Athletics Books

Save your money, just do pushups, pullups, situps, and run or swim. You may enjoy the sections on the history of the Seals but over all the book was just the above mentioned exercises with workouts that changed the order of the exercises around on different days. I'm 50 years old and the workouts were not very tough at all.

Sorry to be negative on this review, but there just wasn't much to the book that you probably weren't already doing if you included body weight exercises into your normal workout regime.

Great work out, but its to darn hard to read the words, look at the pictures and do the stuff. Next time its a DVD

This is great book to have if you want to get fit but dont have a gym or weights. There are pictures of all the excercises.
The book has the Seal workouts phase 1& 2 and also phase 3 which is very tough. There is also a section about weight training if you want to add that in as well although most of these workouts centre around Pull-ups, push-ups and sit- ups and running. Nutrition is covered ,but not as well as i would like so thats why i give the book only 4 stars..but apart from that i would rate this book highly.

This is a good book for calisthenics and stretching exercises. The descriptions are easy to follow, and every exercise is illustrated with several photographs plus (what I really like) a drawing showing the muscles used in the exercise. Is it well known that stretching and certain exercises such as squats can be dangerous if done improperly. Perhaps the best feature of this book is that SPECIFIC warnings are given for a lot of these exercises about the dangers involved. I have already modified my strength training routine based on the advice given in this book. It is commendable that a book of this sort avoids "no pain, no gain" stupidities, and instead offers exercises that are founded on sound physiological grounds.

Navy SEALs (Team members of BUD/S which stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) are a group whose training physically and mentally is tough, demanding, and requires ability far above that of most men. Most men will quit before passing through the months of before being permitted to wear the SEAL insignia. For those who do make it through they are extremely skilled and have a right to be very proud.

This book is not an official workout programme or an official Navy SEAL document. However the man who put it together, Commander Master Chief Dennis C. Chalker, is a SEAL. Now retired, he reminds people that one don't stop being a Seal -- one is a member of the Team until he dies. One of the things that makes BUD/S training so hard is that in addition to being tough every minute he can quit simply by ringing the bell and saying 'I QUIT!' A lot like fitness in real life - you can quit, or you can succeed; it is up to you.

In this book there is a little bit here and there about the history of the Navy SEALs. Lots of their training is secret, and much of their routine is kept from public eyes because of the nature of their missions. BUD/S training is heavy on running and heavy on swimming. Most of the book is pretty standard exercise manual content, concentrating on particular exercises that are used in training. They have motivational quotes from SEALs throughout the text.

Warm-ups and Cool-downs
Warm-ups and cool-downs concentrate on big movements that involve large muscle groups, just to get the body tuned up and blood and oxygen flowing through the muscles. It also gets the heart pumping more to be ready for the coming exercise. These exercises also include stretches that limber up the muscles.

Stretches are often the most overlooked part of an exercise routine, but just from simply counting the pages in this book you can see the importance it should have. There are 40 pages of stretching exercises, and 60 pages of basic calisthenics, which is what people think of when they think of exercise.

One good thing about the descriptions of the stretches and exercises in this book is that they list advantages and disadvantages of the exercise, and warnings. What will this exercise help you do? What are the problems in doing it? What should you be warned about? For example, with the Achilles stretch, the warning is to not overdo it by overstretch, because that is easy to do.

Calisthenics
Calisthenics are the core of fitness programmes for most of the military, and that includes BUD/S. One thing that is needed is a place to do pull-ups.

Free Weight Training
This book shows very basic weight training exercises. This is not a body-builder book that will concentrate on each individual muscle to maximize each one, but it does concentrate on overall strength building. SEALs need to be strong, not necessarily good looking.

Running and Swimming
This book does not give much detail about these. There are just three pages on running and five pages on swimming. Swimming in BUD/S usually involves equipment and scuba kinds of events so it is difficult for the person at home to do these. For swimming, BUD/S training prefers the basic side-stroke. For running, it gives some distances and advice, but that's about it for running. One thing that anyone who really wants a taste of BUD/S training is to do sand running in boots. Don't try this without being in good shape.

