Parker brings a certain je ne sais quoi to the effort — humor, whimsy, philosophical meditations, and indeed, a Thoreauvian ardor and hardscrabble sheen to running’s solitude and solidarity in equal measure. Somehow both aspirational and deeply nostalgic (for something I don’t do!) and melancholy, Once a Runner is a beautiful ode to one of the oldest sports in the world.

Book Review: Once a Runner