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40th out of 432 books
—
355 voters
Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine
by
Tom Jordan
The story of America's greatest running legend.
For five years, no American runner could beat him at any distance over a mile. But at the age of 24, with his best years still ahead, long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine finally lost. Driving alone at night after a party, Prefontaine crashed his sports car, putting a tragic, shocking end to the life and career of one of the...more
For five years, no American runner could beat him at any distance over a mile. But at the age of 24, with his best years still ahead, long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine finally lost. Driving alone at night after a party, Prefontaine crashed his sports car, putting a tragic, shocking end to the life and career of one of the...more
Paperback, 176 pages
Published
March 15th 1997
by Rodale Books
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This book has a lot of problems. Let's begin with the first one -- it's poorly written.
I went into this book very excited -- I love running. Prefontaine is a huge inspiration. But the details of his life and character are very flimsy -- the author doesn't even include one interview from Pre's family or key head coaches -- a very telling omission. Instead, we are stuck getting bombarded with times, a few rivalries that don't seem to amoung to much and are interchangeable as we learn so little abo...more
I went into this book very excited -- I love running. Prefontaine is a huge inspiration. But the details of his life and character are very flimsy -- the author doesn't even include one interview from Pre's family or key head coaches -- a very telling omission. Instead, we are stuck getting bombarded with times, a few rivalries that don't seem to amoung to much and are interchangeable as we learn so little abo...more
What was contained within these pages was very enjoyable. However, once you back out the pictures, you are left with only 110 pages to describe someone who is basically the James Dean of American running. And I don't think that's enough.
This is someone who was known almost as much for his on and off the track personality as he was for his running. And this book didn't focus as much as it should have on that aspect.
Almost missing entirely is his relationship with his coach, Bill Bowerman (the fou...more
This is someone who was known almost as much for his on and off the track personality as he was for his running. And this book didn't focus as much as it should have on that aspect.
Almost missing entirely is his relationship with his coach, Bill Bowerman (the fou...more
A short book covering the tragically shortened life of one of America's most dynamic runners. I decided to read this book for some pre-marathon (pardon the pun) motivation and it worked as an easy read about an inspiring character.
However, the book is a very straightforward biography written at times like a long newspaper article, particularly when detailing his year to year racing progression. The chapters and sections that focus on Pre as an individual and that provide quotes either from him o...more
However, the book is a very straightforward biography written at times like a long newspaper article, particularly when detailing his year to year racing progression. The chapters and sections that focus on Pre as an individual and that provide quotes either from him o...more
You want inspiration…read this book. Steve Prefontaine or as fans call him Pre was one of the most famous athletes of the early 1970s and well on his way to becoming more than an athlete but an activist who would made a real impact on the world before his untimely death just prior to the summer games of 1974. Trust me read this book and you’ll become a Pre fan, a Pre historian, & you’ll lace up your shoes and want to go on a jog. I’ll leave you with his quote, that will make you want to pick...more
At first I gave this 3 stars, but after thinking about it some more had to mark it down. The writer basically curated this book from news articles, other people's interviews and public documents about Steve Prefontaine. At one point he regurgitates Pre's answers to questions that had been presented in a full article in "Track & Field," making him sound like the most boastfull braggart ever. Granted, he was at times, but losing the context of the full article by just publishing Pre's response...more
I started this book after watching the two films about Steve Prefontaine's life: Prefontaine and Without Limits; I really liked both films and the icon known as "Pre" greatly intrigued me. The book pre-dates those films, but feels like a continuation of them. The book is full of great stories and if you love running, athletic competition, etc. you will enjoy this book.
My only warning for those who haven't seen the movies or who have no experience with Track and Field is that there a lot of numbe...more
My only warning for those who haven't seen the movies or who have no experience with Track and Field is that there a lot of numbe...more
This book was terribly disappointing. The book could have been written by a computer. It was just a jumble of times, records, and slight commentary in between. Hardly anything was written about besides Pre's accomplishments on the track. I didn't get a sense of Pre the person, who he was off the track, which is what is usually included in a biography. Childhood, a fascinating period in any legend's life, was covered in a few references to records broken on the track and in cross country. Pre des...more
Definitive (really only) biography of Steve Prefontaine. An inspirational figure whose life was cut short in a controversial car crash after a night of partying. He brought a new style to running that led a boom of popularity across the US and took down the AAU which had been mistreating athletes for years. The book, however, disappoints. Pre is a true hero of mine so I was unhappy to find out this very short read was basically laced with facts you could find anywhere on the internet and mostly...more
It seems to me that Steve Prefontaine merits a high quality biography. His story is the stuff of legends, so much so that high school cross-country kids wear "Pre Lives" shirts from Nike not fully aware of who the guy is. For five years, Pre remained undefeated in the U.S. at any distance over one mile. He ran two 10K races. In the first, he set the American record. He never won on the biggest international stage, the Olympics, but he had the unfortunate timing of being at Munich and he died be...more
This is a fast paced introductory read into the running life of Steve Prefontaine, namely his running accomplishments. Given the legendary status Prefontaine has achieved, this account would have been even more interesting if it had taken a deeper dive into the person he was beyond his running - His love of carpentry and art along with his commitment to inspiring kids and reaching out to inmates are but a few examples of other angles to his larger than life personality that weren't really explor...more
May 27, 2009
Willa Danowski
added it
Picked this book up to read when my youngest fell asleep in my arms and it was the book closest to me at that moment. My son asked me to buy it, and I chuckled thinking "sure...you will read it". I am so glad I bought it.
