The Elements of Effort: Reflections on the Art and Science of Running [Paperback]

John Jerome (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1998

All runners, from beginners to Olympians, will delight in this luminous compendium of wisdom wrought from many years of running. Applying his clear vision and wry wit to a smorgasbord of running-related topics, including stretching, dancing, bugs, falling, spaghetti, sweat, and the food police, John Jerome shares his contagious passion for the most basic of sports. Stripping the art of running down to its barest elements, he takes readers and runners with him on a joyous journey -- a run that revels in a profound affection and respect for the single sport that is as pure and simple as it is infinitely complex.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

John Jerome, a veteran runner and writer, means this book to be the fitness analogue to Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, which is considered an indispensable guide to writers and those who aspire to write. It's hard to say whether or not The Elements of Effort will prove equally valuable to runners and those who aspire to run, but it's sure fun to read. Jerome combines information on exercise physiology with commonsense advice on how and why to train, and with whimsical thoughts about which running injuries sound most impressive at parties. It's a short book, but if you're a runner, you won't find a more engaging and enlightening two-hour read. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

The Washington Post Book World Few people write better about athletic endeavor than John Jerome.

Booklist Just before runners head out the door, they'll be wise to read one of Jerome's essays. They'll pique the mind while the road tones the body.

Outside magazine This physiological philosopher's latest book offers readers a bundle of fad-deflating riffs and provocative essays....Jerome is a fount of sports witticisms and disarming prescriptions.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671023705
• ISBN-13: 978-0671023706
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #837,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book of interesting insights into running, March 4, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Elements of Effort: Reflections on the Art and Science of Running (Breakaway Books) (Hardcover)

I started by trying to read this book through at one sitting. It was the wrong approach. This is not one of these best-selling thrillers, which you simply cannot put down. That does not mean it is no good, though. The book rather grows on you, as you read it a bit at a time. A lot of what Jerome says strikes a chord because you realise it applies to life in general. Perhaps the way to describe the book is to call it a "thinking runner's book".

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Running from a different perspective, November 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Elements of Effort: Reflections on the Art and Science of Running (Paperback)

My favorite running book. Short very digestible essays. So many of them made me think about running in a different way.

My personal favorite was the introduction to the word proprioception. That is the continuous feed-back of information we get from our bodies when pursuing athletic endeavors.

Needless to say you'll never look at a short run the same way.