Customer Reviews

The Silence of Great Distance

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book has two levels to it, the first being a historical review of the sport of women's distance running. The real gold here is however what insight is revealed in following the career of Stephanie Herbst during her career at the University of Wisconsin. The dedication and motivation of Ms Herbst and others like her and the dangers of both external and internally generated pressure to perform are an eye opener. The last few chapters especially are extremely powerful.

Frank Murphy does not miss a thing in this book on women long distance runners. I myself am one and not only did he accurately portray the stresses a female runner puts on herself and has forced on her by others and the sport itself but he also provided factual and intriguing statistics about such legends as Mary Decker, Doris Brown, and Suzy Favor Hamilton. I could not put this book down. This true story desperately needed to be told, and no one could have done it better or more completely.

Professor Murphy has created the rarest of works, an unlikely combination of literary nonfiction and sports history. I know of no other work on women's sport, particularly running, that offers such depth and breadth. A must for anyone interested in running, the history of women in athletics, and the Title IX era.