Book dossier

The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner

by Alan Sillitoe

A short story collection featuring, in the title story, one of Sillitoe’s very best. The story concerns a teenaged boy from a poor working class background who is sent to a borstal for robbery and takes up long-distance running as a way of temporarily escaping from both his present situation and his bleak future prospects. Seeing his natural ability the institution Governor enters him into a race against a top local school, expecting to reap the kudos from the boy’s performance. On the day however, the boy rebels against the way he is being used, thereby denying the Governor his reflected glory. Perhaps one of the most revered works of fiction in the twentieth-century, iThe Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner /iis a modern classic about integrity, courage, and bucking the system. Its title story recounts the story of a reform school cross-country runner who seizes the perfect opportunity to defy the authority that governs his life. It is a pure masterpiece. From there the collection expands even further from the touching ldquo;On Saturday Afternoonrdquo; to the rollicking ldquo;The Decline and Fall and Frankie Buller.rdquo; Beloved for its lean prose, unforgettable protagonists, and real-life wisdom,i The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner/i captured the voice of a generation, and its poignant and empowering life lessons will continue to captivate and entertain readers for generations to come.br#160;