Staff Pick
A meditation on the disciplines of running and writing. Murakami reflects upon what he draws on, and his motivation and passion for both. His memoir subtly intersects his development and current undertaking of these pursuits. He insightfully contemplates the synthesis of body and mind. If you like running, if you like Murakami, you should buy this book! Recommended By Jack M, Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
From the bestselling author of
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle comes an intimate look at writing, running, and the incredible way they intersect.
Equal parts travelogue and literary reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers Haruki Murakami’s intertwined obsession with running and writing and his preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon. From Tokyo’s Jingu Gaien gardens, where he once shared the course with an Olympian, to the Charles River in Boston among young women who outpace him, Murakami creates a vivid tapestry of memories and insights, including the eureka moment when he decided to become a writer. By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is rich and revelatory.
Review
"Practical philosophy from a man whose insight into his own character, and how running both suits and shapes that character, is revelatory and can provide tools for readers to examine and improve their own lives." Library Journal
Review
“A fascinating portrait of Murakami’s working mind and how he works his magic on the page.” The Plain Dealer
Review
"[Murakami] has turned something seemingly mundane – his running journals – into a brilliant meditation on how his running and writing nurture and sustain each other...With spare, engaging prose...Murakami shares his runner's high." Sports Illustrated
Review
"A genuine memoir, filled with gentle minutiae that truly communicates the rhythm of Murakami's daily life and work...Murakami actually offers himself whole." Paste Magazine
Review
"A felicitous, casual series of reflections and anecdotes...[Murakami] has a Warholian way of tinting the mundane with mystery and restrained humor...Do still waters run deep? This paean to a runner's life keeps us, pleasurably, wondering." The Tennessean
Review
"Beautifully written and full of great running aphorisms...Anyone who knows perseverance can appreciate this work." San Antonio Express-News
About the Author
Haruki Murakami was born in Kyoto in 1949 and now lives near Tokyo. His work has been translated into thirty-four languages, and the most recent of his many honors is the Yomiuri Literary Prize, whose previous recipients include Yukio Mishima, Kenzaburo Oe, and Kobo Abe.