Haruki Murakami – What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2008)
NUMBER: 96
Genre: Fiction; Origin: Japan; Pages: 200
Satisfaction rating: 7.0
OVERVIEW:
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, not to mention triathlons and a slew of critically acclaimed books, he reflects upon the influence the sport has had on his life and - even more important - on his writing.
MATTHEW’S COMMENTS:
I don’t have too much to report on this book – that’s not leveled as a criticism, rather a reflection of this short memoir’s light and conversational manner.
When I initially heard that Muramaki was releasing a memoir I was keen pick it up, I presume that I – like many – were interested to see if he elaborated on the themes of his novels or even offered further insight to their meaning. However, when seeing the slight stature of the book you quickly realise that there will be no heavy analysis of Murakami’s life or work. And for the record, although I was willing to read Murakami’s reflections on some of his major works, I’m ultimately glad that their mystique has been retained.
But of course, at no point does this book pretend to be about anything but running. Sure, it is a metaphor for Murakami’s approach to being a writer, but this is a book embedded in a physical passion, albeit one that involves intense mental stamina. Rather than insights to Murakami’s work the reader is proved insights to his evolution as a writer, his process, and the steps that lead him to the life changing challenge of marathons and novels.
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running could be considered a collection of essays, but it seems fresher than that. It is hard to speculate on the lengths at which Murakami went to in constructing these chapters but it feels anything but laboured, the antithesis of long distance running.
FURTHER REFERENCES:
Read more on his official site.
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