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Aug 11, 2008

Jessica rated it:

I'm a bit baffled by how anyone who's not a distance runner could possibly be interested in this book, but I personally got a lot out of it. This is in spite of the fact that I'm not a Murakami girl, and honestly didn't enjoy the style of this book at all. I always feel when I'm reading him that I've somehow wound up with a crappy translation, but then I realize that I'm reading the same version as all the English-only Murakami lovers out there, so apparently I just don't like the way he writes. More...

20 comments like (28 people liked it)

Apr 14, 2010

Lee rated it:

An ideal book for writer runners (or running writers), but also probably worth it for non-running/non-writing readers as there's enough straight talk and suggestion about serious themes: enduring pain, aging, the importance of routine, self-awareness/alertness. Quick, lean, honest, at times amazing, occasionally mundane, definitely worthwhile. BUT WAIT! The really cool thing about this book is that it's also about authority. Murukami has run +25 marathons (including a +62-mile supermarathon) and More...

9 comments like (12 people liked it)

May 26, 2009

Bonnie rated it:

3½ stars

Haruki Murakami is new to me, but evidently not to many: he has quite a number of fans on Goodreads. I decided that by way of introduction, I would begin with reading his Memoir because the title suggests it’s about running, and I like to think of myself as a runner. The book jacket goes further, telling us that Murakami reflects upon the influence running has had on, not only his life, but, more importantly, on his writing. He runs; I run. He writes novels; I’m writing a nov More...

2 comments like (9 people liked it)

Aug 09, 2008

RandomAnthony rated it:

Spare and meditative. I'm not a runner (more of an elliptical guy) but this book is as much about aging, creativity, acceptance, and finding your own peace with who you are (ok, that sounds way more new agey than I mean) as marathons. Murakami fans will recognize the author's lean, simple prose and new readers may find an easy introduction to Murakami's work. Don't be fooled by the slim nature of this volume; you can tell Murakami put a lot of soul into What I Talk About When I Talk About Run More...

7 comments like (13 people liked it)

Sep 23, 2011

Anh rated it:

Đây không phải là một bài review, chỉ là mình viết lảm nhảm về những suy nghĩ của mình sau khi đọc hơn một nửa cuốn sách này. Mình thấy thật là hay vì mình đọc cuốn này ngay sau khi đọc lại lần thứ 2 cuốn" Tuổi trẻ, Tình yêu, Lý tưởng" của Thích Nhất Hạnh. Đọc 2,3 cuốn sách của Thích Nhất Hạnh có thể thấy ông là một người cổ súy cho lối sống chậm rãi, ung dung, nhàn nhã : "Giấc mơ Việt Nam là dân tộc Việt Nam biết để thì giờ ra để đi chơi, ngồi chơi, leo núi, đi biển, sống với cả More...

3 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 16, 2011

K.D. rated it:

I bought this book almost two years ago after reading Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore (4 stars) and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (4 stars). I liked those novels a lot so I purchased and read most of his other books right away like Sputnik Sweetheart (3 stars), After Dark (4 stars), Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (3 stars), After the Quake (1 star - this used to be 3 stars until I saw my brother's review) and even his biography, Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words (3 stars). A couple of month More...

4 comments like (12 people liked it)

Apr 07, 2009

Hannah rated it:

This was great! But I was kind of hoping it would make me want to quit smoking and start being a runner. It did not. If anything, it solidified my already-pretty-solid hatred of the idea of running. God damn stupid healthy Haruki.

1 comment like (12 people liked it)

Dec 23, 2008

Trin rated it:

Yet another way in which Haruki Murakami is more awesome than you: not only does he write amazing novels and nifty short stories, he’s also a long-distance runner who’s raced in marathons, triathalons, and even a day-long supermarathon in Hokkaido. This book, the first piece of nonfiction I’ve read by him, chronicles a year in his life as a runner. I liked it less than his fiction. Parts are slow: the endless tally serious runners have to make of distances run in such-and-such lengths of time. I More...

1 comment like (7 people liked it)

Dec 24, 2011

Fahima rated it:

ليس من صنف الكتب العظيمة التي ستحدث بها أصدقاءك - المهووسين منهم بالكتب طبعاً ! - كلما جمعكم حديث عن القراءة،
ولا من الكتب التي تود أن تمسك قلماً وتعلّم كل عبارةٍ فيه بخطٍ أو اثنين، أو قلوبٍ أو نجومٍ صغيرة، أو بقوسين. أو إن كنت أكثر رهافة، فستمسك دفترك الصغير لتدون من جديد هذه العبارات التي لا تتكرر.
لكنها ليست قراءة تود أن تتخلص منها بسرعة، أو أن تقذف الكتاب في أقرب حاوية أو تعيد عقارب الزمن كي لا تشتريه - ليس بالنسبة لي على الأقل - .