Workout Schedules
This small section shows just how tough the training is. It starts out easy enough - low reps and low number of sets for basic exercises like push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups, not too much running or swimming, but within a matter of weeks the dedicated are pulling 20 sets of 25 sit-ups (and yes, the math makes that 500 sit-ups) and running 13 miles a week at a fast pace and more pull-ups than anyone would ever think possible!

Airborne, Nutrition, Team, Motivation
These small pieces at the end talk about the addition stuff that SEALs do. One advantage of working out so hard is that one can eat almost anything and still lose weight! SEALs during some weeks of training are shoveling in up to 6000 calories a day and still dropping weight. So SEAL nutrition isn't really what is called for in civilian life certainly. BUD/S graduates attend Basic Army Airborne School at Ft. Benning Georgia for basic parachuting, and this is talked about.

This is a tough book, and it is demanding. Because of that, it might actually be discouraging to an extent for people who can never reach the level of doing all that SEALs do. But don't let that discourage you - do your best, and this book will help.

Terrell Owens came off so well in this book. Here is a guy with spectacular football abilities, wealth and charisma, yet he comes off as down to earth and a well-grounded individual.

I think it would be easy to criticise a big-time athlete and say that their books are self-serving and full of lies and half-truths but until one gets to actually be in their shoes and feel the pressures that they have to perform for us, we cannot grumble.

Is TO a saint? No, I am sure he is difficult in the locker room and has (as he admits) his moods, but don't we all?

A good read on an exciting athlete.

This book was very inspirational and gives the reader a glimpse into the life of Terrell Owens that you won't see in the media.

Get over it Jerry Rice is the past TO is the future.

He clearly does not practice what he preaches. This book is just a facade for arrogance and self-serving attitude. He's probably looking for more money since he wasn't able to get it out of Philadelphia. Once a fan of his in his early Niners years, I have learn to not respect someone who does not respect the game, his teammates or anyone else he works with but himself. He's miles below the great players of this game in terms of character and sportsmanship.

This book is a poor attempt at recovering whatever was left of his reputation, thinly veiled and clearly self-serving. Other naïve readers might buy it, but I'll believe it when I see him stopping being "all about me".

Living as an Eagle fan in CA can be trying. When the Eagles signed TO all of my 49er friends said that it wouldn't last. TO's true colors would show sooner or later. I then read the book and encouraged them to do the same. TO does an excellent job of portraying himelf as the victim. He claims to need the money for his family and his future. My family could easily live off his paycheck now and well into the future. After reading this book, I was sold on TO and as an Eagle fan I thought he was the answer but then his true colors came out just as my 49er friends said they would. This book should be changed to fiction.

I'm a 3rd year medical student and spent a week working in the hospital and coming home almost in tears because my feet hurt so bad. More than a few med students and health care professionals suggested Dansko so I bought a pair and fell in love immediately. I then bought these online and love them just as much. I recommend these to anyone who is one their feet all day!!!!

SanFran Jo says:
I, too, noticed a difference in fit and also that the pair I recently purchased was made in China. I had to return my pair because they were not comfortable. I already have two other pair of Dansko Professional clogs, and they are very comfortable. I am disappointed in the comfort of the most recent pair I purchased. I have noticed that some of the clogs do say by Danita. Thanks to happy mommy mentioning Sanita, I googled Sanita clogs. Below is a statement found online from the Original Clogs website:

For the last 17 years, all Dansko Professional clogs and all Dansko Stapled Clogs have been manufactured by Sanita in Europe. The relationship between Dansko and Sanita ended in August 2007. Since then, Sanita entered the US market and is now distributing their products directly. If you are looking for the Original stapled clogs with patent number 0060240 stamped on the bottom (made by Sanita exclusively), then look no further as our website features Sanita Clogs' products exclusively.

I ordered the "original" clogs by Sanita and they fit as comfortably as the two other pair I have. The number mentioned above is stamped on the bottom.

These shoes are the best ! I have high arches and supportive shoes are hard to find. These shoes provide excellent support and are well worth the money. I do a lot of airline travel and these shoes are perfect when going through airport security - just simply slip them off and put them on again. Great for those long trips through airport concourses. I can't recommend then enough - they're simply the best and are extremely difficult to wear out (I found a place online that can repair the soles). Treat your feet to the most comfortable shes available!

