Picture 1 of 1
Stock photo
Picture 1 of 1
Stock photo
Spirit Run : A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land by Noe Alvarez (2020, Hardcover)
Jaro_Supply (39524)
98.5% positive feedback
Price:
$16.01
Free shipping
Returns:
30 days returns. Buyer pays for return shipping. If you use an eBay shipping label, it will be deducted from your refund amount.
Condition:
Authors : Alvarez, Noe. Amazon Subcategory : Running & Jogging (Books). List Price (MSRP) : 26.00. Binding : hardcover.
- Buy It NowSpirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land, Alvarez,
Oops! Looks like we're having trouble connecting to our server.
Refresh your browser window to try again.
About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherCATAPULT
ISBN-101948226464
ISBN-139781948226462
eBay Product ID (ePID)21038624652
Product Key Features
Book TitleSpirit Run : a 6000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land
Number of Pages240 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicIndigenous Studies, Ethnic Studies / Native American Studies, Running & Jogging, Sports
Publication Year2020
GenreSports & Recreation, Social Science, Biography & Autobiography
AuthorNoë Alvarez
FormatHardcover
Dimensions
Item Height0.9 in
Item Weight14.3 Oz
Item Length8.5 in
Item Width5.8 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN2019-944451
ReviewsPraise for Spirit Run A New York Times Book Review Editors'' Choice Library Journal , A 2020 Title to Watch Smithsonian Magazine , 1 of 10 New Travel Books to Read when You''re Stuck at Home An Amazon Book Review Best Book of the Year "Lyrical . . . Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America''s Stolen Land --part travelogue, part traditional memoir--comes face to face with the many strands of [Álvarez''s] inheritance, revisiting Carver territory while treading a new path . . . The story of the striving, first-generation kid made good is a familiar one; Álvarez makes his ache." --Danielle Jackson, The New York Times Book Review "Álvarez has established himself as an important voice for second-generation Americans who too often are made to feel as if they are outsiders in their native country. His story represents a powerful reclaiming of his right to belong." --Christie Aschwanden, The Washington Post "Emotional . . . The book chronicles not only that epic run in 2004 but also the background of the author and his immigrant parents." --Rich Tenorio, The Guardian "A beautiful read." --Ari Shapiro, All Things Considered , NPR "A gorgeous rendering of both the physical challenges involved in running 6,000 miles as well as the different kinds of landscapes Álvarez and the PDJ crew traversed." --Alejandra Oliva, Remezcla "Alvarez''s decision to discover his roots and learn how he could make a difference in issues that mattered took real courage. It was a resolution that passes from his mind to his feet as he pushes through thirst, hunger, animal encounters, hostile townspeople and disputes among exhausted running mates. Through participating in Ceremonial Circles, he becomes part of each culture he journeys through, of each landscape he explores." -- Laura Clark, American Trail Running Association " Spirit Run is a narrative deeply rooted in the body, both as a singular organism and a part of humanity''s whole. It ambitiously conveys how complex the relationship between body, land, spirit and groups of people can be . . . [A] fascinating memoir of a very specific attempt to practice justice and connection." -- Sarah Neilson, The Seattle Times "[Álvarez''s] memoir Spirit Run recounts how a grueling ultramarathon offered a powerful spiritual reckoning with his ancestors, the land and himself . . . A beautiful amalgamation of Álvarez''s part in the PDJ run from the brutal toll it took on his knees, the bonds he forged with other runners (and the arguments that arose), his run-in with a mountain lion--all while harkening back to poignant passages of his parents'' migration story, with thematic connections to the run''s ever-shifting spiritual focus." -- Katherine Ouellette, WBUR''s The ARTery "This memoir tells the incredible story of a young working-class man in agricultural Washington state who achieves a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious private school and gives it up to join indigenous runners on a trek from Alaska to Argentina . . . Álvarez''s writing is vibrant and immediate." -- Wendy J. Fox, BuzzFeed "Yakima native Álvarez debuts with a spellbinding narrative of his coming to terms with his place in America today . . . In electric prose, Álvarez writes of returning home and forging a new connection with the land and its communities . . . This literary tour de force beautifully combines outdoor adventure with a sharp take on immigration." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya, Praise for Spirit Run This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya, Praise for Spirit Run Library Journal , A 2020 Title to Watch Remezcla , 1 of 15 Books by Latino and Latin American Authors to Add to Your Reading List This Year "Yakima native Álvarez debuts with a spellbinding narrative of his coming to terms with his place in America today . . . In electric prose, Álvarez writes of returning home and forging a new connection with the land and its communities . . . This literary tour de force beautifully combines outdoor adventure with a sharp take on immigration." