ABDI'S WORLD

An autobiography focuses on a world-famous runner.

Somali-born American runner Abdirahman tells his own story (with a writing assist from Schrag) in this memoir about running, friends, and life in general. He begins the story by warning his readers that his life isn’t all about running—that he enjoys good friends, good food, the news, and a good cup of Ethiopian coffee. “I hope when you finish this book,” he writes, “you’ll have enjoyed it in part because my life is not defined by my running career—it’s defined by the choices I make, the way I look at the world each day, and the people I surround myself with.” He vividly remembers the exact moment when his running career started: in the Pima Community College cafeteria in Tucson, Arizona, in 1995. The University of Arizona and innumerable track meets followed. He eventually competed in five Summer Olympics (the first American ever to reach that milestone), attracted hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, and earned the universal appraisal of being one of the greatest professional runners of all time. Abdirahman’s family left Somalia when he was 13 years old, fleeing with many other refugees to Kenya. On this, as on many other key moments in his life, he offers not only a clear, concise narrative, but also whatever simple, personal lessons he may have learned from it. “None of us get the same start in life as others,” goes one such passage. “A big part of why transitions are important is that they are, by definition, a move from what has been to what will be,” goes another. Fortunately, despite the author’s frequent sententious digressions (a regular feature in sports memoirs), Abdirahman provides an invaluable front-row seat to the world of professional, Olympic-level running. His multitudes of fans will be very pleased.

A lighthearted and engaging memoir by a celebrated runner and Olympic athlete.