I supinate terribly and tend to have terrible ankle problems because of it. After college it got to the point where I was destroying a pair of sneakers every 4-6 months (I would have to replace them because I would have shooting pain from my ankles to my lower back). I'm a microbiologist, so I spend almost all of my workday on my feet on a hard floor (usually concrete + linoleum). I finally sucked it up and shelled out the money for a pair of Danskos. It has been two years, and they're still in good shape. I haven't been good about keeping them polished, so the finish is starting to get ratty, but they're still very comfortable. I've gotten to be pretty dependent on them, as my ankles often complain if I go more than three or four days in any other pair of shoes.
They have dyed my socks on occasion, particularly in wet weather, but I would consider it a very small price to pay for the comfort.

Needless to say, I'm far more likely to invest in a pair of Danskos than any other shoe.

first off for $120.00 there should not even be any vinyl on them but the plastic vinyl covering the piping is coming off after 1 month of use so i will need to use a black marker to hide it dansko was great till they left sanita now they are cheaply made in china,hungry,italy,and they dont even fit these are some of the problems i have found over the last 3 months i have tried aprox 50 pairs of dansko cabrio professional i should be waring a 37 (us size 7) but now i cant,i need a 38 and most of the 38 are too small also 1 shoe bigger than the other in some pairs the left is tight and the right shoe feels great and in some pairs the right is too tight and the left feels great then after of 3 months and 50 pairs of trying on the pair i did keep the VINYL piping is coming off dansko is no longer good i will now only buy sanita COME ON DANSKO YOU ARE TAKING THE CHEEP AND EASY and you soon will loose customers

If you are serious about running a marathon this book is very helpful. I may not have won anything but I did enter and finish.

This is a good option if you are plannig to run your firs marathon. I follow it on my trainnig for New York marathon wich I spent 4 hours 6 minutes.

Don't waste your time on this book, even for 1st timers this stuff is old and out of date. Get Jeff Galloway's Marathon instead.

This was the only book i had for my first marathon. i read it at least 20 times. i found her down to earth attitude refreashing. hey, anyone who encourages you to eat pizza is fabulous. the most helpful part for me was the lengthy sections on h ow to prepare for the marathon, a week before, a day before, day of, etc. not only was it my frist marathon, it was my first race (not smart). I felt very prepared and have recommended this book to many many people.

Laughably weak effort -- the "running book" equivalent of a 9 hr marathon. The advice is incredibly banal. I bought it used for the postage plus 1 cent and still felt cheated. Unreal that this kind of junk gets published!

No Excuses takes a no holds barred approach to working out. As a previous reviewer has stated, the book is more suited for those already engaged in some form of training. The reason for this is Mr. Sabato believes in working out non-stop which equals a really tuff workout.

The book itself is very motivational and inspirational. Also, the book is filled with quality pictures showing you exactally how to do something. One of the things I noticed most is that Antonio doesn't use free weights alot, but instead prefers machines. What I got most out of Antonio's book is his training methodology and dedication.

No Excuses doesnt show you anything you most likely havne't seen before. However, the motivation factor and his mind-sets alone make it worth it. I would recommend it to anyone serious about training and want to fine tune there physique.

I originally bought this book for a girl who had a crush on Mr. Sabato, but I found the book so interesting and motivating, I had to keep it.

Antonio goes into the benefits of supersetting, without resting between sets. This gives a really lean look. If you want to look like those models on Men's Health magazine (definition, symmetry, toned muscle), this workout is for you. It is also very beneficial for people who do not like cardio workouts (I get bored on the treadmill). By supersetting the exercises, you take care of the cardio while building muscle.

I have one suggestion, and I am surprised the book doesn't go into this. When starting the workout, you should focus on just going through the routine of supersets, and not so much intensity. After your body builds up the endurance and gets used to the workout, you can then go for higher intensity on each set. Trying to go through this workout head on will be too exhausting and discourage you from continuing, like it did with me.

