What do you think?
Rate this book
Eat, Drink, Run: How I Got Fit Without Going Too Mad
Bryony Gordon was not a runner. Yet somehow, as she began to recover from the emotional rollercoaster of laying her life bare in her mental health memoir MAD GIRL, she started to realise that getting outside, moving her body and talking to others for whom life was also an occasional challenge, might actually help her. Going for a run might not banish her sadness but at least it might show it that she was damn well trying to beat it, which is sometimes half the battle. As she began to run further she started to see the limitations she had imposed on her life more clearly. Maybe rather than sitting on the sofa watching the world go by, fulfilling your dreams was just about standing up and taking that first step. Maybe you can do it too.
In April 2017, less than a year after she had weighed herself at over 16 stone but stepped off the scales and started training anyway, Bryony Gordon ran all 26 and 3/4 miles of the London Marathon. Here, in her new amusing memoir, she shows us how extraordinary things can happen to us all if we're just willing to keep going.
In April 2017, less than a year after she had weighed herself at over 16 stone but stepped off the scales and started training anyway, Bryony Gordon ran all 26 and 3/4 miles of the London Marathon. Here, in her new amusing memoir, she shows us how extraordinary things can happen to us all if we're just willing to keep going.
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2018
187 people are currently reading
2017 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
June 16, 2019
1 in 4 people will suffer some form of mental illness during their lifetime. That’s a lot of people. It could be your neighbour, your best friend, maybe even you. It’s an illness that doesn’t discriminate, and can affect anyone at anytime. I should know. In 2016 I had a breakdown from being overworked, and the stress and anxiety just became too much for me. I got better, but even to this day I suffer with anxiety problems and those awful ‘black cloud’ days. There’s a stigma around mental health that makes it almost a taboo subject. No one talks about it openly, but with so many of us suffering day in, day out, it’s so important to show that we’re not alone. We’re all part of a special mental health club.
Eat, Drink, Run is a sequel of sorts to Bryony’s first novel Mad Girl, which went into detail about her mental health struggles. This is a memoir of her time after this, with the continuing struggles with her mental health, her weight, and the benefits that running brought to finally silence her ‘black cloud’, affectionately known as Jareth. She talks candidly about her battles, alcohol fuelled nights out and meeting Price Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to discuss their work with the Heads Together mental health campaign.
Although she doesn’t see herself as such, I do think that Bryony is a mental health campaigner and advocate. I admired her honest and frank discussions about her ongoing battles and daily struggles, and I found her witty (if slightly annoying at times). I would have liked a deeper in depth look at the running aspect and the training for the marathon, although I understand there’s only so much you can write about going for a run. Also, more talk about her Mental Mates walks and the people she spoke to who also struggled with their mental health would have been greatly beneficial as it felt this is where the text really came to life. You can feel the passion in her words during these moments, that is sometimes missing in her louder, more over the top experiences.
A good message, that invokes the positive link between exercise and mental health while also trying to unlock the stigma around a socially taboo subject. It left me feeling hopeful and positive for the future.
Eat, Drink, Run is a sequel of sorts to Bryony’s first novel Mad Girl, which went into detail about her mental health struggles. This is a memoir of her time after this, with the continuing struggles with her mental health, her weight, and the benefits that running brought to finally silence her ‘black cloud’, affectionately known as Jareth. She talks candidly about her battles, alcohol fuelled nights out and meeting Price Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to discuss their work with the Heads Together mental health campaign.
Although she doesn’t see herself as such, I do think that Bryony is a mental health campaigner and advocate. I admired her honest and frank discussions about her ongoing battles and daily struggles, and I found her witty (if slightly annoying at times). I would have liked a deeper in depth look at the running aspect and the training for the marathon, although I understand there’s only so much you can write about going for a run. Also, more talk about her Mental Mates walks and the people she spoke to who also struggled with their mental health would have been greatly beneficial as it felt this is where the text really came to life. You can feel the passion in her words during these moments, that is sometimes missing in her louder, more over the top experiences.
A good message, that invokes the positive link between exercise and mental health while also trying to unlock the stigma around a socially taboo subject. It left me feeling hopeful and positive for the future.
March 17, 2019
Hold my bookmark - I'm going for a run!
January 9, 2019
Great new year read! Another writer bringing to the fore her personal struggles with mental health but with positivity and lots of humour. It’s funny, brutally honest and inspiring.
