Getting By, Dreaming Big

 The Memory of Running, by Ron McLarty

358 pages, @2004

The Memory of Running was my November pick for my book group.  To be honest my friend Shion discovered it one day on my “magical” bookshelf and borrowed it.  I had forgotten I had it, and unfortunately I also forget why I even bought it in the first place.  She enjoyed it and said she thought it would be a good discussion book.  Easy pick, don’t you love rediscovering books you’ve had on your bookshelf for years?

The Memory of Running is the story of Smithson “Smithy” Ide’s journey of re-self-discovery.  At 40 something years of age family tragedies pile up to the point where he can no longer ignore them by using his coping methods: overeating, binge drinking and chain smoking.  After a particularly rough day, in a druken stupor, Smithy hops on his childhood bicycle and embarks on a cross country journey.  Along the way he encounters some strange people in some strange circumstances as well as an occassional good-salt-of-the-earth person.  It is an inspirational story of one man’s journey to rediscover himself and what makes life worth living. 

The Memory of Running reminded me of On the Road meets A Confederacy of Dunces in away.  On the Road, because he’s on a journey and the whole experience is spontaneous and his experiences are wacky, A Confederacy of Dunces because Smithy is a more likable Ignatius J. Reilly.  It was the first time in awhile that I read a book with a pen by my side so that I could underline key passages that I felt really spoke through the story to the everyday person and what they might be going through and how they cope.  Ron McLarty, creates in Smithy, a character that you can really root for and that was my favorite aspect of the book.

On a side note I was reading online, while I was researching Ron McLarty and the book, that this book went straight to audio book.  It wasn’t until Stephen King listened to the audio book that he really pushed for it to be published.  Ron McLarty has since gone on to write a couple of additional novels.  I thought that little fact was interesting.  I wonder how many books go straight to audio books and never actually get published.  In a way, that’s actually probably, technologically where we’re heading.  I wonder how long before books won’t be printed but will go straight to an online source like the Kindle….ah, technology and the future!

Overall, I would rate this book 3-3.5 stars.  It’s not something I would say you have to go out and read, but if you told me you were reading it, I’d say it was a decent read.   

I’m kind of in a reading slump.  I feel like I’ve been reading a lot of mediocre books lately and I’m just struggling to really stay motivated and pick something up and see it through to the finish.  I think it might be time for a good mystery to pluck me up – any suggestions???? 

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Do you listen to audiobooks?  I haven’t been able to get into them.  I’m a very visual person and it’s hard to imagine the scenario when someone is explaining it to me verbally, I need to read, take my time imagining it, etc.   However, I’ve been told that it’s a good way to pass the time on a long run, download an audiobook from itunes or wherever and pop it on your ipod.