I have been following this workout for about a month now, and it is amazing. If anyone thinks that this isn't an effective workout, then they haven't tried it. I have tried many other workout regimens and this is truly the most intense. The results that anyone will enjoy come very quickly. If you are sick and tired of toying around with different workouts, get this book and the guesswork is over. It is the best way to build a body that is ready for anything that you are ready to throw at it. The nutritional advice also proves that you don't have to be a nutritionist to support a healthy body. Read it, try it, and you will understand.

I am not a very thin man nor am i a very motivated man but after reading this book i am more motivated than i have ever been,It has to be the hardest workout i have ever under gone and i have been at the gym for a few years.Antonio makes you realize that you dont need big bulging muscles but long flexable ones with wich you get more benefite out of in life basically your ready for anything,this book is a life saver,thank you antonio sabato jr.

I loved the design and the content of the book as well as the philosophy behind the book. The salient points from the book can be summed up as follows:

* Stresses on the benefits of SUPERSETS. This is the cornerstone of the book.

* Working out should be a lifestyle and not just a passing fad. We should workout throughout the year (and our lives) not for vanity's sake (and he's a model cum actor) but for health reasons.

* The workout plan presented is not rigid and can be tailored accordingly.

* He dispels the myth that cardio and weight/strength/resistance training should be performed separately. His suggested workout plan encompasses both aspects in a compact one hour session.

* Stresses that symmetry is important and should not be ignored. Most muscles have an equal and opposite muscle which should be worked too.

* Gives due credit to his trainer.

* Preaches the message of steroid/supplement free lifestyle.

This brings me to the point that super-setting is the cornerstone of this book yet it is not adequately explained.

For example, is Sabato's definition of super-setting:

1) I do lat-pulldown immediately followed by bench press done thrice in a row is 3 supersets?

2) I do lat-pulldown (3 sets) followed immediately by bench press (3 sets) is 3 supersets?

I have a gut feeling that it is option 1 but I am unsure. Even though the book is excellent but there are "No Excuses" for not defining the concept of supersets properly.

Gable was not the biggest, strongest or most athletic wrestler. But he took advantage of the tools he had and maximized them to their fullest. His drive for success pushed him & his teams to unbelievable heights. A must read for any wrestling fan or sports enthusiast.

This is an excellent review of many of the details that only a coach and his wrestlers see and feel everyday. I definately think anyone who is a fan, parent, coach or participant of wrestling, and especially college wrestling should read this great book.

...but you can't help but be taken in by the story of Dan Gable. The lessons that he preaches, and embodies, go way beyond the mat--perserverance, hard work, dedication, and perhaps most importantly, leading by example.

For that reason, I enjoyed the book, and got through it pretty quickly. I would have no reservations about recommending this book based on that alone.

But, I'll admit, it gets bogged down quite a bit as it becomes a point-by-point recap of the season. Starts to feel like the same things over and over again. I'll agree with other posters who say that it may have lacked some of the intensity and emotion that it could have had. For that, I would recommend "Four days to Glory." An awesome book on high-school wrestling that seems to be to do a better job of making you feel the drama of what wrestlers go through and why they do what they do.

I'd say buy both of these books for a pretty complete picture of Iowa wrestling "from cradle to grave." The afterword in the paperback version of "A season on the mat" does a good job of bringing closure to both books (hard to explain, but you'll see what I mean).

"A Season on the Mat" is simply the best book about the greatest wrestler and coach ever to grace the the mat. You will lose yourself as you read about Gable's struggles in pursuing yet another NCAA title. Read about how Gable sucked up the pain for one final season and set an example for the 1996 Hawks. Buying this book is the best way a fan can remember DG's final year on the sidelines.

As an ex-wrestler turned journalist (and someone who has interviewed Dan Gable), Zavoral's book is a decent look into Gable and the Iowa program. However, the writer at times tries to be bigger than his subject(s) using silly similies(describing Lincoln McIlravy's wrestling style as a man probing an ear or corn) and far flung analogies. The book also lacks logic in some areas, but does a good job of explaining the nuances of amateur wrestling to the uninitiated -- which is no easy task. Typos are also pretty prevalent, but that's the editor's job to catch it.

