What I Talk about When I Talk about Running

A Memoir

By: Haruki Murakami

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins

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)

This book uplifted my spirit

I confess to wanting to, but not reading any of Murakami's books. A few years ago I purchased 'Mozart on the Shore' on Audible, but never got around to listening. This book somehow appeared on my screen as I was browsing for books; the title and its author grabbed my attention. I'm in my mid fifties and have been running regularly for the past six years, seven miles per run, a few times a week, work and weather permitting. I ran a few half marathons for fun, not in a race, just because I felt I could do it. I also wrote a couple of technical books and am in the process of writing the third. So, I could relate to Murakami's writing, and was fortunate to listen just when my spirits were low due to the slow and tedious work on my book, and a reduced frequency of runs. I started listing at a low point, and after seven miles, the rest of my day brightened up. I gained my optimism again, and now, after finishing his book on writing and running, look forward to reading his novels. I enjoyed The performance very much. Thank you!

An Insight in Murakami

Running is a passion for Haruki Murakami. Instead of writing another typical memoir of his achievement as being a great author, Murakami writes about his obsession on the sport and training for the NYC Marathon and swimming in a triathlon. Through his training, you get to understand where he gets his inspiration on his best sellers that his fans enjoys.

Unlike other memoir that I've read in the past, "What I Talk about When I Talk about Running" is comparable to "On Writing" by Stephen King. Both authors doesn't focus on their success as a writer, but they rely on their hobbies and what drives them to write.

If you are a runner and not familiar Haruki Murakami's novels, you will enjoy his training for NYC because of the bond at being a runner. If you happen to be a fan of his books, you will enjoy on how he became a writer. He talks about how he wrote some of his great books like Norwegian Wood.

There is a portion in his memoir, where he talks about the Dark Shadow chasing him when he is training. I got goose bumps when I listened to that segment because this book is not all about running, but yet an insight to one of the best Japanese author in our present day.

Learning how to swim for a triathlon was the best part of the book. It explains how discipline he can be.

Worth the time to listen

interesting perspective of running and writing. a new way to look at how no one event or no one aspect of life is completely isolated from another.

Straightforward, brief memoir

I was underwhelmed with this book. :(. I might be the only person... He presents very relatable experiences and is very humble but the book was not particularly thrilling or interesting. It was a straightforward brief memoir about the author and his endeavors in running.

It is like a mirror

The author starts his memoir of sort by being young, strong, smoking 60 cigarettes a day, and staying up till morning to run his bar. One day, he receives a thought/inspiration to write and thus he writes. As he writes, and becomes famous, he starts running and goes to bed early and wakes up early. He goes from an amateur running and writer to a world renowned writer and runner. As he keeps aiming for higher and higher, he comes face to face with his raging body, and time adding up. It is about his struggles as a runner, as weakening body, not being young anymore, the desire to be young and perky, the balance of life, accepting waging, knowing that the ending at times is a sigh of relief or just the beginning of another journey, and to not expect a euphoria as you reach the finish the line. His wisdom is scattered throughout the book but if you are someone in early 220's, you might not grasp it. The book is a master piece.

The Philosophical Runner

Haruki Murakami is one of my favorite authors. Normally I read his books, but this one I listened to. This is an introspective look at his life of running, al least up to about 10 years ago. But not only does he talk about running, and his thoughts while running and training to run, he also philosophies on his life, the kind of person he is. I liked how he set goals for himself, not in relation to others, but personal goals as to what he wanted to accomplish from the races he ran - the time he wanted to do it in, to not only finish the race but doing so while running and never walking even part way, etc.

He also equates his thoughts on running to his life as an author. This is not only a book about running, but it is also about his life as a writer. This is a short book and is mostly about running so I am sure he has a lot more he could say about his life of writing, but he does deal with his writing life along with his running life. I am not a runner myself, but I am a walker. Even though I walk and don't run, I still could identify with a lot of what he said in my own life. He readily admits that what is true for him may not be true for others - he is just writing about what is true for him and the way he is. But it did cause me to do some introspection of my own, to think of my own life and what is true for me.

I enjoyed the performance very much and found the entire book to be very interesting and worthwhile.

An Interesting Meditation on Running and Writing

I'm not really sure why I initially downloaded this book. I've heard of Haruki Murakami's books before but have never read one. I'm not really a serious runner. I job occasionally, but it is mostly interspersed with walking. I've run in 4 5Ks. I'd like to run more seriously and that's probably what lead me to this book.

This is a memoir/ series of essays about Murakami's running life and how closely it connects to his writing life. He is pretty solid about joining the metaphors. I'm in English teacher and used to write creatively, so those sections were intriguing. I have a good friend who runs. In fact, she's the track and cross country coach at our school. I thought I may recommend this to her, but I'm not sure she'd enjoy it as much. It's not all about running. It's a lot about his life as a writer. It was a decent listen and don't regret buying it at all. But, it's not quite what I thought.

Contemplative

I have never read any other books by this author. He appears to be a professional author who is writing this book as a hobby about his hobby. I can best describe the book as a lazy Sunday summer afternoon reading outside in the shade after a hard Saturday training run.

for running writers

if you write and run you will appreciate this book. a lot of practical wisdom

My go to book

I keep coming back to this book from time to time. This not only inspires me to keep running and keeping healthy but helps when I feel stuck in life.