In 1982, having sold his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Murakami began running to keep fit. Equal parts travelogue, training log, and reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers his four-month preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon. By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING is rich and revealing, both for fans of this masterful yet private writer and for the exploding population of athletes who find similar satisfaction in distance running.