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A swift-moving lope across the continent . . . A thoughtful first book that should inspire others to lace up their running shoes and get moving." -- Kirkus Reviews "When the son of two Mexican immigrants hears about the Peace and Dignity Journeys--'epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America'--he's compelled enough to drop out of college and sign up for one. Spirit Run is Noé Álvarez's account of the four months he spends trekking from Canada to Guatemala alongside Native Americans representing nine tribes, all of whom are seeking brighter futures through running, self-exploration, and renewed relationships with the land they've traversed." -- Becky Wade, Runner's World , One of the New Running Books of the Year "This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya "Noé Álvarez's words beat with the pulse of our hemisphere. Through them, we encounter Mexican, Indigenous, and migrant stories that are distinctly, defiantly American. Spirit Run is an anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them." -- Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River "Like all the best running books, Spirit Run is about much more than clocking up the miles. Álvarez's journey honors the migration story of his parents and the arduous crossings made by so many other Americans. Spirit Run is a stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas." -- Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run " Spirit Run is a remarkable book. In gentle, minimalist, profound prose, Noé Álvarez writes about his once-undocumented parents before going on to run thousands of miles with Indigenous people. He finds his own magic." -- Douglas Whynott, author of The Sugar Season "'I know now that every bit of earth contains the sacredness of another person's existence,' says Noé Álvarez in this riveting debut memoir, which ruminates on the relationship of the body to the landscape and what it means to call a place home. This account of a run is also a journey into the mind that, after incredible tests of endurance and faith, blurs the distinction between running and prayer. Spirit Run offers a distinct vision of the risks we must take to attain a life worth living." -- Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Cenzontle, Praise for Spirit Run "A swift-moving lope across the continent . . . A thoughtful first book that should inspire others to lace up their running shoes and get moving." -- Kirkus Reviews "When the son of two Mexican immigrants hears about the Peace and Dignity Journeys--'epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America'--he's compelled enough to drop out of college and sign up for one. Spirit Run is Noé Álvarez's account of the four months he spends trekking from Canada to Guatemala alongside Native Americans representing nine tribes, all of whom are seeking brighter futures through running, self-exploration, and renewed relationships with the land they've traversed." -- Becky Wade, Runner's World , One of the New Running Books of the Year "This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya "Noé Álvarez's words beat with the pulse of our hemisphere. Through them, we encounter Mexican, Indigenous, and migrant stories that are distinctly, defiantly American. Spirit Run is an anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them." -- Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River "Like all the best running books, Spirit Run is about much more than clocking up the miles. Álvarez's journey honors the migration story of his parents and the arduous crossings made by so many other Americans. Spirit Run is a stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas." -- Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run " Spirit Run is a remarkable book. In gentle, minimalist, profound prose, Noé Álvarez writes about his once-undocumented parents before going on to run thousands of miles with Indigenous people. He finds his own magic." -- Douglas Whynott, author of The Sugar Season "'I know now that every bit of earth contains the sacredness of another person's existence,' says Noé Álvarez in this riveting debut memoir, which ruminates on the relationship of the body to the landscape and what it means to call a place home. This account of a run is also a journey into the mind that, after incredible tests of endurance and faith, blurs the distinction between running and prayer. Spirit Run offers a distinct vision of the risks we must take to attain a life worth living." -- Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Cenzontle, Praise for Spirit Run "A swift-moving lope across the continent . . . A thoughtful first book that should inspire others to lace up their running shoes and get moving." -- Kirkus Reviews "This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya "Noé Álvarez's words beat with the pulse of our hemisphere. Through them, we encounter Mexican, Indigenous, and migrant stories that are distinctly, defiantly American. Spirit Run is an anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them." -- Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River "Like all the best running books, Spirit Run is about much more than clocking up the miles. Álvarez's journey honors the migration story of his parents and the arduous crossings made by so many other Americans. Spirit Run is a stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas." -- Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run " Spirit Run is a remarkable book. In gentle, minimalist, profound prose, Noé Álvarez writes about his once-undocumented parents before going on to run thousands of miles with Indigenous people. He finds his own magic." -- Douglas Whynott, author of The Sugar Season "'I know now that every bit of earth contains the sacredness of another person's existence,' says Noé Álvarez in this riveting debut memoir, which ruminates on the relationship of the body to the landscape and what it means to call a place home. This account of a run is also a journey into the mind that, after incredible tests of endurance and faith, blurs the distinction between running and prayer. Spirit Run offers a distinct vision of the risks we must take to attain a life worth living." -- Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Cenzontle, Praise for Spirit Run "This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya "Noé Álvarez's words beat with the pulse of our hemisphere. Through them, we encounter Mexican, Indigenous, and migrant stories that are distinctly, defiantly American. Spirit Run is an anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them." -- Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River "Like all the best running books, Spirit Run is about much more than clocking up the miles. Álvarez's journey honors the migration story of his parents and the arduous crossings made by so many other Americans. Spirit Run is a stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas." -- Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run " Spirit Run is a remarkable book. In gentle, minimalist, profound prose, Noé Álvarez writes about his once-undocumented parents before going on to run thousands of miles with Indigenous people. He finds his own magic." -- Douglas Whynott, author of The Sugar Season "'I know now that every bit of earth contains the sacredness of another person's existence,' says Noé Álvarez in this riveting debut memoir, which ruminates on the relationship of the body to the landscape and what it means to call a place home. This account of a run is also a journey into the mind that, after incredible tests of endurance and faith, blurs the distinction between running and prayer. Spirit Run offers a distinct vision of the risks we must take to attain a life worth living." -- Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Cenzontle, Praise for Spirit Run Library Journal , A 2020 Title to Watch Remezcla , 1 of 15 Books by Latino and Latin American Authors to Add to Your Reading List This Year "Yakima native Álvarez debuts with a spellbinding narrative of his coming to terms with his place in America today . . . In electric prose, Álvarez writes of returning home and forging a new connection with the land and its communities . . . This literary tour de force beautifully combines outdoor adventure with a sharp take on immigration." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A swift-moving lope across the continent . . . A thoughtful first book that should inspire others to lace up their running shoes and get moving." -- Kirkus Reviews "When the son of two Mexican immigrants hears about the Peace and Dignity Journeys--''epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America''--he''s compelled enough to drop out of college and sign up for one. Spirit Run is Noé Álvarez''s account of the four months he spends trekking from Canada to Guatemala alongside Native Americans representing nine tribes, all of whom are seeking brighter futures through running, self-exploration, and renewed relationships with the land they''ve traversed." -- Becky Wade, Runner''s World , One of the New Running Books of the Year "Álvarez maps not only the land but his own body; his own relationship to people, earth, and ancestry; and the perils of capitalist frameworks that shape our lives on this land. Spirit Run is a running book, a social and environmental justice book, an anti-capitalist book, and an epic journey book." -- Book Marks "This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya "Noé Álvarez''s words beat with the pulse of our hemisphere. Through them, we encounter Mexican, Indigenous, and migrant stories that are distinctly, defiantly American. Spirit Run is an anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them." -- Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River "Like all the best running books, Spirit Run is about much more than clocking up the miles. Álvarez''s journey honors the migration story of his parents and the arduous crossings made by so many other Americans. Spirit Run is a stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas." -- Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run " Spirit Run is a remarkable book. In gentle, minimalist, profound prose, Noé Álvarez writes about his