The Long Run

The Long Run: A New York City Firefighter's Triumphant Comeback from Crash Victim to Elite Athlete

Written By: Matthew Long & Charles Butler

Read By: Mathew Del Negro

Background: I stumbled across this book recently and after listening to the sample , I added it to my list of books I someday wanted to listen to. Earlier this year I started training for a charity bike ride event for the National MS Society. This got me started on the road to working out more consistently. After I lost some weight biking, my next goal was to start running, and be able to do a 10k in 2011.Well after reading Matty Long's book, I think I'm going to step it up, and attempt a full Marathon instead.
In 2005 the NYC Transit workers Union went on strike for 60 hours, shutting down the entire city's public transit system. No subways, no buses, and no cars were allowed in parts of Manhattan unless there were at least 4 people in the car. One early December morning, Matt Long was riding his bike to work because of the strike, and was run over by a chartered passenger bus taking Bear Stearn's Employees to work. His body was almost completely destroyed by the Bus, I'll spare the details he gives.
Only a few weeks before the accident, Matt had just completed the NYC Marathon and set a time good enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Prior to getting hit by the bus, Matt was an accomplished athlete , an Ironman Finisher, successful business owner, and 12 year Veteran of the NYC Fire Dept. He even Survived the North Tower collapse at the World Trade Center on September 11th 2001.
 Matt, must embark on a recovery journey that few people could go through and recover to the level that he did. He was given only a 5% chance of living through the night upon making it to the hospital. He not only survived, but later went back to run the NYC Marathon again, and just last year, he completed the Lake Placid Ironman for the second time!

The Review:
Matt Long's story is truly the definition of living a good story. He is a character that wants something, and overcomes INSURMOUNTABLE odds to get it. I've listened to alot of books this year, some Theology books, some Fiction, some non-fiction, all over the spectrum. But I think for 2010, if I were to give out a "Audio Book of the Year Award" it would go to "The Long Run". This was easily the best book I read this year. Donald Miller's book, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years", would be an extremely close 2nd.

Matthew Del Negro, reading this book has just the right amount of New York accent to give you the flavor the region. He reads at a really good pace, and fittingly, I listened while going on a couple jogs, and he more then kept me motivated to keep running.

I can't recommend this book enough. If you're a runner, if you're a biker, if you're a human, You'll love the book. It can be graphic at times be warned about that. But that's part of his story, and an important part. I wouldn't be surprised if someone wants to try turning this into a movie, but I hope they don't. Matt's story is one that many people have gone through to varying degrees. And his is one that is emotional, and awe inspiring. I'd be truly honored to meet him someday.


Rating 5 out of 5


-B

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

Written by: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Read by: Frank Muller



Background: I've heard of this book because it's one of those books that's on every American classic book list. I never knew what it was about, or really anything. I, much like sitcom character Doug Heffernan could have easily just assumed that Gatsby was a magician. Which is not the case at all.

Overall I guess the story was ok, but it's not one that you can just automatically pickup on. There seems to be a lot of subtly and nuance to the characters. Honestly I'm still not sure why Fitzgerald even titled it the way he did. Gatsby is not even the main character and he isn't introduced until well into the book. The one theme I could slightly identify with was the main character Nick, who turned 30 years old, and goes off about how turning 30 is such a milestone for him. Since I myself am turning 30 in a few short days, I could identify a lot there.

Mostly the story is a socialite commentary set in the 1920's. In this regard it felt in parts like another book I read this year "Atlas Shrugged". Except this book is no where near as long as Atlas Shrugged.

The Review: The Great Gatsby has been recorded into audio by many publishers. The one I listened to was done by Recorded Books, and read by Frank Muller. Mr. Muller is a superb reader. I thoroughly enjoyed his performance of this cast of characters. Even though I wasn't able to fully grasp all or really any of the meaning behind the story itself, I did enjoy the book. And hey, now I can say, yes, I have read "The Great Gatsby".

Rating: 3.5 of 5

-B