Running with Sherman Review

Last Friday I finally finished reading Running with Sherman. Jokingly I have said it's a story about a man and a donkey when it comes to describing the book but it's much more than that. This book is a true story in which journalist Christopher McDougall decides to take in a donkey from an animal hoarder. He find out that the animal is in bad shape and is dealing with trauma . What follows throughout the book is their journey together as they train to run a marathon in Colorado and give Sherman a purpose.

What I liked about this book is that there are so many twist and turns that happen a long the way to their big race. I had a sense of how the story would end but what happens in between made it compelling and in some ways educational. They introduce many characters throughout their training, human and animal. They all play a pivotal role in helping Sherman achieve his goal, while overcoming their own. It's through running that their relationship grows and pushes them to overcome whatever it they are struggling with.

The writer also  has a way of peppering other topics throughout the book that connect to the overall background of the story. For some this might be annoying but I found myself learning about Amish culture, donkeys, and some of the races I didn't know existed. People often think of donkeys as stupid animals but as you read through this book you find yourself connecting with Sherman, the other animals, and the people that helped him become confident in himself. I highly recommend this book if you have an interest in running or love animals.