First, a blurb from the publisher: “From the author of the bestseller Eat and Run, a thrilling memoir about his grueling, exhilarating, and immensely inspiring 46-day run to break the speed record for the Appalachian Trail.“
Pros:
- It’s interesting to peer into Jurek’s thought process for running the Appalachian Trail (AT), from planning to what the day-to-day looked and felt like
- I appreciate that Jurek’s wife, Jenny (an accomplished runner in her own right), is given time to share her thoughts and memories from the experience. She provides about 1/3 of the book / narration.
- The story includes a veritable who’s-who of the ultra-running community.
- I was excited to see how the story would end (e.g. would Jurek capture the record?). I found it easy to feel “pumped up,” by the last few chapters of the book.
Cons:
- The writing can be a bit repetitive at times (i.e. talking about pain, the mental game of completing the race). This borders on a nit-pick, though, because I’m guessing that’s what the author was actually experiencing.
- I wouldn’t have minded if the author leaned into the Travel Log aspect of the story, given that he was running through so many states. Again, I can’t really fault the author, though, because that’s not what the book claims to be.
- It’s a shame Jenny isn’t highlighted on hardcover version of the work, given that she contributes about 1/3 of “North.” She does appear on the Audible cover, however.
Conclusion:
I think Jurek’s tribe (i.e. runners, hikers, etc), will appreciate this work. Fans of sports-focused non-fiction will also likely enjoy this work. It may not change your life, but it may just serve as inspiration for your next project, outing, or goal.
Check it out here.
You may also enjoy…
- “Born to Run,” by Christopher McDougall
- “In Defense of Food,” by Michael Pollan
Affiliate Disclosure: I sometimes use affiliate links in my content. This won’t cost you anything, but it helps me to offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!