February 9, 2023
Not my usual read if I am honest but one of several books I picked up to help motivate me to run regularly. I knew nothing about Ms. Gordon but found myself laughing along the way. This is not a how to run book but a journey chronicled by someone who is also overweight and enjoys a pint or ten. I am going to seek out her books on mental health. Congrats on that marathon Bryony!
June 3, 2018
Listened via audible. Really enjoyed this, and a huge bonus because it is narrated by Bryony herself! Also huge bonus as it includes the Prince Harry podcasts! Night little surprise that I wasn’t expecting!
Only downside to this is that I wanted it to be longer! I felt it would have benefitted from more info about mental health and the charity of etc. It all just felt a bit rushed but I enjoyed it nevertheless
Only downside to this is that I wanted it to be longer! I felt it would have benefitted from more info about mental health and the charity of etc. It all just felt a bit rushed but I enjoyed it nevertheless
July 22, 2025
This is a super inspiring book!! All the way through it made me want to go out for a run!
Bryony shares an insight into her decades long struggle with mental health issues, such as OCD, depression and anxiety, and how she used running as a way to support herself through the dark times.
Bryony’s narrative is laugh out loud funny, but tackles such serious issues. She has done a fantastic job at raising the profile of mental health, and highlighting the importance of speaking out when you are struggling, but in a way that is almost lighthearted for the reader. Bryony details her journey from a non runner to running a marathon, which is just so inspiring, and emphasises the positive effect that running has had on her overall wellbeing.
I really enjoyed the ‘normalness’ of Bryony…she felt wholly representative of real people with real struggles and I massively related to and identified with a lot of the stuff that she explored and was saying. I also loved reading about her moments with Prince Harry!! 😅
Bryony shares an insight into her decades long struggle with mental health issues, such as OCD, depression and anxiety, and how she used running as a way to support herself through the dark times.
Bryony’s narrative is laugh out loud funny, but tackles such serious issues. She has done a fantastic job at raising the profile of mental health, and highlighting the importance of speaking out when you are struggling, but in a way that is almost lighthearted for the reader. Bryony details her journey from a non runner to running a marathon, which is just so inspiring, and emphasises the positive effect that running has had on her overall wellbeing.
I really enjoyed the ‘normalness’ of Bryony…she felt wholly representative of real people with real struggles and I massively related to and identified with a lot of the stuff that she explored and was saying. I also loved reading about her moments with Prince Harry!! 😅
October 12, 2019
Eat, Drink, Run: this is how I celebrated Global Mental Health Day 2019! I nearly devoured the book in one sitting--er sprint as the case may be. Her book Mad Girl was medication for my soul while I was abroad, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of her latest release. Eat, Drink, Run is a humor-infused real-life fairy tale--complete with princes and royals--about change, faith, and love.
“When people ask me now how I went from being someone who couldn’t run for a bus to someone who could do a marathon, my answer is that I didn’t. Nobody does. First I went from being someone who couldn’t run for a bus to someone who would jog very slowly for 15 to 20 minutes, then I went from being someone who could jog very slowly for 15 to 20 minutes to someone who spent an entire summer throwing up over themselves, and then I went from someone who spent an entire summer throwing up over themselves to someone who was packed off to a boot camp in Ibiza by a kindly editor who could see I might need some help. I used to think that change, when it happened, was a sudden thing, a volcanic eruption or an earthquake that shook everything up as it from nowhere. If I read enough lifestyle magazines and started enough fad diets, then all I had to do was lie back and wait for it to drop into my lap, in the form of my dream job or my ideal man or the perfect penthouse suite. Change, when it finally came, would be sudden, sharp, sweetie, a bolt from the blue that would make everything better. And in the meantime, I could just shuffle on through my life without actually…well, changing. In the dictionary, change is described as an act or process through which something becomes different, but in my mind I confused it for an act or process through which something becomes fixed.” And that makes all the difference.
