"Running&Being
is scripture." A
great gift for a friend or for yourself. Anyone looking for inspiration
and motivation in life should read this classic. A New York Times
bestseller when first published in 1978, it quickly earned its
title as "the philosophical bible for runners." And
it has stood the test of time.
As
Dr. Ken Cooper, bestselling author and founder of the Cooper Aerobics
Center, states, "Running&Being helped change the world.
This legendary book helped improve the lives of millions."
And Joe Henderson of Runner's World says, "George set the
standard….a genuine classic.This should be mandatory reading
for any athlete looking for answers to the game of life."
It
tells of an educated man's mid-life return to the world of exercise,
play and competition. A book filled with beautiful observations
and analysis of his new world -- "The world the other side
of sweat," as he used to call it, where one can uncover the
truths that lie deep within each of us. If you are a fan of George
Sheehan's work or if you have just heard about him, you should
give this book a good read. Running&Being is considered to
be Dr. Sheehan's signature book.
In
time we will have more of his work available, including audio
and video cassettes. A portion of the proceeds will be used to
benefit organizations dealing with children, exercise, and cancer
awareness.
$20.00
including shipping and handling
Send
a check or money order made payable to The George Sheehan Foundation
to:
George
Sheehan Foundation, P.O. Box 1831, Red Bank, NJ 07704
or
call (732) 758-1611
This month Delacorte Press is publishing my book,
"Chasing the Hawk," a memoir of my life and my relationship
with my father, Dr. George Sheehan. It is the story of a sometimes
distant, often times difficult father-son relationship, and it
traces the journey and struggle of two people. Their stories interweave
and resolve themselves as my father and I find ourselves and find
each other. In the end, it is a testament to the healing power
of honesty, forgiveness and love
I
think of the book as a kind of an American odyssey, and I think
that although my father lived an unusual life and became famous,
the story will be familiar to many families. My father was a sort
of visionary, and in his life, he anticipated many of the changes
America went through in the last half of the 20th Century. His
story is a reflection of our times. After World War II, he found
suburban success and it left him cold. Then, he found running
and all of its spiritual and emotional as well as physical benefits.
He was early against Vietnam, but just as quickly, he abandoned
politics and was looking inside for other answers. In articulating
the potential of the individual, he became one of the founders
of the fitness movement.
His
vision made him famous. I believe, however, he became overly-enamored
with that fame and its maintenance, and he left my mother and
became distant to me. But as that fame ebbed, he realized that
he had gotten off track. In his own words, "I had taken care
of my mind and my body, but I had neglected my soul." My
book celebrates his return home and also his return to his truer
self -- a person characterized by humility and compassion. As
he faces his final battle with prostate cancer, he is the first
to notice that I myself am floundering in an alcohol addiction,
and he throws me a lifeline. The final third of this book is about
what we learn together as we face our separate afflictions together.
This
is our story and written from my perspective. It is not the story
of my family. A number of my brothers and sisters have privacy
concerns and others do not ascribe to its point-of-view. I share
their concerns. But in the end, I believe I am honoring his struggle
and search by telling what I believe to be the truth. As with
any long search, one must spend time in the darkness before they
can even get a glimpse of the light. I believe his search and
mine will strike a common chord in many of us as we strive to
mend our relationship and find a true sense of spirituality in
our lives. I hope readers will find my journey and my father's
journey inspiring, and I am hopeful this book will enhance my
father's legacy rather than detract from it.
Andrew Sheehan