Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 8:56PM |  41°
MENU
Advertisement
Author Charles Moore
2
MORE

Review: A meditation on running from an art historian and marathoner

Phoenix Robles

Review: A meditation on running from an art historian and marathoner

“running”

“Apropos of Running” is about the drive to succeed, and sharing that drive with others in your life. It is the book we all wish Ahmaud Arbery had the opportunity to write, but painfully mourn that his murder deprived us of that.

If you know a little about art historian and marathoner Charles Moore and want to get a better understanding of what he has been through, this book will do that for you. If you think about running but tell yourself it isn’t for you or that you are too old to start, reading this book is a great way to gain motivation and insider perspective. If you love memoir as a genre and are hoping for the intense vulnerability, and lyrical introspection you know exists in so many lives of Black excellence, you’ll need to accept that those moments will be fleeting.

From New York to London to Atlanta, readers are spectators along the course as Mr. Moore runs through his story. The prose is episodic and winding. Stories trot toward a finish line you aren’t sure you’ll see. You’ll read on cheering for him, but descriptions of the Italian sky as having looked “like a Dan Brown novel” or his mother’s skin color as “high yellow” may make you wish Mr. Moore had dug deeper.

Advertisement

APROPOS OF RUNNING

By Charles Moore
Petite Ivy Press ($27)

But what it leaves to be desired in the way of more thoughtful and careful craft, “Apropos of Running” makes up for in excitement imparted by someone with confidence and dedication. Tributes to the people in Mr. Moore’s life who have been along for this journey, including his mother — whom he does go on to paint with depth and honesty — are the book’s true fuel.

When we finally do watch Mr. Moore move past all the references to Hoka, Hova, and devouring philosophy, his recognition that no matter what you do, time will pass anyway, is an apt one. For marathoners, aspiring runners and folks interested in books about representation, it is well worth the time on the side of the course. You’ll learn about the beauty of the majors, which care regimens are the best for aging runners and the power of tenacity.

Mr. Moore’s vignettes about the people in his running community, his plan for the many races he wanted to tackle, and punctuations from the world of Black art collecting are worth your time. Readers who want to know who he is and understand more about why he took up the task of being a major marathoner after age 40 will find answers to many important questions.

But while the book has so much to offer in those vignettes, it has challenges in its arrangement and style and may leave some readers feeling as though Mr. Moore ran by them with less fanfare than they had hoped for. Still, the book will pull in the invested reader and, as Mr. Moore notes, “time becomes a keeper of itself then. While it’s passing, I am passing with it.” A moment of lovely phrasing about an extraordinary life.

Advertisement

If his writing is anything like his marathon running, we will get more opportunities to read about Charles Moore’s life, and his command of the art will get better with each step.

Bernice McDaniels is an artist from Pittsburgh who writes about love.

First Published: November 20, 2023, 5:00 a.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Arthur J. Rooney II looks on prior to the NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Philadelphia.
1
sports
Jason Mackey: Art Rooney II's reasoning for keeping Mike Tomlin as Steelers coach feels misguided
Kansas City Royals' Adam Frazier waits to take batting practice before a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Houston.
2
sports
Adam Frazier returns to Pirates on 1-year, major league deal
Tensions in Charleroi, PA, intensified after President-elect Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance made controversial remarks about the town's Haitian community, alleging that they were financially draining local resources.
3
news
Fear and anxiety ripple through Western Pa. communities amid immigration crackdown
Van Jefferson #11 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates with Calvin Austin III #19 after making a catch for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland.
4
sports
Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat transcript: 01.28.25
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields is greeted by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Acrisure Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in the North Shore. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 20-10.
5
sports
Gerry Dulac: Steelers want a streamlined QB style, so who fits the bill?
Author Charles Moore  (Phoenix Robles)
Cover of “Apropos of Running: A Memoir” by Charles Moore  (Petite Ivy Press)
Phoenix Robles
Advertisement
LATEST ae
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story