While she denies believing in God “because if God existed there would be no war or famine or pestilence or OCD,” her memoir is rife with spiritual truths. She refers to these as “numinous...something spiritual, something divine, something that had the power to send shivers down your spine.” I was convicted and challenged by Prince Harry’s spiritual insights during his podcast interview with Bryony. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you can take up anything. Instead of giving up, giving up, giving up, how about take up, take up, take up? I know that with Lent people are always encouraged to give up things. I always think why don’t you take up something – whether it is going for a walk if you have time, or instead of taking the tube going for a walk along the river, that kind of stuff – I personally think that makes a huge difference.” Isn’t that the very intent of Lent? In Matthew 16:24, Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and TAKE UP his cross and follow me.” Jesus gave up His life, TAKING UP His cross, to not only save us from our sin but to make a way for us to have a relationship with Him! Through His sacrifice, we can live eternally ever after in heaven with our First Love.
I was also struck by the parallel between Bryony’s marathon coach Tim and the role of our spiritual coach the Holy Spirit in the marathon of life. “Tim arrives just before 7a.m. laden down with a huge backpack. He is my white night, my savior... ‘Everything you need for today, you put in here,’ Tim says, shoving the cavernous sack towards me. For a moment, I can’t quite believe what he is saying. I look at him in disbelief. ‘Yes, I’m going to run with this thing on my back so that you don’t have to worry about carrying stuff around.’ That numinous thing is here again, answering my prayers.” This is what the Holy Spirit does for us as Christians! He comes alongside us and beckons us “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28, 30). When we hit the wall and feel we have nothing left, when we are running on empty and repeat, “I can’t. I can’t.” The Holy Spirit stops us and takes our hand. He says, “Look at me” and stamps eternity on our eyelids. And He runs with us. Bryony goes on to express, “Seeing Harry, Edie and my mum and dad is just what I need. It gives me the kind of boost no isotonic gel could deliver – the unmistakable boost you get when someone you love wrap their arms around you and tells you how proud they are of you.” This is the Contemporary English Bryony Version (CEBV) of Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us!” I love that so much!
Bryony concludes with “The biggest lesson I have learned in all this in all of this: that sometimes -- most of the time, actually – the best thing to do is just be yourself. To accept your body, in your mind, and never ever be ashamed of it. To be fearlessly, unapologetically you.” For we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Eat, Drink, Run is a physically, mentally, and spiritually invigorating memoir for all participants of the human race.
“When people ask me now how I went from being someone who couldn’t run for a bus to someone who could do a marathon, my answer is that I didn’t. Nobody does. First I went from being someone who couldn’t run for a bus to someone who would jog very slowly for 15 to 20 minutes, then I went from being someone who could jog very slowly for 15 to 20 minutes to someone who spent an entire summer throwing up over themselves, and then I went from someone who spent an entire summer throwing up over themselves to someone who was packed off to a boot camp in Ibiza by a kindly editor who could see I might need some help. I used to think that change, when it happened, was a sudden thing, a volcanic eruption or an earthquake that shook everything up as it from nowhere. If I read enough lifestyle magazines and started enough fad diets, then all I had to do was lie back and wait for it to drop into my lap, in the form of my dream job or my ideal man or the perfect penthouse suite. Change, when it finally came, would be sudden, sharp, sweetie, a bolt from the blue that would make everything better. And in the meantime, I could just shuffle on through my life without actually…well, changing. In the dictionary, change is described as an act or process through which something becomes different, but in my mind I confused it for an act or process through which something becomes fixed.” And that makes all the difference.
While she denies believing in God “because if God existed there would be no war or famine or pestilence or OCD,” her memoir is rife with spiritual truths. She refers to these as “numinous...something spiritual, something divine, something that had the power to send shivers down your spine.” I was convicted and challenged by Prince Harry’s spiritual insights during his podcast interview with Bryony. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you can take up anything. Instead of giving up, giving up, giving up, how about take up, take up, take up? I know that with Lent people are always encouraged to give up things. I always think why don’t you take up something – whether it is going for a walk if you have time, or instead of taking the tube going for a walk along the river, that kind of stuff – I personally think that makes a huge difference.” Isn’t that the very intent of Lent? In Matthew 16:24, Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and TAKE UP his cross and follow me.” Jesus gave up His life, TAKING UP His cross, to not only save us from our sin but to make a way for us to have a relationship with Him! Through His sacrifice, we can live eternally ever after in heaven with our First Love.