الكتابُ - رغم شاعرية عنوانه - ليس شاعري More...

3 comments like (4 people liked it)

Aug 10, 2008

Yulia added it

As anyone who knows me is aware, I've read everything by Murakami thsat has been translated into English. I don't love every book, some have frustrating flaws, but others (and this applies to several of his short stories) remind me of everything I love about reading: the clean language, the quirky images, the empathy invoked for animals I'm allergic to (cats), the wonders of dropping all responsibility to pursue a mystery that may not be answerable. His books, regardless of their quality, are More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 11, 2010

Dini rated it:

Haruki Murakami can be daunting at times. I've only read a few of his works; some I don't understand (e.g. The Elephant Vanishes, an anthology which I didn't finish) while some I don't really like (Norwegian Wood). But this book I love, because it's understandable (unlike most of his novels, that deal with the surreal) and likeable. In this memoir Murakami does not only discuss his lifelong passion for distance running, but also its relationship with his vocation as a writer and his life as a wh More...

21 comments like (8 people liked it)

Jul 19, 2011

Halik rated it:

Loved the tome. Murakami puts into words pieces of running insight so eloquently that the moment i finished the book, i grabbed my shoes and hit the asphalt. I stopped for a bit cause my shoes were giving me trouble, and i need to make some huaraches (or barefoot runners) probably but that is unimportant.

I used to run in the beach at my old home before, and loved it. There is something glorious about simply moving your feet one after the other, propelling yourself through the air, pr More...

10 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 07, 2011

Velvetink rated it:

Actually I'm updating my star rating to 4 because bits of this keep coming into my mind, haunting me.
.3 and a half stars. Haruki Murakami's memoirs about running and writing. While I said it's motivational, it doesn't read like a how to run or how to write book, it more puts you in a certain mindscape - Murakami's that is....and if you can take something from it and it enlarges your life he would be happy. It made me "feel good" about myself, and changed the way I view "failu More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 27, 2009

Aeron rated it:

Murakami fans rejoice: this is likely to be your best window into his soul.

I really enjoyed this book, although I have to admit I am a little disappointed. The Murakami in my head was much more interesting than the one that comes out in this memoir/essay collection. Ostensibly about long-distance running, the book is a candid collection of snapshots into Murakami's lifestyle and history, including a lot of long distance running (he's completed almost 30 marathons with a sprinkling o More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 10, 2009

David rated it:

Enjoyed this tremendously. A novelist's reflections on his 25-year distance running habit as he prepares for the New York marathon 2005. He's not a great runner, nor especially scientific in approach to training, so I can't say you'll learn too much you can use in that regard. It's more that he has a terrific way with words and a thoughtful perspective on running and life.

Many pleasant digressions along the way concerning famous Japanese marathoners, his voluminous record collect More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 30, 2008

Tyson rated it:

I'm a tremendously huge fan of Haruki Murakami and will read whatever he publishes. This book is a series of essays , a memior, or running. it's disconcerting to read pure nonfiction from one of my favorite fiction authors. As a half-earted runner myself, I felt at times inspired. At other times I liked the direct or inferred relationship between his running and the writing process.

I'd be more more interested in reading his fiction tough, which is absolutely top flight!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 04, 2008

Snail in Danger (Sid) rated it:

This was an interesting book; I would say that it has some re-readability. I became aware that it existed when I saw that the person who used a catalog computer before me searched for this ... and I thought, why not, I'll give it a read. This book is not as cohesive as it could be, but the parts toward the beginning, where he talks about running and writing and how they are connected, are interesting. So are the parts where he talks about Japanese stereotypes of writers.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Feb 01, 2009

Sharron rated it:

This short book is really a group of essays linked together by Murakami's activity of running. I found it to be an interesting read and a way to learn more about one of my favorite authors. And I found out we have a few things in common. I started running at a later stage in my life and find it a way to think about my life. I tend to be a solitary person which is something Murakami states about himself. I'm not sure if anyone who isn't a Murakami fan or a runner would find this book interes More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 30, 2008

Danielle rated it:

My first Murakami read, and I must say, I was very favorably impressed by it.

This memoir is an interesting introduction to Murakami's style. After finishing it I went on to try (and enjoy) Kafka on the Shore, and I really felt like that experience was enhanced by the knowledge of Murakami that I gained from reading Running.