This book is a marvel of reporting. A tightly written exposure of eth Yawkey traditions and how the cronyism of the Sox ownership was teh real "curse" of the Sox. Sheds a whole new light on many Sox ball players such as Teddy, Joe Cronin, Pumpsie Green, Reggie Smith, Jim Rice, Yaz, Fisk, Ellis Burks, and Mo Vaughn. Bryant does a great job of weaving teh Red Sox pight witrh that of the Boston news media (Globe was a rag apparently not all too long ago) and teh city itself. As a new resident to the Boston area, I can still see the deep racial segregation that Bryant speaks of today. The odd thing as that the "economics of winning", meaning you pay for teh top player regardless of race, may be the end of racism in baseball. Capitalism trumps racism. Whooda thunk?

For all the talk of curses and other such nonsense, there is a very simple reason why the Boston Red Sox didn't win a championship for eighty six years. Racisim and poor managment. Howard Bryant reporting is impeccable. Whether Tom Yawkey was an outward racist isn't really the point. His orginization employed people who used race as a barometer for judgeing talent. Bryant brings to light in vivid detail Yawkey's penchant for handing over the keys to men of dubious character. Pinky Higgins a well known and notorious racist was repeatedly rehired over and over. Obviously signing a Jackie Robinson or Willie Mays wouldn't have guaranteed a championship, however the racial practices continued for years.Howard Bryant has done a compeling job of how race and plain stupidity kept the Red Sox SHUT OUT FOR EIGHTY SIX YEARS.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING BOOK AT TIMES AND VERY TRUE. THE AUTHOR SEEMS TO KEEP TELLING US ABOUT THE WORKOUT JACKIE ROBINSON HAD WITH THE RED SOX THAT WAS STAGED TO COVERUP THE TRUTH ABOUT PREJUDICE ON THE RED SOX. I GOT TIRED OF HEARING THE SAME THING TIME AFTER TIME IN THIS BOOK. ON THE GOOD SIDE HE MAKES A LOT OF POINTS WITH BILL RUSSELL, PUMPSIE GREEN, JIM RICE ETC. HE TRULY SHOWS HOW THE RED SOX HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES SLIP THRU THEIR HANDS BECAUSE OF THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD BLACKS. WORTH READING.

In my opinion, the exploration of racism in the Boston Red Sox baseball organization is just an awesome, interesting topic for a book. Unfortunately Howard Bryant, the author of "Shut Out", is a man not nearly proficient enough to tell the tale.

As has been mentioned by numerous previous posters, his writing style is that which annoying repetition replaces clear and intelligible writing that would require him to make a point only once. (I figured out that Larry Whiteside was the first black sprotswriter for the Boston Globe on the first time I read it, but Bryant reiterates THE SAME EXACT POINT roughly another dozen times.)

His fact checking as well leaves a bit to be desired--to wit, Ken "Hawk" Harrelson played for the Sox in 1967-68, and was not--repeat, NOT--ever a teammate of Jim Rice, who first made it up to the big club in 1974. A quick perusal of baseball-reference.com could've confirmed that fact for Bryant.

Also, whoever it was that edited this book should consider finding another line of work. Rarely have I read a book from a supposedly "legitimate" publisher (i.e., not self published) that contained so many misspellings, grammatical and punctuation errors.

According to the book's jacket, Bryant is a journalist covering the Yankees for the Bergan Record. This tidbit tells me one of two things: either (1) Bryant's writing style is inherently more suited for 600 word newspaper articles than a 250 page book, or (2) the Bergan Record is a crappy newspaper that will hire just about anyone who wants a job.

This book isn't all bad...but it's a whole lot more bad than good. I don't think I've been more dissapointed in a book in quite some time. I give this two stars; it would've been one, but I'll give Bryant credit for coming up with an intriguing topic, despite his inability to do it justice.