I was also struck by the parallel between Bryony’s marathon coach Tim and the role of our spiritual coach the Holy Spirit in the marathon of life. “Tim arrives just before 7a.m. laden down with a huge backpack. He is my white night, my savior... ‘Everything you need for today, you put in here,’ Tim says, shoving the cavernous sack towards me. For a moment, I can’t quite believe what he is saying. I look at him in disbelief. ‘Yes, I’m going to run with this thing on my back so that you don’t have to worry about carrying stuff around.’ That numinous thing is here again, answering my prayers.” This is what the Holy Spirit does for us as Christians! He comes alongside us and beckons us “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28, 30). When we hit the wall and feel we have nothing left, when we are running on empty and repeat, “I can’t. I can’t.” The Holy Spirit stops us and takes our hand. He says, “Look at me” and stamps eternity on our eyelids. And He runs with us. Bryony goes on to express, “Seeing Harry, Edie and my mum and dad is just what I need. It gives me the kind of boost no isotonic gel could deliver – the unmistakable boost you get when someone you love wrap their arms around you and tells you how proud they are of you.” This is the Contemporary English Bryony Version (CEBV) of Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us!” I love that so much!
Bryony concludes with “The biggest lesson I have learned in all this in all of this: that sometimes -- most of the time, actually – the best thing to do is just be yourself. To accept your body, in your mind, and never ever be ashamed of it. To be fearlessly, unapologetically you.” For we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Eat, Drink, Run is a physically, mentally, and spiritually invigorating memoir for all participants of the human race.
November 10, 2019
spoiler, quote from ending at bottom :D
An absolutely amazing read. In the end reading about Bryony's journey to running and her time with Prince Harry, just had me in tears.
I, myself have fought to be normal and think I need to do things normal people do, but some days my mind and body just can't do it and that's what I need to stop fighting and just do what helps me. Running helps me but I feel the need to do a 5k everyday when in reality some days 1k is only possible if I can get my shoes on. Reading Bryony's journey has been just the tonic I need. Even if you're not running to look after your mental/physical health I recommend you read it.
I love the quote at the end.
'I burst into tears again, and realise the biggest lesson I have learnt in all of this: that sometimes - most of the time, actually - the best thing to do is just be yourself. To accept your body, and your mind, and never ever be ashamed of it. To be fearlessly, unapologectically you.'
A powerful way to end the book and something I'm trying to learn myself. So thank you Bryony for writing this book.
An absolutely amazing read. In the end reading about Bryony's journey to running and her time with Prince Harry, just had me in tears.
I, myself have fought to be normal and think I need to do things normal people do, but some days my mind and body just can't do it and that's what I need to stop fighting and just do what helps me. Running helps me but I feel the need to do a 5k everyday when in reality some days 1k is only possible if I can get my shoes on. Reading Bryony's journey has been just the tonic I need. Even if you're not running to look after your mental/physical health I recommend you read it.
I love the quote at the end.
'I burst into tears again, and realise the biggest lesson I have learnt in all of this: that sometimes - most of the time, actually - the best thing to do is just be yourself. To accept your body, and your mind, and never ever be ashamed of it. To be fearlessly, unapologectically you.'
A powerful way to end the book and something I'm trying to learn myself. So thank you Bryony for writing this book.
January 23, 2019
I highly recommend this book for anyone struggling with their mental health it offers a simple thing that will help clear your mind so much and completely empowers you to be able to do it. I've now set running goals for 2019 and feel really positive!
August 12, 2018
Inspiring
February 1, 2019
Literally the best book I have read in a long time! Bryony has inspired me no end!
September 3, 2020
This book was kind of a whirlwind to read which suited the story and the personality of the author in my opinion. It had a authentic feel to it and I could see myself jogging along side her. Hilarious how she describes situations (good and bad) that happen to her and I enjoyed how she blurt out things on her mind. The book seems to develop itself like her mental state in terms of a storm at the beginning and a light breeze at the end. It is clear that things are moving up for the author but it is a good thing that it is not portrayed as 'happily ever after' because mental health and the downsizes can rear it's ugly heads when least expected. It gives a clear picture of mental health and offers advice on how to cope with it. The interview transcript with Prince Harry was refreshing to read. This book advocates mental health in all it's facets and I can only hope that more and more people start coming out and get the help they need and deserve.
