“I wrote it for myself, mostly when I couldn’t sleep. I wrote it to help explain the world to myself.” -Ron McLarty
You may recognize Ron McLarty’s name from audio books he has recorded plus movie and television appearances. He wrote ‘The Memory of Running’ in 1987 and couldn’t get it published so he decided to record it. Stephen King hears it and calls it “the best novel you won’t read this year”. In 2005, seventeen years from its conception, ‘The Memory of Running’ is published.
Book Summation
Smithy is an unlikely hero; 279 pounds, feeling inadequate, gone astray from what he was and could become. As with all true heroes, the thing he must conquer is ‘himself’ and that’s what he doesn’t comprehend as of yet. So the quest is soon to be realized as fate has a way of walking tiptoed around us until the time is right.
When his parent’s suddenly die in a car accident, Smithy inadvertently finds himself on a road trip… the ride, a beat up ‘Raleigh’ bicycle… the destination, across the continental United States… the reason, to claim his emotionally unbalanced sister’s remains from a morgue in Los Angeles.
As Smithy loses the pounds, he also loses his inhibitions and comes to terms with his own self-loathing. His sister, though dead, urges him on, as the memory of her voice implores him to keep running; “you must never stop running!” He sees her throughout the journey, on treetops, in mid-air, especially when a defining moment is at hand. In the end, wisdom and freedom are found at the fringes of Maya’s veil for both Smithy and his sister.
This is as much a redemptive trip for the memory of Smithy’s sister as he comes to realizes that intermittent with all our fear and anger is kindness and compassion. The road is one long cross-country meditation for Smithy; the role of the bike on hard blacktop, the sacred sounds of nature at night, are all one mantra as he personally lives the Buddhist decree of ‘joy amidst the sorrows of the world’. One can also go to Thomas Mann’s ‘Erotic Irony’, borrowed from Nietzsche and echoed by Joseph Campbell … say ‘yes’ to life, for with all its iniquity and perplexity, it’s the only choice we have.
©jc2015
This sounds very interesting!
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It’s a good read from beginning to end. Thanks, JC
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Thanks for the review!
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JC , you never fail to lift and point to the light! Thank you.
Say yes to life ! ” for with all it’s iniquity and perplexity, it’s the only choice we got.”
Your summation as a whole is inspiring and I feel that in spite of other ‘bike rides’ there is yet another one to take.
Last train home is wonderful, part of the melody reminds me of a beautiful gospel we used to sing at home. The lyrics are not the same as in this song though….
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Thank you Mirja, I guess I do point to the light more often than not. However, you need this darkness as the contrast for light; just as the sage must travel through the underworld and then sees for the first time.
Pat Matheny is one of my favorite musicians. His music to me is very much full of light. This song is mesmerising, whenever I hear it, I have to stop what I’m doing and just listen. I’d love to hear your gospel song that it reminds you of.
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A beautiful post of what sounds like an inspiring book and may we all remember to say ‘yes’ to life, whatever is thrown at us! The music is mesmerising and I Iook forward to seeing your music choices on your blog.
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Thank you, Annika for your comment. Yes, the book is a good read and does inspire.
I love this song. I can see myself biking across the country with this playing on my I-Pod
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Reblogged this on HarsH ReaLiTy and commented:
That was a great book review and you definitely made the plot sound appealing! Well done and thanks for sharing this link recently on my blog! -OM
Note: Comments disabled here, please visit their blog.
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Thanks OM for the great review and Reblog. I appreciate it! -JC
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No worries JC!
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Sounds like a wonderful read.
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It definitely is! Thanks…
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Well, this is the next book I will look for to read!
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You’ll enjoy it, I couldn’t put it down…
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Oh, I’m looking forward to this!!!
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My copy arrived yesterday and like you, I really look forward to follow this bike ride and the transformation.
Just finishing. ‘Little Princes’ first – set in Nepal.
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Wow, you will enjoy it, for sure!
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Just finished reading this book and I am still thinking about the characters, like they are real people and friends of mine. So glad you reviewed this as I might never have read it otherwise!
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I’m glad you liked it. I know, the characters are so real, I didn’t want it to end.
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