What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

a memoir

by Haruki Murakami

188 pages

English language

Published Dec. 17, 2008 by Knopf Publishing Group.

ISBN:: 978-0-307-26919-5
OCLC Number:: 226314473
Goodreads:: 2195464

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(9 reviews)

"In 1982, having sold his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Murakami began running to keep fit. A year later, he'd completed a solo course from Athens to Marathon, and now, after dozens of such races, he reflects upon the influence the sport has had on his life and on his writing.

Equal parts travelogue, training log, and reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers his four-month preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon and settings range from Tokyo's Jingu Gaien gardens, where he once shared the course with an Olympian, to the Charles River in Boston. Funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is a must-read for fans of this masterful yet private writer as well as for the exploding population of athletes who find similar satisfaction in distance running."

7 editions

Erwin Rossen reviewed What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Nice to read

3 stars

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a lighthearted and not too extraordinary book.

Steve Clark reviewed What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Review of 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This is an amateur running writing about his experiences and he does it well, as a professional writer. I could empathise with him. This is not a book to teach you to run, but it can give you some idea of why people do it and what they go through.

Mat reviewed What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Review of 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

As a recent convert to running this book actually inspired me to run every day like the author.

dataentry reviewed What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Review of 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This is not your typical book about running. The author is a well known writer who happens to run, not the other way around. It was a pleasant read and my first by Murakami. It is hard to tell how much of the style was delivered through the translation, but my interest peaked enough to now want to try out one of his novels. Another thing I liked about this book was how familiar the settings were. The settings were mostly Japan, Boston, and New York; all placed I've lived. Anyway, if you are into running or just want to know more about the life of Haruki Murakami, I think this light, short book would be of interest.