July 10, 2021
I just loved Mad Girl, and was really keen to read more by Gordon. This book didn’t disappoint, and as a runner myself I had an extra interest in this one. As someone who never thought she would be able to run a marathon herself, I could fully relate to the struggles Gordon discusses during her training. It turns out we both ran London in the same year so it really struck a chord with me.
Managing my mental health through running has been invaluable over the last few years. To see Gordon gradually come to the same realisation over the course of this book is just wonderful. I completely and wholeheartedly agree that exercise and speaking out are key components to managing your own mental health.
However this book is not only for runners! It is humorously written and so easy to read. A book I could relate to on so many levels. I really enjoyed it and urge you to pick it up. It may just give you that little boost of motivation you need.
Managing my mental health through running has been invaluable over the last few years. To see Gordon gradually come to the same realisation over the course of this book is just wonderful. I completely and wholeheartedly agree that exercise and speaking out are key components to managing your own mental health.
However this book is not only for runners! It is humorously written and so easy to read. A book I could relate to on so many levels. I really enjoyed it and urge you to pick it up. It may just give you that little boost of motivation you need.
October 5, 2021
This book was a light switch for me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A big F#@k you to Mental Health!!
As a sufferer of anxiety, panic attacks and that self doubt voice in my own head. Checking my goodreads and i have not read a book since June, which is not like me, the past 4/5months i've lost my attention and concentration not only for reading but everything i enjoy in life.
I discovered Bryony Gordon this past week while signed off work due to my mental health and Bryony and Eat, Drink, Run has brought back a little focus and determination in me that i lost.
I laughed, cried and cheered my way through the story living the moments with Bryony.
The final sentence in the book. -
The biggest lesson i have learnt in all of this: that sometimes - most of the time, actually - the best thing to do is just be yourself. To accept your body, and your mind, and never ever be ashamed of it. To be fearlessly, unapologetically you.
❤
A big F#@k you to Mental Health!!
As a sufferer of anxiety, panic attacks and that self doubt voice in my own head. Checking my goodreads and i have not read a book since June, which is not like me, the past 4/5months i've lost my attention and concentration not only for reading but everything i enjoy in life.
I discovered Bryony Gordon this past week while signed off work due to my mental health and Bryony and Eat, Drink, Run has brought back a little focus and determination in me that i lost.
I laughed, cried and cheered my way through the story living the moments with Bryony.
The final sentence in the book. -
The biggest lesson i have learnt in all of this: that sometimes - most of the time, actually - the best thing to do is just be yourself. To accept your body, and your mind, and never ever be ashamed of it. To be fearlessly, unapologetically you.
❤
September 2, 2018
Gordon has lived with mental health issues for most of her life. Her previous memoirs talk openly about her severe depression, anxiety and OCD. In this book, she discusses how she decided to try running as a way of combating her illness and accidentally signed up to do the London Marathon at a mental health groups event hosted by younger members of the Royal Family. Gordon has a haphazard style of writing that gives an idea of what it must be like to spend time with her but this is an important book that will help people with mental health issues.
April 29, 2024
Putting one foot in front of the other and taking everything in her stride. I learnt the importance of showing up as yourself on start line.
August 15, 2019
Amazing book. Burst into tears reading about Bryony running the London marathon, really brought back my emotions from running it this year. Runner or not Everyone should read this book!
January 23, 2025
If Bridget Jones ran a marathon this would be her book. Fabulous
January 11, 2023
DNF @ 27%, by which point the author had been for one half hearted run and banged on about her mental health ad infinitum. Doesn't do what it says on the cover.
April 24, 2019
An easy book but above all funny, inspiring, emotional in the end, relatable at least to me cause it is a genuine story, relevant to current age problems, important message and sort of a help book. It helped me realise that so many people struggle with mental health issues and it is not easy to fight but they can and if they are doing some fighting then it is so very commendable and I get it. I don't see any reason why not read it!
May 28, 2018
[Review originally posted on my book blog, linked in my profile.]
I read Mad Girl, Bryony Gordon's previous book, in the autumn. To say I enjoyed it is not quite the right sentiment; it's mostly not a happy book, as it documents Bryony's life living with OCD and the frequent lows that the condition brought her to. It was a very moving book that had a lot of effect on me, though, so I was very interested to see what direction her next book would take. While I enjoyed Eat, Drink, Run., it's a very different book to Mad Girl. The book begins by setting up how she decided to run the London Marathon in the first place. It talks a bit about her OCD and how that led to her setting up a support group, beginning to write a lot more about her mental health in her Telegraph column and working on writing Mad Girl itself. She's invited to an event about mental health hosted by Price William, Princess Catherine and Prince Harry, where one thing leads to another and she tells them she'll run the marathon.
