Flanagan’s Run

By: Tom McNab

Narrated by: Rupert Degas

During the Depression, the ebullient American entrepreneur Charles Flanagan assembles 2,000 runners from all corners of the earth to run from Los Angeles to New York for prize-money of $150,000. Flanagan’s Trans-America runners face 3,000 miles, across the Mojave desert and the frozen Rockies, running a daily average of 50 miles for three months. The American sports establishment, however, is desperate to crush what it sees as a professional challenge to the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. Every day is therefore a struggle for survival, for Flanagan himself as well as the runners. Flanagan’s Run is an epic tale, and a testimony to the strength of the human spirit.

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Outstanding story and narrator!!!

This is a must if you run! The narrator makes the story! Great performance for a great and uplifting story!

So Much to Like Here.

Before I listened to this book, I read reviews that said it was a good book for runners. I dismissed that because it wasn't a manual, it was a novel, and I'd like to read about runners more than, say, football players.

So glad I did. I never lost interest, never thought that if I were reading it off the page, I'd be skipping this part. The reader is a genius at making the many voices fit the characters and be recognizable. The many characters are perfect. We learn why they want to run and then there's the deliciousness of them coming together and making the story.

These characters overcome a succession of obstacles that can't be predicted. They are people I'd love to know. The story is exciting and feels good.

Having lived in different parts of the country, it was interesting to read about their trials and successes in those parts. Wholeheartedly recommend.

A surprising gem.

I started listening to this book 3 or 4 times but when I finally got past the beginning, and became engaged with the characters I slowed down once more, worrying about the characters and how they all would come out in the end. it engaged me enough that I looked up the factual events that inspired this book. the reading was superb and I was often amazed the readers ability to pull off such a vast amount of accents... and pulled them off well! this book was amazing, a classic in my opinion.

A long time coming!

Years ago I worked at William Morrow and was given the manuscript Flanagan's Run to count the letters. Back in the 1980's we did not have computers and so the pages were set by hand. This was one of the few manuscripts I read as I counted. What a delightful cast of characters. Writers today should seriously take a look at what good stories are based on. No excessive violence or dark themes, just a cracklin' good story.

My only complaint is that the narrator did not completely reach my expectations of what Doc Cole sounds like. Which would have been impossible. Other than that, it was a joy to listen to nearly forty years after working on it.

What a story!

Great story, the narrator was awesome! Very inspirational. I would rev omen it to everyone.

Very Entertaining

This is a well written well researched book that is very entertaining. The many characters are well developed and the narration is very well done. I only wish Tom McNab had more books on Audible.

Amazing Story

What does Rupert Degas bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is AMAZING! I mean, the accents are spot on, and he even sings. HE SINGS..He is THE most talented performer I have listened to yet.

Any additional comments?

This is a unique story and I HIGHLY Recommend this book

A runner and writer's favorite book

If you are training and logging lots of miles, buy this and listen to it while you run. Over and over, if you are like me. I feel like old Doc Cole is running with me, advising me. Sometimes the storyline is too good to be true. There are moments of cheesiness. As a professional (magazine) writer myself, I have a generally low tolerance for cheese. But this is so enjoyable that I cannot fault the author. I would have it no other way. I have read and listened to hundreds of novels and have always had a tough time naming a favorite. Wally Lamb, Jonathan Franzen, Jennifer Egan—these are among my favorite authors. But Flanagan's Run is a personal favorite all-time book. Probably because I also am obsessed with running, but even for a non runner, this is a wonderful, fun, somewhat-historial piece of fiction.

Superb Story

I was hesitant at first but this story grows on you and keeps you hooked. I loved it! I listened straight through for two days! Exciting narration!

This is running!!!

An enjoyable story that could easily be made into a movie. It's a little corny at times but that does not bother me and does not detract from a good storyline. Well narrated.