Running with Swords: The Adventures and Misadventures of an Irrepressible Canadian Fencing Champion [Hardcover]

Sherraine MacKay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2005

Prior to the 2004 Athens Olympics, few Canadians - outside fencing circles - knew very much about Sherraine MacKay, but as the countdown to those games began, her name became more and more familiar, and while the world of fencing had been, up to that time, an esoteric sport at best, it too was suddenly thrust into the limelight. It helped, of course, that in the last World Cup of the season prior to the Games, MacKay had won gold (her second) that she had been ranked as high as number two, and consistently ranked among the top 10 female fencers in the world over the past five years. It helped that her photo suddenly began appearing in our national magazines and in major daily newspapers across Canada. It helped that she was ebullient, outspoken, quick-witted and funny enough to land a spot reading her Letters from Paris on CBC Radio's The Inside Track with host Robin Brown. In a surprise upset, a Greek fencer bested Sherraine in Athens, though the Canadian women's team, which she anchored, finished fourth - the best finish ever by Canadian women in Olympic fencing. Running with Swords, is Sherraine McKay's journal, her own story of her incredible journey from tiny Brooks, Alberta where she was born, to Paris, France where she moved to train for Athens while teaching English as a second language to elite athletes. At once inspiring, thoughtful and brimming with MacKay's sense of humour, it is also the story of young athletes from Canada and around the world, of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of dreams, the friendships forged, and the joy of the game whether on the track, in the field, in the water, on the ice, or on the piste.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Sherraine MacKay is not just another athlete, and Running with Swords, is not just another sports book. MacKay is able to see the irony and humour in a life pursuing athletic excellence. Whether staying in youth hostels to save money or using her broken Spanish to inadvertently threaten a bank teller, McKay brings the reader along on her journey of self-discovery. Her intelligence, insight and quirky way of viewing the world are surpassed only by her humour. Who knew the world of a world-class fencer could be so inspiring and so funny? I found myself laughing out loud. (Robin Brown, The Inside Track, CBC Radio)

Sherraine MacKay is a Canadian sports hero. She gives us insight into who she is as a person, educates us all on a sport that is building in Canada, and also tells us the successes and setbacks of a Canadian champion pursuing her Olympic dream. Every athlete has spent her life challenging themselves, wearing the maple leaf, and daring to represent this great country that we call home. Sherraine has done all of that and she tells us her story with humour, emotion, and most of all, truth. (Catriona Le May Doan)

About the Author

Sherraine MacKay has won at least six World Cups while medalling at nine others and is a four-time medallist at the Pan American Games. In 2001 Sherraine moved to Paris to prepare for the Athens Olympics. She is now living in Budapest, Hungary with her husband Geordie, studying and training with a new coach, and preparing for Beijing.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Fitzhenry and Whiteside; 1 edition (September 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155041982X
• ISBN-13: 978-1550419825
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,265,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll Poke Your Eye Out!, October 4, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Running with Swords: The Adventures and Misadventures of an Irrepressible Canadian Fencing Champion (Hardcover)

This delightful look at the demanding world of Olympic athlete Sherraine Mackay will provide hours of insight and fun.Written in a fast paced enjoyable witty style this book should prove to be a delight for readers of all ages.Find out about the ups & downs of a dedicated amateur athlete who pays to compete around the globe. Witness the catalogue of sacrifices it takes to reach the top.This book should be an inspiration to all prospective Olympians and athletes of all ages and skill levels....run out and buy it today!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fencer's point of view, February 27, 2007

By 

Randy Cook (Newtown, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Running with Swords: The Adventures and Misadventures of an Irrepressible Canadian Fencing Champion (Hardcover)

I have been looking forward to this book for a year, when I received it as a gift. I knew of Sherraine's fencing career, but not in great detail. I have fenced recreationally in the past and have kept up with the latest news and events.

This book chronicles the career of Sherraine McKay, from her childhood to the peak of Canadian Women's Epee. We start with Sherraine's introduction into the sport, her high school years, and eventually to the International competitions. She takes us through training, World Cup tournaments, and the Olympics.

I found the book enjoyable, but I think that is in part, due to my background in fencing. For the average person, without a fencing knowledge, this book would not be as interesting. I found some parts of the book to be slow, and at times the story jumped from topic to topic too much and aburptly for my taste. I enjoyed the chapters immediately preceeding the Olympics and also her experiences in the Olympic villages.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the wonderful sport of fencing and also the Olympic experience. However, for the mainstream reader this book may not be as interesting.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book of universal appeal, December 16, 2005

By 

C. Young (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Running with Swords: The Adventures and Misadventures of an Irrepressible Canadian Fencing Champion (Hardcover)

I am the kind of person who would NEVER pick up a book written by an athlete, am rarely interested in biographies and am wary of "inspirational" literature because of the amount of fluff out there.

However, this book crosses so many genres of literature, that it has appeal to all. It was rare to not read a few pages without a smile on my face and even let slip a few guffaws along the way. And i was inspired by her challenge not to let her sport define her and control her sense of value and worth, something we all face whether it be via money, our job or how we look. Overall an honest, humble and candid look inwards at herself and outwards at her environment, all with a great sense of humour that by the end of the book you feel like you have made a friend.