What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Murakami, Haruki (2009), What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

This is a relative thin book, not a novel but a kind of memoir for running.

Haruki is a famour Japanese writer, I have read several novels (Chinese version) from him, but really not my cup of tea.

However I love this one. It is not story telling, as mentioned, but talked about his personal training log for marathon to tiathlon, as well as his beliefs. Also, the language is really easy for understanding.

I am definitly not sporty person but I began to run 2-3 times a week since this year. Up to now, I can only run for around 30 mins every time, not very successful for training, but it is already the best as I can! (Imagine that I seldom do sports and never run for more than 3 mins before!) And now, I can feel how satisfy when I run for 30 mins or above.

Therefore it drew my attention when I started running. After finished reading, however, I lovedthe part of his beliefs that I touched me so much. Here are some quotation:

"I'm the kind of person who likes to be by himself. To put a finer point on it, I'm the type of person who doesn't find it painful to be alone ...... when, given a choicem I much preferred reading books on my own or concentrating on listening to music over being with someone else. I could always think of things to do by myelf." --- (p.15)

"From elementary school up to college I was never interested in things I was forced to study. I told myself it was something that had to done, so I wasn't a total slacker and was able to go on to college, but never once did I find studying exciting ..... I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me, and I could study it at my own pace and approach it the way I liked, I was pretty efficient at acquiring knowledge and skills..." --- (p.35)

These is exectly talking what I am!!

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley (1831), Frankenstein

This is my second reading in 2009 (finished at the end of Feb09, following my schedule).

I used to think that the creature (or monster?) was named as "Frankenstein", which I believed it happened on most persons, "Frankenstein" is the surname of the creator : Victor Frankenstein. Both Mary nor Victor did not assigned a name for the creature.

For easier understanding, let's using "Frankenstein" in the below.

Reading throught the whole book, Frankenstein must be the main character. It was touching for he talked about his life near the cottage, with a family without knowing his existence. (sorry that I have no feeling about Victor's life)

However, I was doubted why Frankenstein looked disgustion? I believe Victor combined body parts for creating Frankenstein, he should cut off a head but no need to distroy the face....

Dracula

Stoker, Bram (1897), Dracula

I love this story since the movie of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (1993), which however, was a love story of Dracula rather than the vampire hunting movie.

The original novel by Stoker in 1897 describing a horror journey from the side of human: Mina, Jonathan, Lucy, Dr Seward, Van Helsing, etc. In the 19th century, it would have been creative in storytelling. But I, all-in-all, preferred much from the point of view of Dracula:

• Why did he choose Lucy as his victim when he arrived London?
• Why would he like to bring Mina into Undead with him (letting her to drink his blood, but not sucking on her)? Why Mina?
• As Dracula grew younger when he arrived London, it pointed out that he became stronger. He should have destroy his enemy (human) with his power at night, but...

Anyway, I enjoy reading all legend of vampire, where the most difficulties is the language. I have read this original story for ages (possibly since 2005), some chapters are bit boring or hard to understand that drove me to drop it down again and again.

Fortunately I have indulged myself with the river of English reading recently, the Dracula was opened again and became my reading in bed.

It is grateful to finish on reading it finally! Let me move on to the Frankenstin!!