first thoughts on 'the runner's handbook'
According to my father, who has read this book, it is useful in its entirety. However, I have just skimmed to page twenty two and I'm still waiting for content. Strangely, this man seems to have written a book on running aimed at people that probably don't want to run, and throws little comments in about how bad America is for no reason. He keeps "stressing" things like how running will help you make friends. There were pages upon pages of examples of people running, as if his audience will not have considered the possibility that one may wish to go running.
A book about persuading people to run is fine, but surely this is not "The Runner's Handbook", as it pretends to be on the cover; it isn't aimed at runners. It reads more like a primer for people that have no interest in any form of exercise.
This is, in my opinion, very bad writing. At least, since the book is a handbook, he should say something like "if you are already interested in running, please skip to page x where I will explain things about running to you". So far the book has just been solid meta. Talking about being a runner, not talking about running. This kind of writing is unfocused and difficult to read, and you have to read a lot to get any information. If you're like me and you just skim it, you might miss something useful in amongst all the useless rambling. The best style of writing is concise and efficient.
A book about persuading people to run is fine, but surely this is not "The Runner's Handbook", as it pretends to be on the cover; it isn't aimed at runners. It reads more like a primer for people that have no interest in any form of exercise.
This is, in my opinion, very bad writing. At least, since the book is a handbook, he should say something like "if you are already interested in running, please skip to page x where I will explain things about running to you". So far the book has just been solid meta. Talking about being a runner, not talking about running. This kind of writing is unfocused and difficult to read, and you have to read a lot to get any information. If you're like me and you just skim it, you might miss something useful in amongst all the useless rambling. The best style of writing is concise and efficient.