once-undocumented parents before going on to run thousands of miles with Indigenous people. He finds his own magic." -- Douglas Whynott, author of The Sugar Season "''I know now that every bit of earth contains the sacredness of another person''s existence,'' says Noé Álvarez in this riveting debut memoir, which ruminates on the relationship of the body to the landscape and what it means to call a place home. This account of a run is also a journey into the mind that, after incredible tests of endurance and faith, blurs the distinction between running and prayer. Spirit Run offers a distinct vision of the risks we must take to attain a life worth living." -- Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Cenzontle, "A beautiful read." --Ari Shapiro, "All Things Considered," NPR "Lyrical . . . Part travelogue, part traditional memoir . . . The story of the striving, first-generation kid made good is a familiar one; Álvarez makes his ache." -- The New York Times Book Review "More than another tale of blistered feet and dehydration. It's about the immigrant experience, about the indigenous experience--and finding one's place as a witness when you're neither." -- Salon "A spellbinding narrative of his coming to terms with his place in America today . . . This literary tour de force beautifully combines outdoor adventure with a sharp take on immigration." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "This book is not like any other out there . . . A beautiful run." --Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The Devil's Highway, Praise for Spirit Run Library Journal , A 2020 Title to Watch "Yakima native Álvarez debuts with a spellbinding narrative of his coming to terms with his place in America today . . . In electric prose, Álvarez writes of returning home and forging a new connection with the land and its communities . . . This literary tour de force beautifully combines outdoor adventure with a sharp take on immigration." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A swift-moving lope across the continent . . . A thoughtful first book that should inspire others to lace up their running shoes and get moving." -- Kirkus Reviews "When the son of two Mexican immigrants hears about the Peace and Dignity Journeys--'epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America'--he's compelled enough to drop out of college and sign up for one. Spirit Run is Noé Álvarez's account of the four months he spends trekking from Canada to Guatemala alongside Native Americans representing nine tribes, all of whom are seeking brighter futures through running, self-exploration, and renewed relationships with the land they've traversed." -- Becky Wade, Runner's World , One of the New Running Books of the Year "This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." -- Luís Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya "Noé Álvarez's words beat with the pulse of our hemisphere. Through them, we encounter Mexican, Indigenous, and migrant stories that are distinctly, defiantly American. Spirit Run is an anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them." -- Francisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River "Like all the best running books, Spirit Run is about much more than clocking up the miles. Álvarez's journey honors the migration story of his parents and the arduous crossings made by so many other Americans. Spirit Run is a stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas." -- Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run " Spirit Run is a remarkable book. In gentle, minimalist, profound prose, Noé Álvarez writes about his once-undocumented parents before going on to run thousands of miles with Indigenous people. He finds his own magic." -- Douglas Whynott, author of The Sugar Season "'I know now that every bit of earth contains the sacredness of another person's existence,' says Noé Álvarez in this riveting debut memoir, which ruminates on the relationship of the body to the landscape and what it means to call a place home. This account of a run is also a journey into the mind that, after incredible tests of endurance and faith, blurs the distinction between running and prayer. Spirit Run offers a distinct vision of the risks we must take to attain a life worth living." -- Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Cenzontle, Praise for Spirit Run A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice Library Journal , A 2020 Title to Watch Smithsonian Magazine , 1 of 10 New Travel Books to Read when You're Stuck at Home "Lyrical . . . Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land --part travelogue, part traditional memoir--comes face to face with the many strands of [Álvarez's] inheritance, revisiting Carver territory while treading a new path . . . The story of the striving, first-generation kid made good is a familiar one; Álvarez makes his ache." --Danielle Jackson, The New York Times Book Review "Álvarez has established himself as an important voice for second-generation Americans who too often are made to feel as if they are outsiders in their native country. His story represents a powerful reclaiming of his right to belong." --Christie Aschwanden, The Washington Post "Emotional . . . The book chronicles not only that epic run in 2004 but also the background of the author and his immigrant parents." --Rich Tenorio, The Guardian "A beautiful read." --Ari Shapiro, All Things Considered , NPR "A gorgeous rendering of both the physical challenges involved in running 6,000 miles as well as the different kinds of landscapes Álvarez and the PDJ crew traversed." --Alejandra Oliva, Remezcla "Alvarez's decision to discover his roots and learn how he could make a difference in issues that mattered took real courage. It was a resolution that passes from his mind to his feet as he pushes through thirst, hunger, animal encounters, hostile townspeople and disputes among exhausted running mates. Through participating in Ceremonial Circles, he becomes part of each culture he journeys through, of each landscape he explores." -- Laura Clark, American Trail Running Association "[Álvarez's] memoir Spirit Run recounts how a grueling ultramarathon offered a powerful spiritual reckoning with his ancestors, the land and himself . . . A beautiful amalgamation of Álvarez's part in the PDJ run from the brutal toll it took on his knees, the bonds he forged with other runners (and the arguments that arose), his run-in with a mountain lion--all while harkening back to poignant passages of his parents' migration story, with thematic connections to the run's ever-shifting spiritual focus." -- Katherine Ouellette, WBUR's The ARTery "This memoir tells the incredible story of a young working-class man in agricultural Washington state who achieves a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious private school and gives it up to join indigenous runners on a trek from Alaska to Argentina . . . Álvarez's writing is vibrant and immediate." -- Wendy J. Fox, BuzzFeed "Yakima native Álvarez debuts with a spellbinding narrative of his coming to terms with his place in America today . . . In electric prose, Álvarez writes of returning home and forging a new connection with the land and its communities . . . This literary tour de force beautifully combines outdoor adventure with a sharp take on immigration." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya, Praise for Spirit Run " Spirit Run is the story of what brown bodies must do to reclaim identity and dignity. In language that puts us not only in the shoes but in the skin of the displaced, Álvarez takes back Raymond Carver country and tells an electric, kinetic, modern working-class story. So few books make me sweat and cry. Spirit Run has summoned breath and energy out of me." -- Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion and Malaya
SynopsisThe electrifying debut memoir of a son of working-class Mexican immigrants who fled a life of labor in fruit-packing plants to run in an Indigenous marathon from Canada to Guatemala, reimagining North America and his place in it Growing up in Yakima, Washington, No lvarez worked at an apple-packing plant alongside his mother, who "slouched over a conveyor belt of fruit, shoulder to shoulder with mothers conditioned to believe this was all they could do with their lives." A university scholarship offered escape, but as a first-generation Latino college-goer, lvarez struggled to fit in. At nineteen, he learned about a Native American/First Nations movement called the Peace and Dignity Journeys, epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America. He dropped out of school and joined a group of Den , Secw pemc, Gitxsan, Dakelh, Apache, Tohono O'odham, Seri, Pur pecha, and Maya runners, all fleeing difficult beginnings. Telling their stories alongside his own, lvarez writes about a four-month-long journey from Canada to Guatemala that pushed him to his limits. He writes not only of overcoming hunger, thirst, and fear--dangers included stone-throwing motorists and a mountain lion--but also of asserting Indigenous and working-class humanity in a capitalist society where oil extraction, deforestation, and substance abuse wreck communities. Running through mountains, deserts, and cities, and through the Mexican territory his parents left behind, lvarez forges a new relationship with the land, and with the act of running, carrying with him the knowledge of his parents' migration, and--against all odds in a society that exploits his body and rejects his spirit--the dream of a liberated future., For fans of Christopher McDougall's Born to Run , the electrifying debut memoir of a son of working-class Mexican immigrants who fled a life of labor in fruit-packing plants to run in a Native American marathon from Canada to Guatemala, challenging himself to reimagine North America and his place in it, In this New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, the son of working-class Mexican immigrants flees a life of labor in fruit-packing plants to run in a Native American marathon from Canada to Guatemala in this stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas (Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run ). Growing up in Yakima, Washington, Noe Alvarez worked at an apple-packing plant alongside his mother, who "slouched over a conveyor belt of fruit, shoulder to shoulder with mothers conditioned to believe this was all they could do with their lives." A university scholarship