What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

English language

Published July 29, 2008

ISBN:
978-0-307-26919-5
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4 stars (65 reviews)

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (走ることについて語るときに僕の語ること, Hashiru Koto ni Tsuite Kataru Toki ni Boku no Kataru Koto) is a memoir by Haruki Murakami in which he writes about his interest and participation in long-distance running. The book is translated by Philip Gabriel. Murakami started running in the early 1980s and since then has competed in over twenty marathons and an ultramarathon. The book's title was inspired by Raymond Carver's collection of short stories entitled What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.

11 editions

Honestly…A Painful Read

2 stars

I went in with high expectations for this book. Running has been a massive part of my life since I was 8 years old, and getting to hear new perspectives on running was all I was expecting from this book.

Unfortunately, this book reads like a mid-level runner giving us a stream of consciousness about running; some of what’s shared being accurate, and some not. He shares many theories as to why and how certain things work - mainly based on hunches. Some hunches are correct, and some not.

I’m going to choose to ignore the frustrating number of hunches the author utilizes in place of science, and instead focus on the philosophy and emotional aspects of this book. (Which are the only somewhat redeeming parts of it)

Even in this realm, I really struggled to connect with the author with the exception of a few pages. A huge part …

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

4 stars

I run in order to acquire a void.

I don't run, but I subscribe to the "fun" scale and, for better or worse, experience it on hikes or outdoor adventures. This book definitely illustrates Type 2 fun: Miserable while it's happening, but fun in retrospect. It usually begins with the best intentions, and then things get carried away.

All I do is keep on running in my own cozy, homemade void, my own nostalgic silence. And this is a pretty wonderful thing. No matter what anybody else says.

This book was quick but incredibly entertaining and surprisingly relatable, even for someone who doesn't actively run. The story was a mix of memoire, self help and tutorial but didn't get weighed down by focusing on one more than the other.

I have had this on my 'to read' list for nearly eight years, which could be one of the first books …

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

5 stars

I've read this book three times. First time in Vietnamese, two times in English. Maybe the fourth time will be in the original Japanese? It's a kind of book I can always return to and be able to pull something out of it.
Inspired by the book, I started running, walking and riding as a daily routine. I can't even imagine my life without these spiritual and meditative tasks. I gradually get Haruki now.

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

5 stars

Excellent excellent book. It's not really a book about anything, though it's centered around running and his life story. It's written in his introspective and kind of rambling style, which helped me feel like I just had a new running buddy. Someone who understood what goes on with an amateur runner, and how you feel when your whole life does and doesn't revolve around a sport like long distance running.

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

4 stars

For quite some time now, I've been interested in reading novels by this Japanese writer named Haruki Murakami. He seems to put out books on a regular basis, has been around for awhile, and has started getting buzz in this country. And look! He's written a memoir about training for the New York City Marathon--except it's not just about training for the New York City Marathon. So, before getting around to reading any of his novels, I've met Haruki Murakami.

Mr. Murakami is a surprisingly self-deprecating man, who does not think himself especially bright or charming. He describes himself as a loner, someone whose personality isn't very appealing. Though he acknowledges that it does take talent to write, he makes it clear that he is not so very talented that it isn't very hard work for him. Likewise, he has a natural inclination to run, but he's not so talented …

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

5 stars

Murakami has a basic, direct style of describing life. He describes things as they are and lets the reader interpret the joy or sorrow in the situation without leading the reader to any conclusions. I found some subtle truths while reading the descriptions of the considerable effort he makes in each running race.

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

5 stars

It was very exciting to learn that my favorite author of all time, Haruki Murakami, is also a lifelong runner! As I start to run more and more, it's been amazing to read other people's accounting of what seems to be universal love/hate/spiritual relationship with that activity. In thie book Murakami uses his running habit to illustrate how he learned to be a great runner and age gracefully. The fact that his work amazes me every time and is always an English translation of Japanese is bindblowing! I now am determined to track down the 2005 Runner's World magazine that featured Murakami in an article about the "running novelist."

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