Friday, July 3, 2009

Quickie Book Review: Born to Run - A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen


For Father's Day I asked for and received a copy of Christopher McDougall's new book entitled "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen". I've always been a keen reader, especially of non-fiction, and since I'm a runner...well, there you go.

I've read several running-oriented books over the years. Unfortunately, like a lot of other sports, the topic of running doesn't exactly make for gripping reading. A plenitude of statistics and a paucity of human interest, along with precious few photos, makes for a dry read.

I'm pleased to report that "Born to Run" doesn't fit the mold of a typical running book, and that's a good thing. It's a good read for anyone who runs and would be entertaining for anyone who doesn't. Think of it as an adventure book akin to something that Ernest Hemingway or Redmond O'Hanlon might produce.

I won't summarize the plot, since Amazon has a review as well as an interview with the author. There is also a video of McDougall on YouTube.

"Born to Run" won't make you faster, but it just might make you change the way you think about running.

Chad R.

1 comment:

  1. Great post Chad, I heard about this one a couple of weeks ago and got started on it over the weekend....

    Two other running related books that I would recommend:

    Juggernauts: The Making of a Runner & a Team in the First American Running Boom

    Running with the Buffaloes

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