47 Haruki Murakami Quotes for You to Enjoy

Haruki Murakami

Japanese Writer

Born: Jan 12, 1949

Me People Think Time Writing You

Related authors: Ayn Rand Dr. Seuss H. L. Mencken Napoleon Hill Niccolo Machiavelli Thomas Mann Thomas Paine Voltaire

Stories lie deep in our souls. Stories lie so deep at the bottom of our hearts that they can bring people together on the deepest level. When I write a novel, I go into such depths. Haruki Murakami

Together Lie People Our Write Bottom Souls Go Hearts Stories Depths Deep Novel Deepest Level Bring

My father belongs to the generation that fought the war in the 1940s. When I was a kid my father told me stories - not so many, but it meant a lot to me. I wanted to know what happened then, to my father's generation. It's a kind of inheritance, the memory of it. Haruki Murakami

War Me Memory Generation Father Kid Kind Know Lot Wanted Stories Happened Then Meant Inheritance Many Fought Belongs

You are 27 or 28 right? It is very tough to live at that age. When nothing is sure. I have sympathy with you. Haruki Murakami

You Age Tough Nothing Live Sympathy Sure Very Right

There's no such thing as perfect writing, just like there's no such thing as perfect despair. Haruki Murakami

Writing Despair Perfect Like Just Thing

I'm not intelligent. I'm not arrogant. I'm just like the people who read my books. I used to have a jazz club, and I made the cocktails and I made the sandwiches. I didn't want to become a writer - it just happened. Haruki Murakami

People Made Become Arrogant Club Jazz Books Writer Like Read Intelligent Just Want Happened Sandwiches Used Who Cocktails

Many people tell me that they don 't know what to feel when they finish one of my books because the story was dark, or complicated, or strange. But while they were reading it, they were inside my world and they were happy. That's good. Haruki Murakami

When I write about a 15-year old, I jump, I return to the days when I was that age. It's like a time machine. I can remember everything. I can feel the wind. I can smell the air. Very actually. Very vividly. Haruki Murakami

Time Age Remember Old Wind Smell Air Everything Machine Vividly About Write Feel Days Like Return Jump Very Actually

I am 55 years old now. It takes three years to write one book. I don't know how many books I will be able to write before I die. It is like a countdown. So with each book I am praying - please let me live until I am finished. Haruki Murakami

Me Book Old Will Three Finished Before Live Please Books One Book Able Write Takes Like Know Until How Am Years Praying Die Many Each Now

I didn't want to be a writer, but I became one. And now I have many readers, in many countries. I think that's a miracle. So I think I have to be humble regarding this ability. I'm proud of it and I enjoy it, and it is strange to say it this way, but I respect it. Haruki Murakami

Respect Strange Humble Be Humble Enjoy Think Way Say Ability Miracle Writer Countries Readers Became Proud Want Regarding Many Now

It is hard to be an individual in Japan. Haruki Murakami

Individual Japan Hard

I don't get bored. Haruki Murakami

Bored Get

You have to be practical. So every time I say, if you want to write a novel you have to be practical, people get bored. They are disappointed. They are expecting a more dynamic, creative, artistic thing to say. What I want to say is: you have to be practical. Haruki Murakami

Time You Creative People Every Every Time Say Bored More Write Disappointed Practical Get Expecting Artistic Want Dynamic Novel Thing

Writing is fun - at least mostly. I write for four hours every day. After that I go running. As a rule, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). That's easy to manage. Haruki Murakami

Day Every Day Writing Every Rule Running Easy Write Hours Mostly Least Go Manage After Miles Fun Four

Team sports aren't my thing. I find it easier to pick something up if I can do it at my own speed. And you don't need a partner to go running, you don't need a particular place, like in tennis, just a pair of trainers. Haruki Murakami

You Sports Partner Own Speed Easier Running Find Something My Own Tennis Pick Particular Like Go Up Trainers Just Place Team Team Sports Pair Thing Need

Concentration is one of the happiest things in my life. Haruki Murakami

Life My Life Concentration Happiest Things

I know how fiction matters to me, because if I want to express myself, I have to make up a story. Some people call it imagination. To me, it's not imagination. It's just a way of watching. Haruki Murakami

I like to read books. I like to listen to music. Haruki Murakami

Music Books Like Read Listen

Since I have come to America, I am often asked whether my next novel will be set in America. I don't think it will. I think I will be living in America for some time to come, but while living in America, I would like to write about Japanese society from the outside. Haruki Murakami

When I was a teenager, I thought how great it would be if only I could write novels in English. I had the feeling that I would be able to express my emotions so much more directly than if I wrote in Japanese. Haruki Murakami

Many people, especially young people, would like to be more independent and on their own. But it is very difficult and they suffer from feelings of isolation. I think that is one reason why young readers support my work. Haruki Murakami

In my younger days, I was trying to write sophisticated prose and fantastic stories. Haruki Murakami

Write Prose Days Sophisticated Trying Stories Fantastic Younger

I don't want to express my opinion about actual politics, because if I do, I have to be responsible for my decision. Haruki Murakami

Politics Decision Responsible About Because Opinion Want Express Actual

Haruki Murakami Quotes

No more Haruki Murakami quotes