Again to Carthage by John L. Parker Jr. Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Again to Carthage
Book Review: The sequel runners have been waiting thirty years for
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll be honest: when I first started reading Again to Carthage, I was disappointed, because it didn't offer the same intensity of breathless (but inspiring) running narrative. However, as I kept reading, I came to appreciate that Again to Carthage was a fitting book for both an older protagonist and an older novelist: while Once a Runner may still be a better motivational tool for high school and college kids (who can center their lives on their sport), Again to Carthage will resonate with readers like me, who are on the graying side of 30 and who have to instead fit their sport into the bigger context of love, family, friends, and work. Furthermore, of course, this book will touch anyone who listens to Springsteen's "Glory Days" and nods with familiarity, anyone who knows that their athletic peak may be behind them, but is still fighting the inevitable march of time.
If you just picked up the book to get more of that reader's high from Parker's running descriptions, you'll have a hard time not being impatient, because it's over halfway through the book that Quenton makes the crucial decision to train seriously once again. However, it's clear that the author has made good use of the intervening years, because more so than in his previous book, Parker makes worthwhile and wise observations about running, sports generally, life in the South, and much more, many of which observations have been copied down into my Moleskine. Parker's prose also feels better crafted, as one would hope from a mature, experienced author; with Once a Runner, I would recommend it strictly as a running book (but make caveats about the less-effective departures from the core subject matter), whereas with Again to Carthage I could recommend it as a whole. Sprinkled liberally throughout are bon mots such as "she was a little wire bent-over question mark of a woman" and "a squalling infant of pain."
The final specific way that I would like to credit Parker's development as a writer is the strong sense of place throughout the book, something common to great books, and a clear step up from his previous work. From the balmy humidity of Palm Beach, to the lazy fishing in the Bahamas, to the quiet retreat of the cabin in the Carolina hills, Again to Carthage is filled with a suffusing sense of, and love for, the South--its people, its food, its weather and its quirks. Parker has lived in the South for many years, and he does an admirable job of conveying his corner of the country.
Book Review: Uneven, but probably worth it.
Summary: 3 Stars
As someone who loved OAR (and has read it several times), I was eagerly anticipating reading Again to Carthage. Parker does a great job when he writes about training and racing, but ATC is a literary jumble, with lots of purple prose, extraneous characters that haphazardly come and go, and a rambling storyline. The writing is mediocre (and filled with typos)... until you get to the race description, which is truly awesome. You have to suffer through 300 pages to get there, but it's worth the price of admission. A mixed bag, for sure.Book Review: Very Disappointing
Summary: 1 Stars
Loved once a runner and anxiously awaited the release of Again To Carthage.
The typographical errors and editorial misses throughout the book make me wonder if anyone re-read the copy before it went to print.
The story seems to wander aimlessly for hundreds of pages and the only thing running related are the main character's daily outings.
Occasionally the author seems to feel a need to rework an overused, philosophical running cliche or name drop with references to former runners, researchers or shoe models.
If you are a runner reading the book is probably a must, and once started, I was determined to plow through. I found myself skipping whole paragraphs at times, and I found I hit the "Wall" several times before falling into a survival shuffle in the end.
If I knew then what I know now...I would have waited for a copy at the library or for a used copy to show up at the local bookstore.
Book Review: Waste of valuable reading time!
Summary: 1 Stars
I will admit that I didn't read this book. I put it on my wish list because it looked interesting but purchased the unabridged audiobook version first. There is nothing in this book that I enjoyed. I am a casual runner and was looking forward to many motivational chapters to renew my interest in hitting the roads. There were none. There were also no interesting characters or much of anything else to make this worth your money or time. Stay away!Book Review: Welcome back, QC
Summary: 5 Stars
In the parlance of its subject matter, this book was a negative split - it closed like a freight train. And as wonderfully uplifting the "discomfort" of a well-executed negative split can be, Again to Carthage was an equally enjoyable experience.
Congrats, JLP.
Godspeed,
Matthew L. Rosetti
Co-Author, The Worst of Sports: Chumps, Cheats and Chokers from the Games We Love