The Greatest Fiction Running Book of All Time

imho

1)once a runner

2)the purple runner(by p. christman(sp?), tough one to find)

3)the olympian

4)life at these speeds

You are wasting your time living in a fantasy world. Introduce yourself to the non-fiction sections at the bookstore and library.

As a high school cross country and track coach, I have read many non-fiction books as well. On my bookcase, 3 shelves are dedicated to running books. Nearly all of them are non-fiction. I have Running with the Buffalos, The Perfect Mile, The Greatest, Run with the Champions, and many, many more. I'm simply looking for more fiction books to round out my collection.

I have been coming to Letsrun.com for 6 years now, and I am still amazed at how people can get off topic on these message boards.

There are more than 20 books tagged on Amazon as running fiction. Not sure how many of these are any good.

Have any of you read "Distant Runner"? I read the first 3 pages on Amazon and it seemed pretty good.

I read a book when I was in HS (about ten years ago). I think it was called "The Miler". I don't remember the author, but the main character's name was Rob Hagen (sp?) or something similar to that. It was an okay book as I recall. It was written in the 1960s (I think) and it basically had the opposite message of OAR (ie don't make running your obsession). I would not nominate this for best fiction... not even close actually. But, I am curious if anyone else remembers this book and can give the author's name.

I haven't read a lot of running fiction. OAR is my favorite for sure and I've heard great things about The Olympian. Did any of you read the exerpt on the frontpage called "Irish Night"? Thoughts? Seemed to me to be okay, but not terribly inspired... kind of a Cassidy for the 21st century. My favorite running non fiction running book is probably Duel in the Sun. Anyone who hasn't read it should definitely check it out.

"No Need for Speed" by John Bingham.

IMSA XC wrote:

What is the best running fiction book ever written?

The Purple Runner, Paul Christman.

Cheap at twice the price.

My favorite is a short story, Runner of Pern by Anne Mccaffery. In a short story collection called A Gift of Dragons.

The Purple Runner has been republished as a paperback and Kindle edition (free to read fro prime members)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098473998X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=recyoustr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=098473998X

Purple Runner wrote:

The Purple Runner has been republished as a paperback and Kindle edition (free to read fro prime members)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098473998X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=recyoustr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=098473998X

Just bought it. Thanks for the link.

Not fiction, but I just recently finished Unbroken and highly recommend it. Not so much a book about running than a book about a runner.

As a kid, I liked The Runner by Cynthia Voigt.

Not strictly about running but what about Marathon Man? You'll never feel the same about dentists again.

The new book:

Cross Country 101 by Dan Martinez.

You can get it at

www.runningentertainment.com

and Amazon.

Just check out the reviews on Amazon.

The non-fiction sections reveal the truths that reality reveals.

The fiction sections reveal the truths that reality obscures.

The Games by Hugh Atkinson.

A little hokie, but still interesting. Made into a movie with Michael Crawford (yes, the singer.) I remember reading in SI, that Crawford ran a 4:20 something mile after training several weeks with Gordon Pirie.

Oz McRoid

- in reply to rippy cripple

The non-fiction sections reveal the truths that reality reveals.

The fiction sections reveal the truths that reality obscures.

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rippy cripple is a left brain person ("Just the facts ma'am.")

OzMcRoid is a right brain person (One who appreciates ART!)

You can learn more about human psychology by reading Dostoevsky than you can by reading a text book.