On the cover of What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, the blurb says, "..you don't have to have run a marathon to be captivated.” Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but it sure helps. The book will also be more interesting to people who write. You see, for 180 pages Murakami intersperses his running process with his writing process. At some points they intersect and they elevate the reader's consciousness depending on his/her experience. Feel the pain!
I like how Murakami wakes up everyday the recognition of what his days offer. Whether he is discussing writing novels or running along the River Charles, he provides key insight and inspiration to accomplishing a goal. "The most important thing we ever learn at school," he says, "is the fact that the most important things can't be learned in school. “
I agree. I've studied Shakespeare, and French Poetry, and Computer Calculus, but these classes don't compare to the 20th mile of a marathon in terms of depth of learning. If you don't run marathons, I think reading Murakami's book might make you think about it. I’m not sure if any of my students will ever become interested in running marathons, but Murakami just may one of the weirdest authors I’ve ever read.
I’ve read some of his short stories like The Elephant Vanishes and The Second Bakery Attack over and over. Reading him is like a runner’s high – if you know what that is. You just lose yourself in another world. So, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is like a road map to get there. I hope whoever is reading this post will be inspired to put on their running shoes or pick up a book. Either way. It’s all good.