Haruki Murakami fans discussion

I started the year 2014 reading this particular book. I chose this book in hopes of encouragement and motivation to run this year. I aspire to run and hopefully be able to run a marathon in the near future. I was looking for inspiration and Murakami delivered.

The book has been a fantastic read. Both, motivational and amusing.Regardless of the revered author that Murakami has established himself to be through his unique narratives, this book portrays Murakami in a different light. His thoughts and experiences of preparing and running Marathons in different continents is documented in a laid back approach.
The book is realistic, humorous and nudges on triumphs, failures, personal insecurities and incompetence; thus portraying the author as Ordinary, Tangible. A stark distinction from his mainstream novel writing technique in which Murakami,often presents his readers with the liberty to formulate their own interpretation and conclusion of the narration. Unlike his other novels this book harnesses no surprise or lamenting after-thought. Murakami has delivered a memoir of sorts with this book.

Do let me know your thoughts on this book. If you are a Murakami aficionado, this might slightly bridge your understanding of the 'person' that is Murakami.

I just bought this book, and am planning to read it as soon as I finish Wind-Up Bird Chronicle :) ...I am already a runner, so I'm quite excited to explore his thoughts on the sport...good luck with your running, Skz! It is definitely a worthwhile obsession! :)

I read this book two years ago, and I still think of it most times I go for a run. I wasn't much of a runner at the time, but have since incorporated (short) runs it into my fitness routine, seeking the clarity that Murakami obtains from running. I find the way he describes things such as long distance runs and his memories in fascinatingly meticulous detail captivating, and I read the book very quickly. Even now, I often think of the way he described the changes in his body over time, and the positive and negative effects of running and what it does to oneself.

For anyone who hasn't read the book and wants to know more, this interview (from 2005) touches on some similar points: http://www.runnersworld.com/celebrity...

Nice thread SKZ. I for one loved this book, and have read it twice (not something I usually do).

What I took from this book, though, was more of an insight to his internal process as a writer. The whole running/writing parallell seems to go deep, and at times I was asking myself if he was really talking about writing instead of running. Ultimately, I thought he was talking about both at the same time.

I love to write, and am always looking to improve my abilities. I also happen to think Murakami is the best writer out there. Initially, I picked up this book because I was starting to run, but what I ended up with was a priceless peek inside his mind as a writer, presented as a metaphor on running.

I've since become a regular runner, and have experienced first hand the overlay of dedication and discipline a person has to develop for both running and writing.

It's one of my favorites. I think running is more of a vehicle for me since I'm not a serious runner but loved it all the same. I did relate to him on so many levels with his insecurities and how he approached life and his realizations.

having just finished 1Q84, I can see so many similarities between

oops, pressed send too soon. I was going to say, having just finished 1Q84 I can see many of the similarities that Nick mentions between long distance running and the pace of the novel - having read What I Talk About When I Talk About Running gave me a different insight and perspective on reading Murakami's other works.

John wrote: "I just bought this book, and am planning to read it as soon as I finish Wind-Up Bird Chronicle :) ...I am already a runner, so I'm quite excited to explore his thoughts on the sport...good luck wit..."

Thank You John.As a beginner long distance runner, i appreciate your motivation to run !

Nick wrote: "Nice thread SKZ. I for one loved this book, and have read it twice (not something I usually do).

What I took from this book, though, was more of an insight to his internal process as a writer. Th..."

Nick, i will have to agree with you on that. Through chronicling his running process he is also reflecting on his writing process. This is evident in the manner in which he portrays his character in every novel.

THANK YOU all for re-encountering your thoughts about the book. I really do think it is a wonderful Murakami experienced,self-help book for runners or aspiring runners.

kristin wrote: "oops, pressed send too soon. I was going to say, having just finished 1Q84 I can see many of the similarities that Nick mentions between long distance running and the pace of the novel - having rea..."

It's funny, I was reading this book before 1Q84 came out, and remember thinking that when he talks about training for a triathalon, where it's more difficult because other people are always bumping into him, etc., I wondered if this was some kind of metaphor for writing in 3rd person versus his usual 1st person POV. Then, of course, 1Q84 was a 3rd person POV novel.

Starting this one today and I am pretty excited to explore more about the author rather than just his work. This is my first non-fiction by Murakami.

Adding to the existing thread…

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, eng trs by Phillip Gabriel. I listened to the audiobook from Blackstone Publishing with narration by Ray Porter.

This was a solid 4*s. It was the first non-fiction for me by HM and also the first audiobook. Usually I read the text or part of it in parallel with the audiobook to get a feel for the text itself but not this time. Therefore my experience was audiobook only. It covered a snapshot of his running over 2005-2006 discussing both running and his life in transition to author from Jazz club owner.

In the afterword HM writes, “I see this book as a kind of memoir. Not something as grand as a personal history, but calling it an essay collection is a bit forced. This is repeating what I said in the foreword, but through the act of writing I wanted to sort out what kind of life I’ve led, both as a novelist and as an ordinary person, over these past twenty-five years. When it comes to the question of how much a novelist should stick to the novel, and how much he should reveal his real voice, everyone will have his own standard, so it’s impossible to generalize. But for me, there was the hope that writing this book would allow me to discover my own personal standard. I’m not very confident that I’ve done a good job in this area. Still, when I finished, I had the feeling that a weight had been lifted. (I think it may have been just the right moment to write this book when I did.)”

Excerpt From
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
Haruki Murakami
This material may be protected by copyright.

Skz wrote: "I started the year 2014 reading this particular book. I chose this book in hopes of encouragement and motivation to run this year. I aspire to run and hopefully be able to run a marathon in the nea..."

Ah yes, this was a lovely read for me. I read the book in 2022. I read 1Q84 (maybe his most marathon-like novel?) the year before and ran my first marathon that year as well. So I thought it could be a good fit for me.

I liked how Mr. Murakami states in the intro that any philosophical interpretations that people may read in the book were not intentional.

A thing I enjoyed (as stated by others) is the way he describes his running experience in a down-to-earth but also fun way. Regarding his approach to running an writing: I like the idea of setting a fixed limit for something (e.g. a 10k run or 4hr writing block) and finishing after that regardless of your energy to keep on going. Having a good flow and cutting it off sounds counter-intuitive, but may result in a need to continue the next day. It's something I don't always apply, but do sort-of believe in.

Besides that, he inspired me to set some running challenges:

✅ Run at least 10km when I go for a run for a whole year
✅ Run 100km in a week
✅ Run a marathon a year (so far)

He is not the direct reason for all of these, but his book contributed to each. I feel it's one of the few sources that focuses on a long-term sustainable running habit.

Besides that, he also inspired me to create a personal data story related to my running: What data I show when I show data about running. (A dutch interactive running diary). And this year, after I read his latest novel (in Dutch), I got inspired to start a personal art project related to his novels.

In both my profession (as a data analyst) and personal work (e.g. data art) both walking and running (and not consciously thinking about a project/idea!) have been of great value.

In the end, I think it's a great book for any long-distance runner that also likes to create things.

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@Skz: how did your running go in 2024?

I bought 2 copies for gifts this year. :)