I reread  What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Murakami earlier this month, and this is my first time reading his non-fiction work Novelist as a Vocation.

I need to preface this by saying I love Murakami. His novels have been a constant presence throughout my adult life, and I’m already deeply invested in him as a writer. Because of this, much of what he writes resonates with me on a personal level.

I find his values of effort, consistency, and mundane persistence incredibly stoic and soothing. Reading this while attempting a big challenge of finishing 100 books this year, it felt like it underpinned and laid a foundation for the kind of mindset I’ll need to carry me through.

I particularly appreciated his descriptions of literary formats as different kinds of vehicles. Having read a lot of Murakami’s work, this clarified and solidified some of my appreciation for his previous novels. He doesn’t delve too deeply or assume much prior knowledge from a new reader, either, which makes it approachable.

Towards the tail end of the book, Murakami briefly addresses critiques of how he writes female characters, especially younger ones. There’s a quiet self-awareness in his acknowledgment of this, which I found thoughtful rather than defensive. It shows a confidence in his writing and a genuine understanding of the perspectives of those who’ve raised this point, without diminishing his own creative choices. It’s a delicate balance, handled with the same calm and reflective tone that defines much of the book.

Murakami’s writing always seems to resonate with the stage of life I’m at. The first book of his I read was Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, during a tricky year when I was wondering whether I’d reconnect with old friends or find new ones. That book connected with me deeply, and Novelist as a Vocation offered new insights into it. Murakami uses Colorless Tsukuru as an example in this book, which made it feel even more pertinent. As I consider rereading it, I suspect it will be all the more enjoyable now.