I have read so much of the book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. It is an excellent read for all, which I can assure you after reading the whole book. It intimately narrates Murakami’s experiences on running, writing and how their intersection occurs. The book is about the several years Haruki Murakami has been running, the things it gave him, and the meaning of running according to him. The book talks about three significant occurrences in his life, including writing, running, and aging. Haruki Murakami’s writing and running passion led to the creation of this fantastic book. He sold his jazz bar to follow his writing career.
In this book, Haruki Murakami dwells on the impact sports, running in particular, has had in his life and, more importantly, on his writing career. Without fail, he maintains a journal of how he is progressing in his running and writing journey. As a result, he acquires a memoir closely linking his obsessions with writing and running together with insights and recollections, including the moment when he decided to be a writer.
I think the book is phenomenal when compared to other books about running. It is composed of a series of essays when Haruki Murakami was training for the New York Marathon. It has several features that make it an outstanding book. Among them there is an easy style of writing. The book can be attention-grabbing to individuals who are curious to find out how Murakami writes. However, I am unsure whether readers with zero interest in running and exercising would find the book exciting. It descriptively shows how to find joy in the process of achieving something and not the outcome, as most people do. The book introduces Haruki Murakami as a very humble person as well as his self-deprecating character. As outlined in the book (Murakami, 2009), despite participating in 23 marathons and a 62-mile ultra-marathon with triathlons, he still claims to maintain an average runner status.
Author’s insertion is a common literary technique used by Murakami to tell his story. He writes about running, writing, and aging, and the use of the author’s insertion is the best way to bring out personal experiences. It gives the book depth as it talks from a unique perspective, and we get to understand the author more. For instance, we learn that Haruki Murakami is not a very social individual. He finds happiness in being quiet by himself, which is an added advantage to a runner and writer. Through the author’s insertion, Murakami shares certain aspects of his life. He narrates how he became a prosperous bar owner and sold his bar after a successful career as a writer.
All these aspects of his life we get to learn through the author’s insertion. We get to know his imagination and inner monologues while running through this literacy technique. The use of the author’s insertion allows Haruki to tell his story perfectly.
Haruki Murakami relied on research to produce this fantastic book. The use of research in writing the book enhanced his creativity, such as the author’s insertion as a literacy technique. Moreover, it gave Murakami the expertise needed to ensure the proper flow of ideas. His writing prowess makes his story about running, which is a quite simple process, deeper, and the readers can relate to it more.
Reference
Murakami, H. (2009). What I talk about when I talk about running. Vintage Books.