Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Cats, running, writing... Haruki Murakami


 Haruki Murakami on the cover of The Sunday Times Culture magazine

"I like to read books. I like to listen to music. I collect records. And cats. I don't have any cats right now. But if I'm taking a walk and I see a cat, I'm happy." 
(Haruki Murakami in an interview in The Guardian Weekend magazine, 15/10/2011, p.41)

So far I have only read one of Haruki Murakami's books, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (Norwegian Wood has been sitting in my bookcase for years, and I still haven't read it), which I did enjoy, but not in the way that would make me hunt for all his other books. However, I am fascinated by the man himself and read every interview with him with great interest. At the moment there is no shortage of them, as he has a new book out. I love reading an author's thoughts about a work of fiction, even when I haven't read the novel itself (yet), and getting a glimpse into their life, how art and life are interwoven.

Before I read any of his other novels, I want to get his recent-ish memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. He runs every day. And writes every day. I admire his discipline. He is Japan's most acclaimed novelist, yet he has managed to remain humble and live quite a simple life. When the memoir first came out, I put it on my reading list but didn't rush out to buy it. Now that running has become such an important part of my life, I am curious to learn what he has to say about it. And of course it is about so much more than running itself.

2 comments:

  1. This book is a must-read, simple as that! ;-)

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  2. Haruki Murakami is an excellent writer. I've read a few of his books and in each there are scenes of extreme beauty along side scenes of extreme horror. The depth of his originality and imagination is amazing. I feel a like bit like Alice tumbling down the hole everytime I pick up a new book of his.... I'm looking forward to his new book.

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