Born to Run
Score Modern
What it's about
It began with a simple question: why does my foot hurt? Christopher McDougall's search for an answer leads him to Mexico's Copper Canyons and the Tarahumara, a tribe of some of the greatest distance runners in the world, and to a 50-mile race through the canyons against some of America's best ultrarunners. Along the way, he argues that humans were born to run.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 130 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists and sparked a running boom, including the barefoot-running craze. It's an adventure story full of extraordinary characters.
You'll love it if you liked
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster, The Boys in the Boat or Into the Wild
Good to know
Some of its claims about running form and shoes are debated. You don't need to be a runner to enjoy it.
Quick answers
Is Born to Run worth reading?
Yes. It spent 130 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists and sparked a running boom, including the barefoot-running craze. It ranks #279 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Born to Run about?
It began with a simple question: why does my foot hurt? Christopher McDougall's search for an answer leads him to Mexico's Copper Canyons and the Tarahumara, a tribe of some of the greatest distance runners in the world, and to a 50-mile race through the canyons against some of America's best ultrarunners. Along the way, he argues that humans were born to run.
How long does it take to read Born to Run?
About 8 hours (304 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Born to Run?
If you liked it, try Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown or Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.
By the numbers
- Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller68 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
130 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2009.
Where it ranks
- #53 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #144 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #279 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- 130 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2009
Reads as
True story
