This book, The Longest Fall, written by Lee Krinsky is fondly considered by people who have read the book as a good addition to the "running books for readers"-genre.
This basically means that it contains a story rather than being just another book that would contain training advice for runners.
Though many books written by runners are usually created to inspire and motivate beginners in the field of running, it does not mean that all the books written by them are just good for runners.
I would say that The Longest Fall is one of those running books that can be an inspirational book to non-runners as well. It is about the experiences that happen around running and about kids coming of age.
The book is filled with a lot of fictional characters and places. However, it is actually a description or a story of an experience that Krinsky’s cross-country team went through in a specific summer and fall.
It is revealed that most of the details found in the book are actually taken from real events that happened at WC. Mepham High School, Bellmore, State of New York during the year 1996.
The book is more that just another running book or a biography because it tells a story of young kids who experience tragic events together and develop from this and “come of age”. The book revolves around a story of young kids who are all runners and who create a special bond within the team.
The young runners lose one of their teammates who is considered to be the one who inspires them all and who is the most talented runner. Through this experience they learn the bitterrealities in life and decide to give it all they have got to win that season’s championship.
With a coach who is close to the end of his career, the loss of a friend and team mate and the struggles that come with it, you can imagine that it was a tough, tough season for all involved.
I have spoken to the writer, Lee Krinsky, and asked him about the biographical aspects of the book. He revealed to me that he is actually the main character in the book who at some point “loses it” and tries to hide in alcohol abuse and gets into arguments with his friends and the rest of the world.
He told me that some parts were exaggerated or changed, but that the main story line was true.
They did lose a team mate, actually Lee’s best friend at the time. In the book he dies in a tragic car accident, in reality the boy died of leukaemia. Most of the details of the funeral, the wake and many other events in the book were real.
Names of characters, towns etc were changed as it would have been too real, too painful, for the people involved to use the real names.
This is a book to read then whether you are a runner or not.
The Longest Fall is a running book for runners and non-runners.
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