Roxanne reviews Running is a Kind of Dreaming: A Memoir by J. M. Thompson
Being a runner half my life gives me great admiration for ultrarunners. Sure I’ve logged two marathons and fifty odd half marathons, but never 100 milers. But J. M. Thompson has, many times over.
Thompson’s memoir wasn’t written with any braggadocio since running was more the life jacket that literally saved his marriage (and probably life) from his destructive drug and alcohol problems and numerous suicide attempts.
What makes Thompson’s tell-all different from your garden variety drug survival book, is two fold. First, his catalyst to get help were the gaping holes of childhood beyond his memory’s grasp, interesting to both those who can and can’t relate. The answer to this mystery is something I’ll save for you to discover upon reading. Second, Thompson’s ability to describe the sensations of runner’s high and the synchronicity felt with nature are both poetic and unique. Thompson’s organizational framework is planetary, weaving in astronomy and Greek mythology to help understand the many slip ups and stages of his progression.
This book is perfect for anyone interested in substance abuse recovery or the miracles that years of counseling and resilience can reap.