The Memory of Running

by Ron McLarty
4 out of 5 stars

 I waited too long to write a review of this book, but I can still say, without hesitation, READ IT. Or listen to it (even better). It's just a sweet, touching story with great characters and interesting minor adventures as this likeable but somewhat pathetic fat guy rides his bike across the country to find his sister and, ultimately, himself. Really. I'm not just saying that.

Smithy Ide is kind of a Garp/Gump hybrid, and despite his downward spiral into a boozy loser, you can't help but root for the guy. Lest you think this is too cliche, it's worth noting that his sister, who no doubt suffered from schizophrenia, is dead but appears to Smithy regularly. He's also suffering from a little PTSD from Vietnam, but not so you'd notice. From the NY Times: "Smithy's actual bike trip is punctuated by encounters with people and books (his revived interest in reading provides a small, amusing subplot) that affirm its underlying faith in human nature. For all the hardships and wrong turns it describes, "The Memory of Running" amounts to a string of happy accidents. In this story, which has a dark side but no real shadows, even being hit by a pickup truck can turn out to be a life-affirming vignette."

Also, the audio book is read by the author, Ron McLarty, who is a sometimes actor and popular narrator among the audio book set. In fact, he wrote The Memory of Running to be read aloud, and it wasn't until it developed a bit of a following and subsequent notice by Stephen King that it was even printed. So that's kind of cool too.