Running A Novel
Running A Novel by Jean Echenoz, published by The New Press in 2009, is a literary work that explores the life of Czech runner Emil Zátopek, set against the historical backdrop of Soviet liberation and post-World War II communist rule in Czechoslovakia. This edition, comprising 126 pages, presents a nuanced portrayal of Zátopek’s journey from a factory worker with little interest in athletics to a celebrated long-distance runner who defies expectations and societal constraints.
Readers will find a detailed account of Zátopek’s evolution as he develops a passion for running and invents a rigorous training regimen that leads him to achieve remarkable success, including three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. The narrative delves into the complexities of his fame and the pressures of living under a controlling regime, all conveyed through Echenoz’s distinctive prose style that balances elegance with playfulness. This book offers insights into the intersection of personal ambition and political realities, making it a significant exploration of both sports and biographical fiction.
Official synopsis Publisher
Following his brilliant portrait of Maurice Ravel, Jean Echenoz turns to the life of one of the greatest runners of the twentieth century, and once again demonstrates his astonishing abilities as a prose stylist. Set against the backdrop of the Soviet liberation and post-World War II communist rule of Czechoslovakia, Running–a bestseller in France–follows the famed career of Czech runner Emil Zátopek: a factory worker who, despite an initial contempt for athletics as a young man, is forced to participate in a footrace and soon develops a curious passion for the physical limits he discovers as a long-distance runner.
Zátopek, who tenaciously invents his own brutal training regimen, goes on to become a national hero, winning an unparalleled three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and breaking countless world records along the way. But just as his fame brings him upon the world stage, he must face the realities of an increasingly controlling regime.
Written in Echenoz’s signature style–elegant yet playful–Running is both a beautifully imagined and executed portrait of a man and his art, and a powerful depiction of a country’s propagandizing grasp on his fate.
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