Book cover of The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner

Book description

Perhaps one of the most revered works of fiction in the twentieth-century, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is a modern classic about integrity, courage, and bucking the system. Its title story recounts the story of a reform school cross-country runner who seizes the perfect opportunity to defy the…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

A non-runner begins running in prison and discovers its therapeutic benefits that help him do his time and start him on a journey of self-discovery. Having been an early morning runner for many years, I appreciated the protagonist’s descriptions of frosty early morning runs, which I think are some of the best in literature.

Regardless of one’s circumstances a passion for distance running both uplifts and gives a degree of control to the runner. This is perhaps one of the most revered works of fiction in the twentieth century. "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner" is a modern classic about integrity, courage, bucking the system, and, of course, passion. Many distance runners have a rebellious streak that generally goes unrecognized, that is until you set them loose in a race and then their passion reveals itself that often devastates competitors who mistakenly thought that a domesticated house cat cannot instantly morph into a vicious…

If you love The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner.

Browse books like The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner

Book cover of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
Book cover of The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
Book cover of Marathon Man: My 26.2-Mile Journey from Unknown Grad Student to the Top of the Running World

Share your top 3 reads of 2026!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

219

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, you might also like...

Book cover of Christmas Actually

Christmas Actually by Lisa Darcy,

Every picture tells a story, but it’s not always the one we expect or remember. Christmas Actually is a festive drama about family and forgiveness and a snapshot of modern family life, addressing Instagram to motherhood and everything in between.

Why Christmas? My publisher wanted my new novel to have…

Book cover of The Shift

The Shift by Theresa Brown,

In this New York Times best-selling book, Theresa Brown, nurse and writer, invites us to experience not just a day in the life of a nurse but all the life that happens in just one day in a busy teaching hospital’s cancer ward.

In the span of twelve hours, lives…

5 book lists we think you will like!