What did I finish reading this week? North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek.
When I saw North pop up in my library queue, I gave a sigh. Not because I didn’t want to read this epic memoir of an ultrarunner who traversed the 2189-mile Appalachian Trail and beat the speed record in 2015.
No, I sighed because over the last year, I had been trying to read this book only to be thwarted time and again. Something always seemed to come up, and I was so worried about starting and not finishing North (a fate worse than death for a reader like me) that I would just return it for the next patron waiting to read it.
But this time, I was determined to do it. The day it hit my queue, I started it. I figured I’d read a chapter and then put it down until tomorrow.
Half a book later, I realized I could have started this months before—because I was going to finish it in two days. And I did.
My honest opinion about North…
I’m a sucker for memoirs. And this book sucked me in.
It was a perfect combination of humor, inspiration, awe, and grit. I cannot even imagine running 50 miles, let alone doing it in a day. Day after day, week after week.
I had never heard of Scott Jurek until this book was recommended to me. I’m not much of a runner, and ultrarunning was way out of my league and scope of knowledge. But even that couldn’t keep me from rooting for and cringing for (depending on what part of the trail he was on) Scott and his wife, Jenny.
North was written by both Scott and Jenny, from alternating viewpoints. The run and record were his, but she was a huge part of that and I loved seeing this story from her perspective. I also enjoyed the rotating cast of characters made up of friends, running legends, and strangers that joined Scott for this epic run.
North was amazingly personal, not just about delving into Scott and Jenny’s pasts, their marriage, and their thoughts, but about the grueling trek and how it affected them—mind, body, and spirit.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves the stories of others, who loves running (or not), and who loves tales of grit and determination. This was one of the best memoirs I’ve read in a while and I’m honestly sorry that I finished it.
The good news is that Scott Jurek wrote another book—Eat and Run—which I plan to pick up very soon…
Happy Reading!
(North is available for FREE in audiobook form. Just sign up for the FREE AUDIBLE trial and cancel whenever you want!)
So, what are you reading this week? Have any suggestions for me?
Interested in more book? Then check out these posts:
Why I Read So Much & How You Can Read More, Too
What I’m Reading… Harry’s Trees
[Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post contains affiliate links. So, if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and I never recommend anything I haven’t used myself and loved.]
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