offered escape, but as a first-generation Latino college-goer, Alvarez struggled to fit in. At nineteen, he learned about a Native American/First Nations movement called the Peace and Dignity Journeys, epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America. He dropped out of school and joined a group of Dene, Secwepemc, Gitxsan, Dakelh, Apache, Tohono O'odham, Seri, Purepecha, and Maya runners, all fleeing difficult beginnings. Telling their stories alongside his own, Alvarez writes about a four-month-long journey from Canada to Guatemala that pushed him to his limits. He writes not only of overcoming hunger, thirst, and fear--dangers included stone-throwing motorists and a mountain lion--but also of asserting Indigenous and working-class humanity in a capitalist society where oil extraction, deforestation, and substance abuse wreck communities. Running through mountains, deserts, and cities, and through the Mexican territory his parents left behind, Alvarez forges a new relationship with the land, and with the act of running, carrying with him the knowledge of his parents' migration, and--against all odds in a society that exploits his body and rejects his spirit--the dream of a liberated future. This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run. --Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels When the son of two Mexican immigrants hears about the Peace and Dignity Journeys--'epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America'--he's compelled enough to drop out of college and sign up for one. Spirit Run is Noe Alvarez's account of the four months he spends trekking from Canada to Guatemala alongside Native Americans representing nine tribes, all of whom are seeking brighter futures through running, self-exploration, and renewed relationships with the land they've traversed. -- Runner's World , Best New Running Books of 2020 An anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them. --Francisco Cantu, author of The Line Becomes a River, In this New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, the son of working-class Mexican immigrants flees a life of labor in fruit-packing plants to run in a Native American marathon from Canada to Guatemala in this "stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas" (Catriona Menzies-Pike, author of The Long Run ). Growing up in Yakima, Washington, Noe Alvarez worked at an apple-packing plant alongside his mother, who "slouched over a conveyor belt of fruit, shoulder to shoulder with mothers conditioned to believe this was all they could do with their lives." A university scholarship offered escape, but as a first-generation Latino college-goer, Alvarez struggled to fit in. At nineteen, he learned about a Native American/First Nations movement called the Peace and Dignity Journeys, epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America. He dropped out of school and joined a group of Dene, Secwepemc, Gitxsan, Dakelh, Apache, Tohono O'odham, Seri, Purepecha, and Maya runners, all fleeing difficult beginnings. Telling their stories alongside his own, Alvarez writes about a four-month-long journey from Canada to Guatemala that pushed him to his limits. He writes not only of overcoming hunger, thirst, and fear--dangers included stone-throwing motorists and a mountain lion--but also of asserting Indigenous and working-class humanity in a capitalist society where oil extraction, deforestation, and substance abuse wreck communities. Running through mountains, deserts, and cities, and through the Mexican territory his parents left behind, Alvarez forges a new relationship with the land, and with the act of running, carrying with him the knowledge of his parents' migration, and--against all odds in a society that exploits his body and rejects his spirit--the dream of a liberated future. "This book is not like any other out there. You will see this country in a fresh way, and you might see aspects of your own soul. A beautiful run." --Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels "When the son of two Mexican immigrants hears about the Peace and Dignity Journeys--'epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America'--he's compelled enough to drop out of college and sign up for one. Spirit Run is Noe Alvarez's account of the four months he spends trekking from Canada to Guatemala alongside Native Americans representing nine tribes, all of whom are seeking brighter futures through running, self-exploration, and renewed relationships with the land they've traversed." -- Runner's World , Best New Running Books of 2020 "An anthem to the landscape that holds our identities and traumas, and its profound power to heal them." --Francisco Cantu, author of The Line Becomes a River
LC Classification NumberGV1065.23.N67
All listings for this product
Ratings and Reviews
Most relevant reviews
- May 05, 2020
Compelling read
Interesting and fascinating journey from an individual trying to discover his place on this earth. His quest to find and discover meaning in his life leads to a very entertaining read. In the course of our lives we will be challenged in making decisions which will help us succeed or fail. This book is a well written story of success.Verified purchase: YesCondition: New
