Synopses & Reviews
In the past decade, the number of Americans who consider themselves runners more than doubledand#8212;in 2008, more than 16 million Americans claimed to have run or jogged at least 100 days in the year. Though now running thrives as a convenient and accessible form of exercise, it is no surprise to learn that the modern craze is not truly new; humans have been running as long as they could walk. What may be surprising however are the myriad reasons why we have performed this exhausting yet exhilarating activity through the ages. In this humorous and unique world history, Thor Gotaas collects numerous unusual and curious stories of running from ancient times to modern marathons and Olympic competitions.
Amongst the numerous examples that illustrate Gotaasand#8217;s history are King Shulgi of Mesopotamia, who four millennia ago boasted of running from Nippur to Ur, a distance of not less than 100 miles. Gotaasand#8217;s account also includes ancient Egyptian pharaohs who ran to prove their vitality and maintain their power, Norwegian Vikings who exercised by running races against animals, as well as little-known naked runs, bar endurance tests, backward runs, monk runs, snowshoe runs, and the Incasand#8217; ingenious infrastructure of professional runners.
The perfect gift for the sprinter, the marathoner, or the daily jogger, this intriguing world history will appeal to all who wish to know more about why the ancients shared our loveand#8212;and hatredand#8212;of this demanding but rewarding pastime.and#160;
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About the Author
Thor Gotaas is a writer who specializes in folklore and cultural history. His previous books include The Gypsies, The First in the Race: The History of Cross-Country Skiing in Norway, and Ski Makers: The History of Norwegian Skis. Peter Gravesand#160;heads theand#160;School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh and has translated many books.
Table of Contents
Foreword
1and#160;and#160;and#160; Messengers and Forerunners
2and#160;and#160;and#160; A Primordial Human Trait
3and#160;and#160;and#160; In Honour of the Gods
4and#160;and#160;and#160; Roman Games
5and#160;and#160;and#160; Elephant Races and Chinese Tales
6and#160;and#160;and#160; The Running Monks
7and#160;and#160;and#160; Racing against Horses
8and#160;and#160; Wagers, Clocks and Brooms
9and#160;and#160; French Enlightenment and German Health Education
10and#160; Mensen Ernst and Captain Barclay
11and#160; Buffalo Heart for Breakfast
12and#160; Bluffing and Handicapping
13and#160; The Revival of the Olympic Games
14and#160; Running Round a Track
15 and#160;Finnish Sisu
16and#160; Ultrarunning as Nation-building
17and#160; Race across America
18and#160; Dubious Race Theories
19and#160; War and Peace
20and#160; In the Service of the State
21and#160; The Dream Mile
22and#160; Africa Arrives
23and#160; Loving the Landscape of Pain
24and#160; The Jogging Revolution
25and#160; Big City Marathons
26and#160; Marathon Women
27and#160; Mr Comeback
28and#160; Stars, Business and Doping
29and#160; Running with Zen
30and#160; Running like Ostriches
31and#160; Striding Out of Poverty
32and#160; How Fast Can a Human Being Run?
References
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index