Running with the Pack

December 2, 2013
Professor of philosophy at the University of Miami Rowlands (The Philosopher and the Wolf) astutely blends the science of running with the meaning of life from his over two decades of pushing his body to the limits. He downplays notions of running as a healthy, serene activity, focusing instead on its relationship to the natural flow of our ever-shifting thoughts. Philosophy, according to Rowlands, once the domain of professionals and academics, now can be applied to anyone running a sprint or a marathon, solving any philosophical answer to the imagined finish line. He samples the ideas of thinkers like Spinoza, Descartes, Aristotle, Plato, Schopenhauer, and Wittgenstein like a hip D.J. mixing and blending from a vintage playlist. One of the interesting elements of the book is Rowlands's connection with "Brenin, the wolf, Nina, his dog-friend, and, Tess his wolf-dog daughter," who run with the author through various challenging terrains. Rowlands enchantingly depicts the inner world of the runner, complemented with wisdom of the animal realm and revelations of philosophical thought.

October 15, 2013
Rowlands (Philosophy/Univ. of Miami; The Philosopher and the Wolf: Lessons from the Wild on Love, Death, and Happiness, 2009, etc.) meditates on how running has brought him "in contact with the intrinsic value of life." The author reflects on his boyhood and carefree runs with his dog in the hills of his native Wales, with nothing in mind but the experience itself. This was a time when he first felt what he calls "the heartbeat of the run." Later in life, he ran more purposefully. At the age of 27, he acquired Brenin, a cuddly wolf cub. Running with Brenin was the only way to channel his exuberant pet's energy. With the later addition of two canines, the dogs in his pack became his regular running companions, and he describes how he was afflicted with "a rather unfortunate case of species-envy." Though running became a significant part of Rowlands' life, he writes, it took many years before he truly understood its value to him. In 2011, he decided to enter his first marathon, in Florida, where he lived with his wife, sons and dogs. Still, he questioned his motives. Was this a way of addressing a midlife crisis, proving to himself he was up to the challenge? Despite an injury incurred during training, he was able to get in sufficient shape to run, although his training was set back by the need to rest his leg. He describes his thinking process as he battled increasing pain and exhaustion and wondered whether he would collapse before the finish line. In the end, Rowlands concludes that, for him, running is not pleasurable in the usual sense but an experience valuable in itself--a "way of being rather than a way of feeling." A delightful re-creation of a memorable experience with special appeal for runners, pet lovers and the philosophically inclined.

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September 15, 2013
The dancing thoughts that appear to philosophy-professor Rowlands during his runs, and the rhythm and value of those runs themselves, make for a meditative read. Rowlands incorporates work by philosophers from Aristotle to Wittgenstein with his own musings, leading to ruminations on topics as diverse as midlife crises, evolution, and the meaning of life, love, and mortality. He recalls his runs on both sides of the Atlantic with various canine companions, including Brenin, featured in his previous book The Philosopher and the Wolf (2009). You don't need to be a runner to enter the philosophical investigations in this book, although you do have to be willing to follow the author on his rambling, sometimes repetitive, musings. The runs are recalled with clarity, capturing both the agony and exhilaration of the experience, and connect to his thoughts through, for instance, relating the phases of a marathon to certain philosophers. Rowlands, more critical than starry-eyed, still brings deep feeling to his work. Cerebral and heartfelt, this memoir uses one man's history on the road as a foundation to investigate universal experiences.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)