I see now why my son is so passionate about his craft -- Cross Country Running. It is a sad book -- story of his life and death -- choices he made in his personal life and running career. It is like a personal guidebook for those runners who want to be "#1".
I see now why my son is so passionate about his craft -- Cross Country Running. It is a sad book -- story of his life and death -- choices he made in his personal life and running career. It is like a personal guidebook for those runners who want to be "#1".
Pre is fascinating, a legendary runner with incomparable "guts" (as he might have said) and drive: Witness the fact that his American record for the 5,000 was only JUST broken this July by Galen Rupp, 40 years after it was established by Pre. While this book carefully catalogued all of the numbers - the races, the times, his training schedule - it only seems to scratch the surface of the man. I finished this wanting to know more about him. I'm hoping the movies can fill in some of the blanks.
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Aug 18, 2012
Lisa
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Runners and Oregonians and Oregonian runners
Shelves:
2012
It was okay. Sadly, the only remaining information about this interesting person are statistics and records he broke. The author writes that even the people closest to Pre didn't know him that well, and so there is very little to write a biography about. I would be interested in reading a more in-depth biography, but I am certain after reading this book that none exists, or could exist given the dearth of knowledge about Steve's character.
I would have enjoyed a more rounded biography on Steve Prefontaine. Although the details of many of his greatest races were interesting. They gave a sense of the excitement you would have felt if you were one of the lucky people who actually got to watch him run. But I felt there was a lot more about him that was left untold. I didn't feel like I knew him any better after reading this short book. It was certainly thorough in covering his track career but there was something missing.
I did like th...more
I did like th...more
Steve Prefontaine is the definition of "no guts, no glory" In this book you can get a picture of how hard headed Pre was, and how much drive he had. If you are a runner, it is a most. Pre was America's runner for years. He left it all out there MOST of the time. Quietly he was a man of service to his community. Helping others through running.
This was an amazing book. Since I have started running I have heard of "Pre" but didn't really know anything about him. So I picked up this book. I learned so much about track and field and also about this man whose life was cut much too short.
It's a very inspiring book and it made me want to go out and run immediately after I finished it. And Pre's story will always be in the back of my mind and I have a huge respect for all people involved in track and field on the national and international l...more
It's a very inspiring book and it made me want to go out and run immediately after I finished it. And Pre's story will always be in the back of my mind and I have a huge respect for all people involved in track and field on the national and international l...more
When I first picked up this book I couldn't put it down. At the time it was a first for me. Way better than the movies about him. This man wanted to race the best because he believed down to his bones that he had more guts than anyone on the track to win. By racing the best, he made himself better.
amazing book.
amazing book.
This book was inspirational to work hard and never give less than your best. This book was pretty straight-forward and dry, with half of the text coming in the form of distances and times, so for the non-competitive runner (or non-runner all together) this may not be quite as interesting as a narrative-style biography of Steve Prefontaine.
Read this book and then passed it on to my son, who in turn passed it on to my youngest daughter. We are all now big Steve Prefontaine fans, and each time my kids are asked who inspires them they always include Pre. Pretty cool...
Pre was such a huge star in track and field that it's a shame no one has written a truly comprehensive, "warts and all" biography of this man's life.
While Jordan's sparse book is interesting, its tone is so unapologetically sycophantic you end up wondering if you're only seeing a sliver of the complex man Pre was. He glosses over many aspects of Pre's life that I would have liked to have read more about, such as his experience at the Munich Games.
While Jordan's sparse book is interesting, its tone is so unapologetically sycophantic you end up wondering if you're only seeing a sliver of the complex man Pre was. He glosses over many aspects of Pre's life that I would have liked to have read more about, such as his experience at the Munich Games.
26 years after his tragic accident, he is still the standard runners are measured against: guts, determination, driven to success, and the book shows he had a human friendly side loyal to his family and friends and appreciative of his Oregon fans.
A tragic biography of a world class runner cut down in the prime of his life. I love all things PRE! Read the book then read Bowerman and the Men of Oregon. Then watch Without Limits and Prefontaine.
This book read like an over-long, uninspired AP article. Jordan did a great job of sticking to the facts, but I was hoping for backstory instead of just a rundown of his athletic achievements.
Compelling story of an amazing person. Had hoped for more insight into the man, much of the book is focused on stats and results. Left me wanting more. Enjoyable nonetheless. Go Pre!
Very informative. Prefontaine is a special person with the God-given ability to push the boundaries of the human mind, and inspire people in a unique way not unlike that of Steve Jobs.
This is a very good book. It makes you think how people can just run. I love to run long distance but Steve Prefontaine is an amazing person that is why Prefontaine is my middle name.
Really enjoyed reading about this legend who helped get Nike going. It motivated me to run and makes me want to take a trip to Oregon. Read if you like running or good sport stories.
Steve Prefontaine was a running legend. He was the "Ali" of running. This biography of his life showed his fierceness in racing. He showed more guts than any other runner during a race.
Features a lot of great stories about Steve Prefontaine, stuff I had not seen anywhere else. I just wish it was longer. Someone really needs to do an epic biography on Pre.
I don't mean to be unkind to the author (obviously a huge Pre fan), but this is an extraordinarily badly written book. I hope one day someone will take this biography on again and write something more befitting of this American running legend, something more than, "Pre did this, and then he did this, and then this..." It's just one, uninspired anecdote after another.
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