Run Towards the Danger

Confrontations with a Body of Memory

By: Sarah Polley

Narrated by: Sarah Polley

Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

“A visceral and incisive collection of six propulsive personal essays.” —Vanity Fair

*A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice * Named a Most-Anticipated Book by Entertainment Weekly, Lit Hub, and AV Club * New York Times Paperback Row*

From the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Women Talking and the acclaimed director and actor Sarah Polley, Run Towards the Danger explores memory and the dialogue between her past and her present

These are the most dangerous stories of my life. The ones I have avoided, the ones I haven’t told, the ones that have kept me awake on countless nights. As these stories found echoes in my adult life, and then went another, better way than they did in childhood, they became lighter and easier to carry.

In this extraordinary book, Sarah Polley explores what it is to live in one’s body, in a constant state of becoming, learning, and changing. Each of these six essays captures a piece of Polley’s life as she remembers it, while at the same time examining the fallibility of memory, the mutability of reality in the mind, and the possibility of experiencing the past anew, as the person she is now but was not then. As Polley writes, the past and present are in a “reciprocal pressure dance.”

Polley contemplates stories from her own life ranging from stage fright to high-risk childbirth to endangerment and more. After struggling with the aftermath of a concussion, Polley met a specialist who gave her wholly new advice: to recover from a traumatic injury, she had to retrain her mind to strength by charging towards the very activities that triggered her symptoms. With riveting clarity, she shows the power of applying that same advice to other areas of her life in order to find a path forward, a way through. Rather than live in a protective crouch, she had to run towards the danger.

©2022 Sarah Polley (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * WINNER OF THE 2022 TORONTO BOOK AWARDS * SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE * NOMINATED FOR THE 2023 HERITAGE TORONTO AWARDS * A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice * Named a Most-Anticipated Book of 2022 by Entertainment Weekly, Lit Hub, and AV Club

One of The Globe and Mail’s “Best books of 2022”

“Fascinating, harrowing, courageous, and deeply felt, these explorations of ‘dangerous stories,’ harmful past events, and trials of the soul speak to all who’ve encountered dark waters and have had to navigate them.” —Margaret Atwood via Twitter

“Sad to be done with [Sarah Polley]’s superb memoir, Run Towards the Danger, but very happy I read it. Fascinating life and beautifully and unflinchingly explored. Please read.” —Rob Delaney, actor and writer, via Twitter

So much more than a concussion story!

Wonderfully written and performed story of perseverance and struggle through a tremendously difficult and fraught childhood and adulthood, told with compassion, thoughtfulness, and deep scrutiny and insight into both her own and others actions and motivations in life. Polley writes from her heart and from her brain, telling stories that are genuine and complex in the depth of her exploration of her life, her memories and how she has come to re-examine and challenge those memories and perceptions and begin to tell new and different stories for herself and others. Her essays provide examples of how we can reimagine our own memories and begin to tell new stories about who we are, why we acted the way we did. Highly recommend; I will seek out other works by her.

Exploring Sarah Polley

I was inspired by her film, Women Talking, to learn more about Sarah Polley and explore her works. Excellent book and inspiring person.

A must read!

Fantastic collection of essays. Love Sara’s inquisitive and rich writing! Don’t wanna give much away from it to not spoil it but this collection spanning stories from her childhood and adulthood are a must read! Love her style and cadence and her reading style was very enjoyable.

A powerful message; a guiding light-

This book was awesome. We loved every second. This book inspired us in many ways.
I loved your performance, Sarah Polley, and it was a very powerful experience.
To all just remember, to run toward the danger

Sarah Polley deserves another award

I’m concerned about the rampant anxiety plaguing society which results in pervasive coddling with no apparent healing results. When discussing this issue a friend recommended RUN TOWARDS THE DANGER. I listened to it while commuting weekly to Long Island for work, which gave me extra time for the essays to percolate in my mind.
Sarah Polley’s stories are intensely rich in eloquent imagery which in my experience makes them more compelling than the average “then she said…”
Thank you, Sarah, especially for the last essay. I very much want my grown children to read this book and discuss it. Your courage comes straight from your heart. Brava!!

Brilliant

In this book of essays, writer/director Sarah Polly excavates and comes to terms with some of the formative events of her life. She’s finally saying the things she’s never said before, and it is both riveting and cathartic. A fabulous storyteller and read.

Thank you, Sarah!

This brave and insightful book has made me smarter, stronger, and braver. Thank you for sharing your story.

Healing & informative

I learned a lot from her perspectives and experiences. I loved listening to it and felt it was healing for my personal experiences that have felt a bit overwhelming in my life.

Series of essays; not memoir

Although I was hoping for a more comprehensive memoir, these disconnected essays about Polley's life were compelling and vulnerable. Interestingly there wasn't a single word about the movies in which I enjoy her most. Hopefully this at least means these experiences were not traumatic.

Excellent

Really compelling story. I loved it. I didn’t know much about her, but I always liked her.