• What I Talk about When I Talk about Running

  • A Memoir
  • By: Haruki Murakami
  • Narrated by: Ray Porter
  • Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (4,593 ratings)

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What I Talk about When I Talk about Running  By  cover art

What I Talk about When I Talk about Running

By: Haruki Murakami
Narrated by: Ray Porter
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Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of Kafka on the Shore comes this rich and revelatory memoir about writing and running, and the integral impact both have made on his life. Equal parts training log, travelogue, and reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers Murakami's four-month preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon.

Settings range from Tokyo, where he once shared the course with an Olympian, to the Charles River in Boston, among young women who outpace him.

Through this marvelous lens of sport emerges a cornucopia of memories and insights: the eureka moment when he decided to become a writer, his triumphs and disappointments, his passion for vintage LPs, and the experience, after age 50, of having seen his race times improve and then fall back.

Translated by Philip Gabriel.

©2007 Haruki Murakami (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Murakami crafts a charming little volume notable for its good-natured and intimate tone....An early section recounting Murakami's transition from nightclub owner to novelist offers a particularly vivid picture of an artist soaring into flight for the first time." ( Publishers Weekly)
"A brilliant meditation on how his running and writing nurture and sustain each other....With sparse, engaging prose....Murakami shares his runner's high." ( Sports Illustrated)
"Provides a fascinating portrait of Murakami's working mind and how he works his magic on the page." ( The Plain Dealer)

Featured Article: The Best Running Audiobooks You Should Be Listening to


Running can be an arduous task, especially for those who are new to the sport. It can also be a life-giving force for those who are already more involved in the running community. Either way, it’s one of the best athletic ventures to couple with a great audiobook. Listening to the inspirational stories of other runners can be just what you need to push through a difficult jog or set a new personal record. Our list of great listens about running has you covered.

What listeners say about What I Talk about When I Talk about Running

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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

An intriguing story

If you could sum up What I Talk about When I Talk about Running in three words, what would they be?

Unique, interesting and informative...

What other book might you compare What I Talk about When I Talk about Running to and why?

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What about Ray Porter’s performance did you like?

I liked it

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

An intriguing story and one that offers a unique perspective on running, marathons and USA

Any additional comments?

Enjoyable if not intended to be motivational - a sound and interesting story

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great listening for a long run!

Listened to this across two long runs, and really enjoyed it! Narration was really great along with the actual book itself.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Listened while training for a marathon

Learned good lessons and was a breath of fresh air to hear the thoughts of someone else training for similar races. Great listen

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Better than I expected

I thoroughly enjoyed the reading but it may not be for everyone as it feels like journal entries. It moves at a steady pace allowing ideas and thoughts to linger and wander where needed. I enjoyed the passing of thoughts and subjects yet I know many who would find this as a bad thing. It was interesting not to hear about a professional athlete and their journey to finding a balance in running and the rest of life.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This book should have been called Zen and the Art of running

If you like Zen and the art of motorcycle repair, you’re going to love this book as a runner. I was kind of pushed into it not knowing what it was, and wow I was blown away at the thought process of this book. It’s more of a head game, and it has absolutely nothing to do with how to run smarter or faster. But it’s a darn good book!

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Very inspiring!

I don’t normally add reviews. But I’m actually on a run now and stopped to add this review. This was a great book about the perseverance of runners!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Engaging and enjoyable

Interesting insight into the thoughts, trials, tribulations, and successes of a long distance runner. Good read.

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  • mp
  • 08-14-23

enjoyable

The writing was very good. If you run this book is very motivating as well. I throughly enjoyed the listen.

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I thought I was a runner

I am not the runner he is. I have never ran a marathon and I’m no triathlete. I found this inspiring. Tomorrow I’m going to run and shoot for a personal best.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Pretty Good Story

What did you like best about this story?

The beginning of the story is very interesting and motivational. I did enjoy hearing from a runner's perspective, his thoughts of running. I am also a writer so it was nice to hear the view points of both running and writing. This book is interesting if you're an obsessive runner, such as myself - therefore, you enjoy all things running. Or if you are a fan of the author.

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3 people found this helpful