An excellent book to pick up and read, especially since I’ve signed up for a marathon in December 2024! Well, a half marathon actually, but still. I’m running the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, so when my wife Aditi picked up this book during her recent travels, I was delighted.
This is the first Murakami book I’ve read. Though it’s not one of his famous
novels, it didn’t disappoint. Murakami has a unique way with words—simple yet
speaking to the reader as an equal. I had heard about his passion for running
and even knew how competitive he is. This memoir shows just how deeply running
is a part of him.
Murakami treats running as a muse for his writing—both as a source of ideas and
as an essential part of his life, which in turn fuels his success as a writer.
A few points really resonated with me:
One. Murakami writes about running to clear discontent. He says he runs to
"acquire a void," and I could relate to this. Like him, I thrive in
solitude, and physical activities like running, hiking, and walking help me
process and transform discontent into something more mundane and manageable.
Two. I finally found the source of the quote: "Pain is inevitable.
Suffering is optional." Murakami attributes this wisdom to his brother,
who taught him that while pain is part of life, one can choose not to suffer.
Three. The prose is simple but enriched with incredible metaphors. For example,
when he describes working on his essays about running, he compares himself to a
"silent village blacksmith, tinkering away." It’s a beautiful
metaphor for quietly getting the work done.
I’m so glad I discovered this book while training for a half marathon. It has
helped me refocus on my jogging routine. In some ways, I’m happy this was my
first Murakami book—it makes me look forward even more eagerly to reading his
famous novels.
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