I read Kara Goucher's book and, noting her praise for this book featuring her old coach, picked up Duel in the Sun. The so-called Duel in the Sun, theI read Kara Goucher's book and, noting her praise for this book featuring her old coach, picked up Duel in the Sun. The so-called Duel in the Sun, the 1982 Boston Marathon, is undoubtedly the greatest American distance race ever run. This book does it some justice, but the book feels dusty and old-timey. Rather than being published in 2006, it reads more like a 1999 or earlier piece. The writing is boring compared to modern sports books, and the excitement of the race is almost completely lost.
I find it odd that the author withholds who won the race, and then skims over it to the extent that the engaged reader may have to flip back a page to check that nothing was missed. I picked the book up not remembering who won, so having it delivered in such a way 24 years after the race was a bit weird.
Not my first pick for running books but a solid second-tier choice....more
The pacing and editing of this book is really tight, there's pretty much not a single wasted word in the entire work. Though it's written for the massThe pacing and editing of this book is really tight, there's pretty much not a single wasted word in the entire work. Though it's written for the mass market, this is the closest hardcore runners will probably ever get to the truth of the Alberto Salazar scandal. The idea is that Salazar, with Nike's blessing, was bending or outright breaking the rules for Nike Oregon Project athletes, specifically Galen Rupp and Mo Farah. Goucher herself was subject to some gray area things, such as getting a prescription for a thyroid condition that she didn't have. Such a prescription could have boosted energy levels and metabolism. As a result, she's dependent on that medication for the rest of her life.
Make no mistake, Goucher was an awesome runner in her era, and with this tell-all book, she comes across as honest and likable. She suffered legitimate abuse at the hands of Alberto and was probably the original "got-totally-screwed-by-contract-reductions-during-pregnancy" runner. For the contract reductions, she planned for a pregnancy based on the word of a Nike executive who then claimed no memory of the conversation which created a pretty terrible situation for her in which she missed out on tons of money and was "used" for pregnancy marketing despite, effectively, not being paid.
Overall, a very good running book, though it does feel like the themes overlap widely with Lauren Fleshman's Good for a Girl...more
I've run this race a few times and have spoken with the author on a few occasions. If you're a diehard fan of the Run for the Diamonds and are lookingI've run this race a few times and have spoken with the author on a few occasions. If you're a diehard fan of the Run for the Diamonds and are looking for bedside reading, or want to understand how a race with such a rich history managed to remain an unheralded blue collar race as opposed to a USATF circuit race like the Peachtree Road Race, this book is pretty good.
The existence of this book is something that should be acknowledged and celebrated.
The writing/editing is at the level where aspiring authors should analyze this book to determine if they should make a go of it. If you find yourself noticing the cliches and questionable editing choices, you might have a future as a writer or editor. If you don't notice what makes this a humble, second-tier title, writing is probably not for you.
This is going to be a tough read for anyone who isn't obsessed with running history. It's really dry and there's no sense of anticipation at all through most of the book....more
Interesting essay collection. Some odd editing choices, and a palpable disdain for urban planning and lack of recent megaproject progress, but overallInteresting essay collection. Some odd editing choices, and a palpable disdain for urban planning and lack of recent megaproject progress, but overall quite informative...more
This is a really neat book, the type of book that has largely been eviscerated in this decade. Great research, wonderful vocabulary, a nice focused efThis is a really neat book, the type of book that has largely been eviscerated in this decade. Great research, wonderful vocabulary, a nice focused effort if you're into brutalism, or, to a lesser extent, Great Britain....more
Yeah certainly the progenitor of the academic study of brutalism. Filled with really interesting words. This will be referenced in every other book anYeah certainly the progenitor of the academic study of brutalism. Filled with really interesting words. This will be referenced in every other book and research paper on the topic, so you need to read it....more
I was looking to flesh out my understanding of brutalism. This book is very intellectual and starts off strong with some plausible linkages between whI was looking to flesh out my understanding of brutalism. This book is very intellectual and starts off strong with some plausible linkages between what brutalism is and what it means when applied to Achille Mbembe's world view. Unfortunately it devolves into an irrelevant polemic summarized as "Africa was brutalized." He also makes wild statements like "so-called illegal immigrants... are actually adventurers." Nice vocabulary and structure--I'm glad I can still comprehend writing at this level. But best saved for a snooty book club....more