Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an all night runner

by Dean Karnazes
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an all night runner cover
Good Books rating 4.33
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Waterstones
Paperback • £12.99
Amazon
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Technical
  • ID: 5547
  • Added: 2025-10-24
  • Updated: 2025-10-24
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
brilliant 4.50

The reviewer found the book to be a beautiful and clever exploration of memory and time, with a unique structure and powerful chapters. They praised its handling of technology and its speculative future, making it one of the best books they've read. Another reviewer, however, found the book to be awful and gimmicky, with unlikeable characters and no substance, questioning the Pulitzer Prize's judgment in awarding it. A third reviewer was deeply moved by the book, finding it to be the saddest, truest, and wisest book they've ever read in a single day, praising its ability to capture universal truths about life.

The first reviewer was deeply moved by the book, finding it to be a beautiful and clever exploration of memory and time. They praised its unique structure and powerful chapters, particularly the section on Jocelyn, which they found haunting. The reviewer also appreciated the book's handling of technology and its speculative future, making it one of the best books they've read. The second reviewer, however, had a very different opinion. They found the book to be awful and gimmicky, with unlikeable characters and no substance. They questioned the Pulitzer Prize's judgment in awarding it, finding it to be a purely political handout. The third reviewer was deeply moved by the book, finding it to be the saddest, truest, and wisest book they've ever read in a single day. They praised its ability to capture universal truths about life and its impact on their daily routines, making it a book they couldn't put down.

Quick quotes

    This the best book I've read this year.

    This book, it ambushed me.

    hell's bells. believe this hype.

    this book is the saddest, truest, wisest book i have ever read in a single day.

    Um, this is just BAAAAAAD. Bold-face, capital-letters **BAD**. Absolutely awful!

ratedreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
rave 5.00

The reviewer found Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad intelligent and engaging, praising its complex characters and unique narrative style. They recommend reading it before The Candy House and found the book's themes of time and self-promotion compelling.

The reviewer returned to Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad after enjoying The Candy House and was impressed by the connections between the two books. They recommend reading A Visit from the Goon Squad first to gauge the writing style and characterisation. The reviewer found the characters complex and flawed, which they found fascinating. They appreciated the literary games and the way they drew them deeper into the stories, which often balanced comedy and tragedy. The themes of time and self-promotion were particularly compelling, with the final chapter offering a prescient take on influencers. The reviewer rarely reads books twice, but found this one as smart and exciting the second time around, leading to a rave review.

Quick quotes

    I found this book intelligent and engaging.

    I didn’t necessarily see myself in any of them, or want to be any of them, but that’s not the only reason for reading fiction.

    The final chapter has a prescient take on Influencers that has probably become more accurate since publication.

barnesandnoble.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
frustrating 3.50

A Visit From The Goon Squad is a unique and interconnected collection of short stories that defy easy definition. The book is well-written and meticulously crafted, but it can be frustrating to read due to its complex structure and the need to re-read it multiple times to fully appreciate it.

A Visit From The Goon Squad is a novel that reads like a collection of thirteen interrelated short stories, each following someone connected to record company executive Bennie Salazar. The stories are set in different places and periods in time, creating a puzzle that takes time to come together. The book is well-written and meticulously crafted, but it can be a frustrating read due to its complex structure. It's best to read as much of it in one sitting as possible to keep track of the characters and their connections. The book explores themes of time, innocence, relevance, and success, and each character loses something significant throughout the stories. The most iconic chapter is told through Powerpoint slides, but there are other standout stories as well. Overall, it's a great book that deserves multiple reads to fully appreciate.

Quick quotes

    How did I go from being a rock star to being a fat fuck no one cares about?

    The book is well-written and meticulously crafted.

    It’s a frustrating read, in the sense that you get the feeling you’ll need to re-read it two or three times to fully appreciate it.

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