Another Bookshelf Review - A Race Like No Other

How on earth do I write a book review for a widely-liked book that I was very 'blah' about?

 

I have put off this review for some time as I really did not know how to answer that question. Finally I decided that I would research the hell out of it, and try to give an objective view of the facts, and attempt a round discussion on what is in between the covers.

 A Race Like No Other

Liz Robbins, of the New York Times, has taken on a mammoth topic with her 2010 release of A Race Like No Other, 26.2 miles through the streets of New York. It takes as much courage to tackle writing about the New York Marathon as it does to actually run it. However, one of the most difficult literary feats to tackle is to add even more characters to an already massive story, and that is what the author has attempted.

 

In trying to get a handle on my feelings for this book I read review after review, and I realized the positive ones had a common thread, everyone loves this race. That's how so many read this book, they loved the topic with all their heart, and I feel that may have skewed the reality of this offering.

 

This book covers the 2007 New York Marathon, and tries to follow several characters throughout the festivities, and then tries to mix in some truly amazing historical context. The individual stories are covered in a broken narrative way though, almost like watching golf as the play-by-play goes from green to green, and you have no idea what order things are in. That being said, it is nice to have a marathon book that reminds the reader not everyone finishes this race in just over two hours, and we are all welcome. I enjoy the occasional reminders that there are fantastic stories for each runner, how they got there, maybe who they lost, or if they lost themselves, but I didn't feel compelled to not put this book down, it happened many, many times.

 

What the author does well is convey the flavor and the feel of each individual mile of the race. I used to live in Brooklyn, and if I skipped the street names and sections, I could still tell exactly which neighborhood was being discussed. This book also keys in on unique elements of marathoning that most beginning runners don't know about, like how people keep warm, how massive corrals can be in a big race, and what a beautiful community our running world is. Further, there is a beautiful color-plate section, filled with the brilliance of New York.

 A Race Like No Other

So, how to put this, you will like this book if you like very personal and uplifting stories, but also have the patience to see them spread here and there throughout three-hundred-and-fourteen pages. If you have never been to the city, and wish to feel the grandiose nature of the boroughs and the event itself, you will also rave about this book.

 

If, however, you want a full dictionary on the race, you will not find it here.