My rating of four stars is based on my interest level while author Howard Bryant deserves five stars for his in-depth effort on the subject of the Boston Red Sox and the racial problems that have cast a cloud over the storied franchise. The author relates the story of the farcical tryout of Jackie Robinson at Fenway Park along with two other blacks in 1945 with the Red Sox using the excuse they couldn't sign Robinson since he would have had to report to a minor league team of theirs located in the south where he would have had to deal with a segregated society. The same held true for Willie Mays who could have been patrolling center field for the Sox. Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey purchased the team in 1933 and surrounded himself with a trio of cronies and drinking buddies named Eddie Collins, Joe Cronin, and buffoon racist Mike "Pinky" Higgins. It is certainly true that racism was not limited to the Red Sox during the 1950's, but they were last in integrating their team with the signing of Elijah "Pumpsie" Green in 1959, and as long as the specter of Collins, Cronin, and Higgins were involved nothing was going to change. Yawkey, as owner was certainly no leader, as he entrusted his franchise to these three men and passively accepted their beliefs. Author Bryant also goes into detail on the experiences of Reggie Smith, Jim Rice, Ellis Burks, Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd, Luis Tiant, and Mo Vaughn during their stays in Boston. Some of the book covers non-baseball racially related incidents over the years, and how the team has suffered in trying to get free agents to sign with the Red Sox. When Pumpsie Green joined the club in '59 Ted Williams sent a strong message to teammates and other bigots by warming up with Green prior to the games. Seemingly little things like this can loom large when someone is trying to gain acceptance. Green, himself, summed things up quite well in the year 2000 by saying, "Sometimes when I think of the things people like me had to go through, it just sounds so unnecessary. When you think about it, it is almost silly, how much time and energy was wasted hating." This is not simply another baseball book, but one that provides a look into the Boston Red Sox' role in race relations involving their storied ball club. You need not be a fan of the Bosox, I'm not, to enjoy the book.

Great book on nutrition, and inforative on his experiences and journey with body building. Enjoy the book, not just from the informational aspect but also learning of his journey and the things he had experienced!

I have read a lot of book on nutrition for athlets.
This one has exceeded my expectation.
Very symple to understand and " back to the basic" type of approach.

This book is amazing,not only suggests what to eat, but also tells one how much to eat, and the reasons why he recommends it, taking into account that everybody is different all at the same time.
Again great source of information.

I thoroughly recommend this book for anyone interested in knowing how the body works. As someone who is interested simply in cutting my body fat level and staying in shape, rather than body building, I found it to be extremely valuable. I lost several pounds in a week or so after reading the book simply by following some of the general ideas alone.

This book is the worst book on nutrition that I have ever read. Imagine recommending 3 large meals accompanied by beer or wine as an appropriate nutritional regieme for a modern athlete. The only value this book has as is an historical document which demonstrates how ignorant we were about nutrition not all that long ago. If you follow the advice in this book you had better be on steroids if you think you are going to get big. Absolute rubbish.

This is an "OK" book. If you want to know about Miami football, this book is a good start. It traces the history of the program, from its inception to the the first championship season in 1983, all the way to the end of the 2004 season. Along the way the reader encounters many of the players and personalities that made UM what it is. And from that perspective, it's a decent book.

However, even though I am a UM fan, I found it to be somewhat biased. Referring to the team as a "dynasty" is a bit much, especially in light of the team's recent struggles. UM had a nice run, but all teams have their rough stretches too. One could make the argument that USC or a few others are just as much of a "dynasty" as UM.

Still, it was easy reading, and it was mostly fun to read. But I warn anyone who is not a UM fan - you should not read this book, because you will get turned off by its favortism for the U. But for those who don't mind, it is informative, and helps you remember some of those championship seasons!

Three stars.

If you are NOT a fan of the Miami Hurricanes, you should really be a sports junkie to invest the time in reading this. But if you are, this book will be endlessly entertaining, even though it's a little (maybe a lot) rough around the edges.

I ordered the book an I had it in my hands within 3 business days. Excellent service. I would definitely recommend this seller 100%. The book is great; it tells great stories about players, coaches and the program itself. It is amazing how the U became a powerhouse.

Hmmm... let me guess... Bruce Feldman went to the University of Miami? He did? Shocking!

The only reason I continued reading this book is because I am a big college football fan. The book goes something like this...

