Robert Earl Stewart has this in common with me: he jogs, rather than runs, and running has played a central role in his life. “The Running-Shaped Hole” is his half-decade story of embracing running as a last ditch effort to escape a downward spiral of morbid obesity and morbid depression. Like me, he is ultra slow; like me, he finds purpose in his running quest; unlike me, he seems to have amazing willpower to aspire within a few years to run a half-marathon despite still being heavy. Using a conversational, confessional style, the author weaves an intricate story of his life with a wonderful family as he steps away from the brink of self-destruction, a story replete with tales of running’s pleasures and woes. Sporty readers or those pondering what jogging is like will find The Running-Shaped Hole a useful, entertaining read.
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