Running with Sherman
The Donkey Who Survived Against All Odds and Raced Like a Champion
by Christopher McDougall
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Pub Date 3 Oct 2019 | Archive Date 3 Oct 2019
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Description
'I’ve always believed that people who didn’t love miniature donkeys are going to hell. I think people who don’t love this book may be too. This is more than just a lovely tale about a wounded animal. It is the kind of story that breaks your heart and mends it all in the space of a paragraph or even a line. Besides, it’s about a MINIATURE DONKEY.' —Rick Bragg, best-selling author of The Best Cook in the World
'Runners and animal lovers alike can find inspiration in this story of the ways in which humans and animals connect.' - Publishers Weekly
'A charming tale of a resilient donkey and a community's love.' - Kirkus Reviews
When barefoot running guru Christopher McDougall takes in a neglected donkey, his aim is to get Sherman back to reasonable health. But Sherman is ill-tempered, obstinate and uncooperative - and it's clear his poor treatment has made him deeply fearful of humans. Chris knows that donkeys need a purpose - they are working, pack animals - and so when he learns of the sport of Burro Racing or running with donkeys, he sets out to give Sherman something worth living for. With the aid of Chris's menagerie on his farm in rural Pennsylvania, his wife Mika and their friends and neighbours including the local Amish population, Sherman begins to build trust in Chris. To give him a purpose, they start to run together. But what Sherman gains in confidence and meaning is something we all need: a connection with nature, the outdoors, with movement. And as Chris learns, the side benefits of exercise and animal contact are surprising, helping with mental and physical health in unexpected ways.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781781258262 |
| PRICE | £20.00 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 352 |
Featured Reviews
Angela M, Reviewer
Some years ago, I read and enjoyed “Born to Run” by this author. I was thrilled to receive an advanced reader copy from Netgalley on Chris McDougall’s latest work set to be released October 15, 2019.
Chris and his wife Mika take in a rescue donkey named Sherman who his close to death. He was kept isolated in a stall by a hoarder. Chris quickly learns that in order to help save his life that he needs to give him a “job”. Chris decides to enter Sherman and himself in a burro race in Colorado. They have 10 months to actually train for this race which probably isn’t enough time given all the obstacles they must face. The biggest challenge probably is getting to know how donkey’s think and overcoming all of Sherman’s fears since he had been neglected his entire life.
This story as you may imagine, is quite funny! I found myself laughing out loud so many times. I do think I had an advantage in reading this book because I enjoy mountain ultra-running and have a thorough understanding of what the author was talking about. I know my ultra-running friends would probably love this book as much as I did.
The story is also educational as Chris has included chapters about Amish life, famous female ultra-runners, the beginnings of Leadville 100 mile foot race, and the history of burro racing. I really enjoyed these sections of the book as well.
The author did a great job in developing the key characters who helped him in training Sherman for the burro race. I particularly enjoyed how well they knew their animals personalities. It was quite entertaining.
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf Publishing group for allowing me to preview this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Max W, Reviewer
Running with Sherman is a great book for people who love running and people who love animals. It's a beautiful story about an animal who's been neglected becoming the best version of itself. I've read the other two books by Christopher McDougall and I really a joy his writing style, you can really notice he has a passion for what he's writing about. There's a whole world out there for people racing with donkeys, I never knew!!
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