• What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

  • By: Haruki Murakami
  • Narrated by: Ray Porter
  • Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (310 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

In 1982 Murakami began running to keep fit. Here he reflects on his running experiences. Equal parts travelogue, training log, and reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers his preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon.

By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, this is a must-listen for fans of this masterful author and for the increasing number of people who find a similar satisfaction in running.

©2007 Haruki Murakami (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc

Critic reviews

"Hugely enjoyable.... You don’t have to run a marathon to be captivated." ( Sunday Telegraph)
"This is my most recent inspirational find.... Murakami makes me want to write hard and run far and fast." ( Easy Living)

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

Average customer ratings
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Like listening to a friend

For what it is, it's perfect. Want to hear a man talk about running and how it has been an intricate part of his daily life as a writer? If yes this is the book for you.

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1 person found this helpful

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Fantastic book!!!! Could not stop listening to it!

Fantastic book!!! Could not stop listening to it!! The storyteller does a good job!! I will now look at other books from this writer :-)

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Very natural and real

Loved this book.. the author kept it so real.. loved his approach and honest view about everything in this book.. it inspires me to define my own goals n not be disturbed/distracted about the general notion of "success"


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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Pretentious

Like a long self absorbed blog post. Barely about running. Overrated. . . .

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Banter with a friend

Listening to this book was like having a long conversation with a friend. Haruki’s storytelling together with the matter-of-fact reading made for a great listen during walks. Recommend to anyone with a desk-based job!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Simple but brilliant book

Interesting book, very modeste writing style. Since it a biography I like it even more because H. Murakami is a simple, organised, openhearted person. The narator is perfect.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Easy short read

As a runner I really enjoyed this book. It left me feeling and wishing he had a part two of this story. He definitely helped me realise alot of runners think and feel alot of similar things. And our competitive behavior is very similar. live it. Will definitely read it again.

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10/10

Such an amazing book, made my runs so much more enjoyable. One of the best books i have ever read.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

What he talks about when he talk about himself

What he talks about when he talk about himself -is running.

Mixed bag this one, annoying lack of insight at times but there are lessons to be learned from this book for sure.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Didn't know if I would like this but...

I loved it so much! Who would have imagined that listening to a person's thoughts and experiences of running would be so enjoyable and thought-provoking.

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