Feldman spends a few hundred pages defending the thuggery, classlessness, and corruption that is the University of Miami football program. It is a boring and pathetic defense, in which he blames administrators (wow, people actually want to emphasize academic integrity and sportsmanship?), the media (EVERYONE is just out to get the "U"!) and America (they hate us because we're black). Feldman, fess up: Miami is a pure embarrassment not only to college football, but to anybody with a degree from "Suntan U". Move on, folks. Some things just don't deserve a defense-- Miami football is one of them.

(Also, try to avoid listening to this guy whine when he's on ESPN. Brutal.)

This book describes the history (mostly recent) of the football powerhouse of the University of Miami Hurricanes. The author, Feldman, describes the beginnings of the Cane attitude, the former players and how they still feel part of the team, the problems that the team and the program have gone through, and the misperceptions. There won't be any incredible insights in the book, but it is a fun, entertaining, easy read. Good for a long plane ride.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is told from the perspective of a working class young Englishman whose greatest ambition in life is subverting the system. Witty, insightful, cynical and yet innocent, Smith, gets sent to a correctional facility (Borstal) after being caught (hilariously) with the money he and a friend had robbed from a bakery. Smith's refusal to be untrue to himself - even though his honesty, it could be argued, does nothing to help him get along in life - is the point of the narrative. It's a story that I think appeals to male and female readers.

Alan Sillitoe wrote in the late fifties The loneliness of the long distance runner. It is about the filthy realities of life in a working class family. Smith is the long distance runner, representing Borstal Essex in the Borstal Blue Ribbon Prize Cup For Long Distance Cross Country Running (All England). Smith is an inmate in possession of a superior ability in long distance running. His tactics are : never be in a hurry during running and never let any of the other runners know you are in a hurry even if you are! He is the favorite of the governor because of this running ability. The governor of Borstal Essex depends on Smith for winning the cup. Smith, aged 17, is not willing to do this favor to the governor. In his race, carefully planned and executed, Smith allows another runner to win. He wants to hit the governor where it hurts a lot. The stakes are high and Smith knows beforehand the consequences. He is getting a rough time the last 6 months of his stay in Borstal. Sillitoe wrote a fine story and in fact he is a long distance runner too. During the fifties he started writing as an angry young man and recently he wrote a sequel of one of his most famous books Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, called Birthday. I recommend Sillitoe as a committed writer.

Luuk Oost

Stilltoe's Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner is a collection of thematically-linked short stories about life in post-WWII London. In this collection, the author's narrative voice is so authentic that the reader is transported into the minds of poverty-stricken young Londoners who are facing the grim realities of their future as factory workers, criminals or longshoreman. The stories helped launch the "Angry Young Man" genre of film and literature that emerged in the early 1960's. The title story was made into a movie, which time has transformed into a classic. This is a great book for students of postmodern literature as well as those who just like a well-crafted tale.

This is not my favorite Sillitoe book, but it's probably the most well known to the people of my demographic (the twenty year old white kid with a passing interest in music) and thank god for that. The title story employs Sillitoe's trade mark semi-stream of conscioucness writing style to smashing effect. It's neither too precious nor too light, but demonstrates how a controlled use of style can result in stunning emotional returns for the reader. This is moving stuff and it's heady stuff, but it's not self indulgent or smacking of "the woe is me i loved an arty girl" adolescent sentiment that sounds so attractive in a song but rarely makes good prose. Not that there are any kind of arty girls in the title s. but, you know, the feeling is across the board applicable to fiction dealing with boys and girls. Sillitoe is a strangely neglected writer, as Christopher Hitchens has recently remarked, though this probably has something to do with the fact that after writing two or three great books, he turned to writing obsessively about blind ham radio operators. Book after book came out, and I've read them, and each one features some variation on blindness or radios. He's king of the blind ham radio genre, but it's an odd title for such a great writer.

I purchased a well worn, musty smelling paperback edition of this book published in 1967 and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful writing as well as the tactile sensation of thumbing my way through the cherished, yellowed pages. Brilliantly executed "tales of working class life and morals" are great to read--but none better than Chapter One about the Runner in the title. So well done, in fact, that my interest in the other stories quickly waned.

For reading pleasure, I highly recommend this collection. For runners, especially, Chapter One is worth the purchase price. Now I'm eager to see the Tom Courtenay movie version, which is apparently excellent, too.