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Digital Audiobook
The Art of Running by Andrea Marcolongo

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The Art of Running

Author
Andrea Marcolongo
Narrator
Mandi Kaye
Publisher
Europa Compass
Publish Date
4 March 2026
Run Time
5 hours 35 minutes
Format
Audiobook
Genre
Ancient history

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What to expect

In 490 BCE the indefatigable Athenian herald Philippides made his legendary 26 mile run to deliver to the people of Athens news of their city's victory over the Persians. Each year, all over the world, thousands of athletes and millions of enthusiasts replicate Philippides's marathon.

 

Why do we run? To what end all the effort and pain? The Greeks were the first to ask these questions and to wonder why we choose to measure ourselves against others; they were also the first to suspend war, politics, and the daily workings of the state to enjoy days' long public celebrations of athletic prowess.


As the pandemic entered its second year, internationally renowned scholar and best-selling author Marcolongo discovers running. In this spirited, generous, and erudite book, she shares not only her scholarship but her own journey to understanding that a healthy body is a healthy mind.

Critics Review

  • "Poignant."

    Mary Beard, TLS

  • "Marcolongo is today's Montaigne… There is wisdom and grace here to last the ages."

    André Aciman, author of Call Me by Your Name

  • "Marcolongo uses the secrets of the Ancient Greek language to illuminate a new way of perceiving the world."

    Refinery29

User Reviews

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Details
Author
Andrea Marcolongo
Narrator
Mandi Kaye
Duration
5 hours 35 minutes
Release Date
4 March 2026
ISBN
9781787706972
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Europa Compass
Genre
Ancient history

Synopsis

In 490 BCE the indefatigable Athenian herald Philippides made his legendary 26 mile run to deliver to the people of Athens news of their city's victory over the Persians. Each year, all over the world, thousands of athletes and millions of enthusiasts replicate Philippides's marathon. Why do we run? To what end all the effort and pain? The Greeks were the first to ask these questions and to wonder why we choose to measure ourselves against others; they were also the first to suspend war, politics, and the daily workings of the state to enjoy days' long public celebrations of athletic prowess. As the pandemic entered its second year, internationally renowned scholar and best-selling author Marcolongo discovers running. In this spirited, generous, and erudite book, she shares not only her scholarship but her own journey to understanding that a healthy body is a healthy mind.

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