What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

I don\’t understand the negative reviews that some other people have given. This book is exactly what it claims to be: the memoirs about running of a writer who runs. It\’s not meant to be motivational or educational, nor is it either. Yes, it is obvious that Murakami has control issues. No, his style of running and training will not work for everyone. No, you\’re not going to gain some existential epiphany from this book. (Unless, of course, you happen to have unacknowledged control issues of your own.) What it is, however, is well-written, well-narrated, and entertaining. It\’s a little on the short side, but by the same token it is an appropriate length. None of the stories drag on too far, nor do any of them leave you wanting for more information. The work is concise but not dry, amusing but not cute. I\’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Murakami\’s other works, with the caveat that it is much more straightforward.

I am an avid long distance runner and share books I find on Audible with my wife who is not a runner. Haruki Murakami writes earnestly about running as a void or space in his day. Being the space between his activities he doesn\’t write about running as a pathway to mind blowing revelations about writing – although running does help him stay motivated to write. The book is about a quest that got underway by trying to use running from Athens to Marathon as a magazine topic piece, leading to an enduring race against his younger self in besting his marathon times; to a transcendent ultra marathon that led to less running. In other words, things mostly dedicated runners tend to understand and have enough interest to listen to or read. Ray Porter was smooth in his reading of the translated material and seamlessly made me think that the author himself was reading. If you are a runner this is a \”must read\” along with \”Born to Run\” by Christopher McDougall… if you are not a runner you might, like my wife, get a little bored with \”all the runner insider stuff.\” You can always find a writer who shares a hobby you like and read his/her book about it.

\”Running\” is really about being yourself and thinking about it. If you want to reflect honesty in your writing, you have to check out this audiobook! In short, it is about being truthful, not about being liked.

This is a short monologue on endurance and continuing to pursue difficult projects and goals. I listened to it as I ran or exercised and the author stimulated me to continue my work.

3.5 stars. A sort of odd mix of musings on running and thoughts on being a novelist, sprinkled with bits of memoir. I enjoyed getting a look at Murakami\’s life and a peak into his mind, but it was hard to discern a real thread — if this were just a set of essays, it would cover a wider range of topics, but it doesn\’t read smoothly as a memoir or as a manifesto on running or as a chronicle of how he came to be a novelist. Still, for fans of his novels, time well spent.

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