Duel in the Sun: The Story of Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon [Paperback]

John Brant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2007

The 1982 Boston Marathon was great theater: Two American runners, Alberto Salazar, a celebrated champion, and Dick Beardsley, a gutsy underdog, going at each other for just under 2 hours and 9 minutes. Neither man broke. The race merely came to a thrilling, shattering end, exacting such an enormous toll that neither man ever ran as well again. Beardsley, the most innocent of men, descended into felony drug addiction, and Salazar, the toughest of men, fell prey to depression. Exquisitely written and rich with human drama, Duel in the Sun brilliantly captures the mythic character of the most thrilling American marathon ever run--and the powerful forces of fate that drove these two athletes in the years afterward.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A beautiful, heartbreaking book . . . Like that marathon 25 years ago, Duel in the Sun is absolutely riveting."--Michael Paterniti, author of Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein's Brain

"It's an uplifting tale, all the more inspirational because it seems no uncomfortable detail has been spared in its telling. . . astonishing."--San Francisco Chronicle

"Two inspiring tales, well told."--Booklist

About the Author

JOHN BRANT has written regularly for Runner's World since 1985 and has been a contributing editor for Outside magazine since 1992. His writing has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, and National Geographic Adventure, among other publications. The Runner's World feature, on which this book is based, was included in Best American Sports Writing 2005. Brant lives in Portland, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (March 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594866287
• ISBN-13: 978-1594866289
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Other Team Sports > Track & Field

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's really two stories in one., February 17, 2010

By 

JohnM (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Duel in the Sun: The Story of Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon (Paperback)

Some readers have obviously struggled with the book's structure, but I actually think it adds greatly to the story. If the Author used a linear timeline, the book would fail in its ultimate goal: to demonstrate how the '82 Boston marathon ultimately was so much more than just a race to Beardsley and Salazar: in effect, that race (what it stood for and the ramifications of the race itself) serves to define these two guys.

As I said, Duel in the Sun is two stories in one: it's the story of two men's lives. Of itself, this is interesting enough, because both Salazar and Beardsley make for great character studies. Their lives have contained more ups and downs than the Boston Marathon course itself, so as human interest, it works.

But it's also the story of a race; a wonderful race that everyone who's ever competed in an endurance event can relate to. The narrative of the race itself is written with clear understanding of the runner. This guys gets it. He understands the marathon; he understands what it really means. And it shows.

I think anyone seeking a greater understanding of not only the marathon, but of the human condition, will enjoy this book. It's written with a great deal of empathy and more than a little genuine insight. If I ever wanted to truly explain to someone the real meaning of endurance, I think I'd just loan them this book. Because John Brant captures it perfectly.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but not sure if there was enough info for a book here., October 4, 2010

By 

Cliff Gerber "WaveFan" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duel in the Sun: The Story of Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book but at times it seemed very reptitive. It does not take long to see the roles of Beardsley and Salazar and understand their personalities. Beardsley (Farm Boy, addicted to Pain killers) & Salazaar (Golden Boy Favorite, religous, depressed, and relentless in his running) However this is continually harped upon throughout the book and eventually becomes tedious. As a veteran marathoner I sometimes find running books are too often written for the masses and are not technical enough. However, this book would appeal to veteran runners and non-runners alike. It was technical enough for my taste and all in all I did enjoy this book. Very interesting take on arguably the most important marathon ever. I would recommend it although it didn't really compare to some of my other running favorites (Once a Runner, Running with the Buffaloes, etc...)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good coverage of a great story, March 29, 2007

By 

Gregory L. Mcdowell "GregLMac" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Duel in the Sun: The Story of Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon (Paperback)

I enjoyed the book, despite jumping among 4 stories (past and race from each runner's perspective). I would have preferred a more traditional approach; i.e., a little history of each, the race, and the aftermath. But the author chooses. The unique approach somewhat detracted, but I'm glad I got the full story.