While it's just as readable as her previous book, there were places where I felt like Eat, Drink, Run. was an extended column. There are a lot of anecdotes that, while funny, don't necessarily tie in to the rest of the book very well. That aside, it manages to be a very entertaining book while looking at the serious subject of mental health, and how we can all tackle something big by taking it in small steps. It doesn't focus much on Bryony's particular marathon training plan (except to say that for a while there really wasn't one). You get a general picture of how training is progress, but it's more of a background, framing how the increased exercise is changing her habits for the better, and how the journey to running the marathon lead to her crossing paths with the royals on several occasions.
The book is light, entertaining and inspiring, while still drawing attention to what it can be like to live with a variety of mental health problems and how we can do better to help people living with them. It's a very accessible book for those who want to learn a little bit more about OCD without getting into something too emotional or draining, and I think that's who I'd most recommend this book to. If you've enjoyed reading Bryony's columns, but didn't feel like Mad Girl was right for you, I'd suggest picking up Eat, Drink, Run. I'd still very much recommend it to people who did enjoy her other books, but just caution that it is quite different from Mad Girl. Overall, I'm giving Eat, Drink, Run. 7 out of 10.
I read Mad Girl, Bryony Gordon's previous book, in the autumn. To say I enjoyed it is not quite the right sentiment; it's mostly not a happy book, as it documents Bryony's life living with OCD and the frequent lows that the condition brought her to. It was a very moving book that had a lot of effect on me, though, so I was very interested to see what direction her next book would take. While I enjoyed Eat, Drink, Run., it's a very different book to Mad Girl. The book begins by setting up how she decided to run the London Marathon in the first place. It talks a bit about her OCD and how that led to her setting up a support group, beginning to write a lot more about her mental health in her Telegraph column and working on writing Mad Girl itself. She's invited to an event about mental health hosted by Price William, Princess Catherine and Prince Harry, where one thing leads to another and she tells them she'll run the marathon.
While it's just as readable as her previous book, there were places where I felt like Eat, Drink, Run. was an extended column. There are a lot of anecdotes that, while funny, don't necessarily tie in to the rest of the book very well. That aside, it manages to be a very entertaining book while looking at the serious subject of mental health, and how we can all tackle something big by taking it in small steps. It doesn't focus much on Bryony's particular marathon training plan (except to say that for a while there really wasn't one). You get a general picture of how training is progress, but it's more of a background, framing how the increased exercise is changing her habits for the better, and how the journey to running the marathon lead to her crossing paths with the royals on several occasions.
The book is light, entertaining and inspiring, while still drawing attention to what it can be like to live with a variety of mental health problems and how we can do better to help people living with them. It's a very accessible book for those who want to learn a little bit more about OCD without getting into something too emotional or draining, and I think that's who I'd most recommend this book to. If you've enjoyed reading Bryony's columns, but didn't feel like Mad Girl was right for you, I'd suggest picking up Eat, Drink, Run. I'd still very much recommend it to people who did enjoy her other books, but just caution that it is quite different from Mad Girl. Overall, I'm giving Eat, Drink, Run. 7 out of 10.
July 14, 2018
If you have ever suffered the effects of mental ill health, this book is a candid, honest read that shares the difficulties that any ordinary person can face in life when faced with mental health issues. It also gives strength to those wanting to achieve something they believe they can’t. Here Briony talks about her preparations to run the marathon but that could clearly be replaced by anything you’d like to give a go at. That said, I found the writing style a little irritating at times and a little angry. Its structure reminded me very much of an 11 year old’s style as they are preparing for their SATs... so I did give up 2/3 of the way in as the ending was going to be obvious and the rest of the book a little too predictable.
June 12, 2018
The bestselling author, Bryony Gordon, on her first marathon (raising funds for 'Heads Together,' Prince William & Harry's Charity): 'I keep saying this is going to be really, really hard. Really tough! But it can be no tougher than the days when you have the crushing weight of depression on your chest, and you can't move at all.'
