panI really, really wanted to like this one, but I ended up only skimming it. It's definitely more suited for someone who enjoys running, and I might have had the wrong expectations going into it. Usually, I can easily connect to other people's passions, but her writing style was more of a “this happened, then that and then that“. Bummer.
pick(2017) It's a running memoir by an athlete who used to blog as “fatgirlrunner“, it has the usual mix of autobiographical anecdotes, race reports, and inspirational cheering. This one also includes insight on participating in sport as a plus-size athlete: the message is of inclusivity, that every body can be an athlete's body. Valerio's enthusiasm for running and her sense of humor are infectious.
so-soI'm still not sure how I feel about this one. The main character is a hypocrit - she lives in fear of being judged on her weight, yet she is the first one to judge others harshly on their physical appearance. As much as I disliked her, I couldn't stop reading!
Everyone knows what is best for fat people, and everyone thinks they can solve our “problem” with some quick fix pill diet, or seven-minute workout, or a vile-tasting shake.
Nobody ever achieved anything epic without doing the reqisite work, even if the work itself is humdrum, boring, run-of-the-mill kind of work.
I despised the book from the first page, but unfortunately I was at a point in my life in which finishing what I started reading was an absolute necessity. I‘ve become wiser since then.”
I truly enjoy this little gem after The Sympathizer. It feels light and easy, and I share some of her experiences when she started running.
I discovered what running really was then—moving unencumbered through the world on my own two feet.
