The Memory of Running

The Memory of Running earns a 3. (I explained my book ratings in February.) It is easy to care about Smithy Ide, the protagonist of the novel, as he's an aging, overweight alcoholic with a disappearing demented sister and distraught parents. It's no wonder the poor chap jumps on his bike and heads out of town. I longed for the same escape. With deftly crafted minor characters and a storyline that shifts from past to present, McLarty writes the tale of a man on a quest to self. This nonlinear approach to storytelling is intriguing because it only allows for tidbits of information to be released during each chapter, the rest is left to conjecture. That being said, the novel flows well and covers a number of relevant issues - war, homosexuality, familial obligations, physical and mental well-being, temptation, and romantic love. My only criticism is that McLarty has his main character traveling from Rhode Island to California on his bike (most of the time) subsisting mainly on bananas, apples, and tuna sandwiches, of which he seems to eat infrequently. It's been my experience that when you're traveling 50+ miles a day by bike, you need two to three breaks during the ride itself to refuel, not to mention the meal eaten once you are done for the day to replenish what you've burned. But I'm not Lance Armstrong, maybe this is the preferred method of bicyclists?