GREAT RACES, INCREDIBLE PLACES, Kimi Puntillo

Having accomplished my "5 marathons in 5 countries" goal, I'm always on the lookout for races in interesting places. This is a compilation of race info, personal anecdotes and informational snippets from the first woman to run a marathon on each continent.

Synopsis: As I already wrote, this book gives information about "100+ Fantastic Runs Around the World". Races (not just marathons) are sorted into categories such as "Hit the Beach", "Eat, Drink and Be Merry", "Spiritual Experiences", and "Because It's There". The author gives insider information that will make the process (registration, training, packing gear, navigating race start areas, etc.) much easier if you ever do run any of these races. Even if not, it's interesting to imagine what it would be like to run some of these races, such as the Antarctica Marathon, The "Original" Bare Buns Fun Run (at a nudist park in Washington State), The New York Road Runners Empire State Building Run-Up or The Burro Days "World Championship" Pack Burro Race (29 or 15 miles, each competitor paired with an actual burro) in Colorado.

My Thoughts: How could I not enjoy this book? It made me dream of running in exotic locales, which is something I obviously love to do. The introduction to each section was interesting, as was the summary of each race, although some sections were very repetitive, such as when the author discusses the several Rock 'n' Roll Races held in various cities. My interest was peaked over the races that are on my dream list, such as the Marathon du Medoc (wine tastings along the way) and the Great Wall Marathon. Although I'm not likely to register for these races in the immediate future, I will keep this book in mind for some practical information about the races when that day comes.

rating: ***
read: June 2009
source: Kenton County (KY) Public Library

COASTLINERS, Joanne Harris

This is not the first book of Joanne Harris' that I have read, and it's not my favorite, either. But I did enjoy it. I read the entire book during my hospital stay last week.

Synopsis: The story takes place on an island off the coast of France, in a region I have visited while living here. The island is small, and has only two villages. The inhabitants have a long-standing rivalry, and it's always been clear that one village is more successful than the other. The protagonist of the story returns to the island after and absence of ten years. She finds her father, as silent and moody as ever, and the villagers struggling with rising tides that threaten to take over the village completely.

My Thoughts: Too many characters were introduced early on, and (maybe it was because of the morphine) I had trouble throughout the book keeping them straight. The protagonist's character wasn't explored as deeply as it could have been, and there were a few scenes that were supposed to be romantic (I think) but ended up being too ambiguous to tell. Still, Harris writes well, plunging the reader into the environment of the story.

rating: ***

read: November 2008

source: English-Language Library in Angers (borrowed)