Indian Running

“My son, you know no one will help you in this world…You must run to that mountain and come back. That will make you strong. My son, you know no one is your friend, not even your sister, your father, or your mother. Your legs are your friends; your brain is your friend; your eyesight is your friend; your hair is your friend; your hands are your friend; you must do something with them.”

The opening quote is the real-world advice offered by an Apache father to his son on the importance of developing stamina, grit, and self-reliance via strenuous effort.

Peter Nabokov’s Indian Running: Native American History & Tradition is a fascinating account regarding the emphasis on running as a warrior conditioning tool, a spiritual practice, or merely a group participatory activity for celebration or competition.

Western fans who like to leaven their reading with history may find much to enjoy in this specialized volume.