Book of the Month: January 2025

We’re a little late on the January read, so we’re going to drop two BOTM picks in February and we’re still going to refer to this first one as the January book because what is the joy of reading if you have to follow rules? Enjoy.

“But the lesson and practice of running is, again, a faith in the possibility of positive change. That, if you run enough miles, with enough dedication and the right kind of mindset, if you accept the limitations of what’s possible but refuse to accept the rutted path of what’s painless, if you keep at it, if you keep going, you can become what it was you were meant to be.”

Peter Sagal is best known as the host of NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, but he is also a runner. In his 2018 memoir, The Incomplete Book of Running, Sagal combines humor, insight, and reflection as he details the ways in which running has been a companion, refuge, and motivator throughout the ups and down of his life. From runs around his neighborhood to leading a blind runner during the 2013 Boston Marathon (and many subsequent races), Sagal blends his wit an pensive observation about running and life together in a meaningful and entertaining way. The constant punishment/reward of running described by Sagal is familiar to anyone who laces up their shoes regularly (and an easy parallel for the tribulations and accomplishments of life), but Sagal has a deft ability to make the endless trudge of putting one foot in front of the other enticing and relatable, even for folks who don’t call themselves runners…yet.