I'm glad this book exists. If you or anyone you know has struggled with OCD, debilitating anxiety and/or depression, you might be too.
I'm glad this book exists. If you or anyone you know has struggled with OCD, debilitating anxiety and/or depression, you might be too.
October 30, 2018
Well, blow me down, I loved this. Listened almost constantly over a couple of days.
I love and admire her honesty about her highs and significant lows. Some shameless Prince Harry name dropping but entirely deserved and appropriate - just adds to the importance of her message about "It's ok not to be ok". Her achievement both with her marathon training and her Mental Health Mates Groups is inspirational.
Go on Bryony, you did it and you can do it again.
I love and admire her honesty about her highs and significant lows. Some shameless Prince Harry name dropping but entirely deserved and appropriate - just adds to the importance of her message about "It's ok not to be ok". Her achievement both with her marathon training and her Mental Health Mates Groups is inspirational.
Go on Bryony, you did it and you can do it again.
December 11, 2018
Fantastic read. Bryony writes about the struggle with anxiety and depression so perfectly. Reading this has changed my approach to fitness and running and I would recommend to anyone who is or knows someone living with their very own ‘Jareth’
September 5, 2022
Think it's the fourth time I've read this now and it always gives me the inspo to run.
Full review and how this book has genuinely helped change my life here...
https://jeffersonbookshelf.co.uk/2022...
Full review and how this book has genuinely helped change my life here...
https://jeffersonbookshelf.co.uk/2022...
May 8, 2022
Absolutely brilliant not my usual reading material, but could relate to everything in this book and bryony
May 5, 2019
Having inhaled Gordon’s previous two books, it didn’t take me long to sprint through her third, and I’d recommend perhaps going back to her previous tomes, but it may not be necessary in this case. I adore her madcap (British humoured) style of writing, hence why it didn’t take me too long to finish.
As kids, we do PE / Sport in school or outside of school, myself included - I used to swim for four hours a week at one point. It was definitely two hours of brain off mode at the time, I loved being in the water, had a six pack, long since gone and still mourn for a little. I stopped swimming however, around the age of 15-16, my mother putting her foot down for me to concentrate on my GCSEs, which actually didn't happen, I underperformed in almost all my subjects. I was dealing with my own teenage issues, and perhaps continuing with the swimming would have helped - in retrospect.
As we get older, life and responsibilities catch up with us and we become more sedentary, and whatever dramas we had as children or indeed teenagers seem to multiply. I know mine did. Having had a few mental health struggles, I never would have thought that doing exercise would indeed be the possible magic wand to solve them.
I'm lucky enough to work in a school where my students have one lesson of PE every day, and if there's any advice I'd give them in the future, it would be to find a form of exercise that they enjoy and ultimately works for them. In my case, it will never be football or rugby. For me, it would be getting back into the water and becoming the imaginary frog, dolphin or merman that I did when I was younger.
Gordon reminds us that in order for us to be healthy and indeed happier, the thing we need to do is get off the sofa and move.
Simply put, I loved it.
As kids, we do PE / Sport in school or outside of school, myself included - I used to swim for four hours a week at one point. It was definitely two hours of brain off mode at the time, I loved being in the water, had a six pack, long since gone and still mourn for a little. I stopped swimming however, around the age of 15-16, my mother putting her foot down for me to concentrate on my GCSEs, which actually didn't happen, I underperformed in almost all my subjects. I was dealing with my own teenage issues, and perhaps continuing with the swimming would have helped - in retrospect.
As we get older, life and responsibilities catch up with us and we become more sedentary, and whatever dramas we had as children or indeed teenagers seem to multiply. I know mine did. Having had a few mental health struggles, I never would have thought that doing exercise would indeed be the possible magic wand to solve them.
I'm lucky enough to work in a school where my students have one lesson of PE every day, and if there's any advice I'd give them in the future, it would be to find a form of exercise that they enjoy and ultimately works for them. In my case, it will never be football or rugby. For me, it would be getting back into the water and becoming the imaginary frog, dolphin or merman that I did when I was younger.
Gordon reminds us that in order for us to be healthy and indeed happier, the thing we need to do is get off the sofa and move.
Simply put, I loved it.