Running is pleasantly engaging without being glamorous or thrilling. Reading it is rather like listening to a reserved but intelligent person talk ab More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 19, 2008

Danika rated it:

Y'know, I did not love this book. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is not a runner. It's way too specific and longwinded for a non-runner to appreciate. Here's my gripe: he's WAY too wrapped up in times and doesn't seem to enjoy long-distance running for the sake of it. For instance, he plans to run the NYC marathon one year and his goals are 1) to finish 2) to NEVER walk, only run and 3) to enjoy himself. Sorry, but I think that's crazy! Who cares if you walk for a bit? And enjo More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 30, 2008

Lisa rated it:

You really have to be interested in running, particularly long-distance running to enjoy this book. There isn't a lot of insight into the author's life as an author, but as I said, if you're into running...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 04, 2008

mgd rated it:

I wanted a book called "what I think about when I think about swimming" but had to settle for running. My patience was rewarded when later in his life he takes up triathlons and goes through a complete and gradual stroke revision. The writing style is spare, honest and somehow very Japanese. I felt it was very close to his thoughts. The early part seems a bit plodding and unfocused, but by the end I felt very close to him.

0 comments like

Aug 08, 2011

Tanvir added it

I usually avoid memoirs like a poison, as they at times turn out to be ego trips of fairly famous people, ranting and raving about their achievements in life and gloating over them. I know it sounds harsh, but that's the way how I feel. Normally I grab any Murakami book that comes my way, but because of this one being a memoir, I kept my distance, until now. However, when I picked this one up when a friend recommended it, I really liked it, even though most people assume that only writers and/or More...

0 comments like

Mar 31, 2009

Platoeatssouls rated it:

As both a serious runner and a writer, I felt like I got a lot out of this. Like most Murakami books, however, the things I clung to from its narrative vanished almost as soon as I was done, like snow held too long in the hands.

Lacking the occasionally overwrought prose of his fiction works (about which I have mixed feelings), this memoir is mostly the training journal he kept while training for a marathon and a triathlon one year. The similarities between running and writing are hel More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 11, 2009

David rated it:

The audience for this book--a memoir of the author's life as a writer and a marathon runner--is probably limited to distance runners who are Murakami fans. It’s not a bad book, but it doesn't begin to approach the power and mysteriousness of Murakami's fiction.

Part of the problem is that it shows up the weaknesses of Murakami’s writing style. He has a very low wattage, meandering, conversational narrative style. It's almost an absence of style. It’s not like, say, Richard Yates’ styl More...

0 comments like

Feb 26, 2009

Matt rated it:

This book is kind of slight for Murakami I think. It just doesn't have a lot going on, but it manages to obsessively circle around the same sense observation with a pleasant kind of patience that after awhile I was won over by the book's simplicity. He was just writing about running, and the shoes he wore, and all of the races he managed to finish but never win. The entire time he is gradually doing more poorly and always working harder and more carefully to finish running marathons. I like it t More...

0 comments like

Jan 09, 2009

Dewitt rated it:

Though Don Lee, a writer I admire, admires Murakami, I've been retrograde. This is the first Murakami I have read. It is inspiring, especially as it connects long distance running with writing. Both take heart; both take dedication, day by day; and both take discipline. This plain speaking, profound book is part runner's diary, part writers' handbook, part spiritual meditation. I wish I could say I recognize Mr. Murakami from training around the Charles River (I don't) but his example is br More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 05, 2009

Annie rated it:

I started running in 2005, out of almost-nowhere. I decided to stop abusing my body, and I had always thought of myself as unathletic, so I thought, what is the most athletic thing I can do?

I bought The Runner's Handbook : The Bestselling Classic Fitness Guide for Beginning and Intermediate Runners (2nd rev Edition) and had at it. When I started running, I was also writing my undergraduate thesis, and I have spent some time thinking about the connection. I know that the discipline of More...

0 comments like

Dec 10, 2008

Frederik rated it:

Murakamai a publié quelque chose qui s´approche une autobiographie, mais qui se focalise sur sa grande passion - la course et en particulier les marathons qu´il a couru. Alors deux de mes thèmes préferés réunis, le jogging et mon nouveau écriviain préféré - ca ne peut pas rater!

Et non, le bouquin ne rate pas au contraire il est très profond, philosophique et réaliste en même temps. Ce qu´il réussit parfaitement bien dans ce livre, c´est de combiner sa passion - la course - avec son More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 03, 2008

Jennifer rated it:

Haruki Murakami is my favorite writer, and I have been a long-distance runner for the last 33 years, so you'd think this book would be perfect for me. But the fact is that running is something you do, not something you write about. What we have here is possibly the best writer of the 21st century talking about his leg cramps...surely a waste of resources. There are some good bits -- the part where he talks about running as a way to build up immunity to the toxins involved in writing fiction i More...

2 comments like

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