as an avid runner and novelist and it has great detail, sometimes too much detail depending on the reader. I enjoyed his thoughts on running marathons the most; that's probably why I finished the second half in one night. I think it's really insightful to view another person's perspective on long distance running, especially if you're preparing for your first half marathon like myself. It's not for everyone but if you're curious about running, especially long distance, I'd recommend it. Personally getting into his dry journal-like writing is tough to get into and not my favorite, but you'll find something rewarding in the end.