January 28, 2023
Bryony writes excellently about mental health and she has an amazing ability to be able to put in to words exactly what it feels like to be suffering from OCD and depression. I purchased this book a while ago when it was on a 99p daily deal but I put off reading it as I was concerned it would be like many of the other exercise biographies on the market which end up leaving you feeling like the author is smug and that you are just lazy. This book isn't one of them.
Bryony isn't your average runner, she smokes and drinks for a start and falls in to signing herself up for the London Marathon 2017 as a result of a meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to discuss mental health and the launch of Heads Together their mental health charity. The book charts Bryony's journey to running the marathon and covers her achievements and setbacks along the way. This results in a really uplifting book, you never feel Bryony is being smug, instead you feel she is cheering you on.
I've followed Bryony on Instagram for a while and was aware of her work with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry but I was unaware about how that had come about and the sections on the book which covered this were very interesting particularly the transcription of Prince Harry's podcast interview with Bryony. His discussion on his own mental health is obviously topical in the light of the recent publication of his own book.
I really enjoy Bryony's writing style and this book was no exception, she writes in a really friendly, conversational and accessible way. This is a highly recommended read for anyone who wants a little encouragement to start their own exercise regime.
Bryony isn't your average runner, she smokes and drinks for a start and falls in to signing herself up for the London Marathon 2017 as a result of a meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to discuss mental health and the launch of Heads Together their mental health charity. The book charts Bryony's journey to running the marathon and covers her achievements and setbacks along the way. This results in a really uplifting book, you never feel Bryony is being smug, instead you feel she is cheering you on.
I've followed Bryony on Instagram for a while and was aware of her work with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry but I was unaware about how that had come about and the sections on the book which covered this were very interesting particularly the transcription of Prince Harry's podcast interview with Bryony. His discussion on his own mental health is obviously topical in the light of the recent publication of his own book.
I really enjoy Bryony's writing style and this book was no exception, she writes in a really friendly, conversational and accessible way. This is a highly recommended read for anyone who wants a little encouragement to start their own exercise regime.
May 12, 2024
I can’t imagine having the guts to sign up for any marathon, let alone the iconic London Marathon. But Bryony Gordon did, possibly not a fully thought through decision as she declared it to our future king. Through Eat, Drink, Run Gordon documents the run up to the marathon in April 2017, the support she gets, her injuries, the warts and all.
On top of that, Gordon continues her push to make the discussion around mental health struggles to become less of a taboo subject. As well as her column, she started to create a podcast to have frank interviews with a variety of individuals. I loved the interview Gordon managed to wangle with Prince Harry. She had the balls to ask the unthinkable and got what she wanted. And the transcript of the interview made for interesting reading given Hazza’s (Gordon’s affectionate name for the Prince) position in the world. It’s made me want to listen to Gordon’s podcast Mad World starting with that episode.
Bryony Gordon is an inspiration to me. Every time I’ve been wanting to give up on a run and walk home, she pops in my head. She reminds me that she ran a marathon around London so I can manage my helluvalot shorter run around my locale.
Gordon’s writing is brutally honest but it’s very her. I follow her on Insta and her videos are from the heart. Eat Drink Run is no different, she’s honest about her feelings towards setbacks, she’s honest about not always feeling motivated, the shock of the cost of decent running gear (it is expensive), the whole process. As long as Gordon keeps writing her down to earth frank books, I’ll keep reading them.
On top of that, Gordon continues her push to make the discussion around mental health struggles to become less of a taboo subject. As well as her column, she started to create a podcast to have frank interviews with a variety of individuals. I loved the interview Gordon managed to wangle with Prince Harry. She had the balls to ask the unthinkable and got what she wanted. And the transcript of the interview made for interesting reading given Hazza’s (Gordon’s affectionate name for the Prince) position in the world. It’s made me want to listen to Gordon’s podcast Mad World starting with that episode.
Bryony Gordon is an inspiration to me. Every time I’ve been wanting to give up on a run and walk home, she pops in my head. She reminds me that she ran a marathon around London so I can manage my helluvalot shorter run around my locale.
Gordon’s writing is brutally honest but it’s very her. I follow her on Insta and her videos are from the heart. Eat Drink Run is no different, she’s honest about her feelings towards setbacks, she’s honest about not always feeling motivated, the shock of the cost of decent running gear (it is expensive), the whole process. As long as Gordon keeps writing her down to earth frank books, I’ll keep reading them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews