The Book on One on RTÉ Radio 1 is a celebration of writing from all over the world featuring the reading of a selected book by the author on weeknights at 11.20pm.

From Monday 2nd - Friday 5th November The Running Book will be read by its author, John Connell. Published by Picador in October 2020 the book is part memoir, part essay, part history. John vividly describes a marathon through County Longford, Ireland, where he lives and farms. Because running is as much about the mind as the body, the book is about more than the physical experience. What John sees on his journey prompts him to contemplate a wide range of things: he’s as likely to think about local Irish history, the legacy of colonialism in Australia or the story of Haile Gebrselassie as he is to remember his own past runs in Arizona or Ibiza. At its core, The Running Book is a life-affirming read about the nature of happiness – and how for one man it came through the feet. Along the way he also salutes some his running heroes.

Praise for The Running Book

A compelling insight into the mind of someone who loves to run for running’s sake, and who is keen to immerse himself fully into the world around him,

Irish Independent

In this difficult new world where a walk or a run around the block might be the only respite your mental health gets in a day of isolation, Connell’s paean to the activity couldn’t be better timed,

Sunday Independent

This book explores wonderfully the joys and pleasures of running and conveys why it is so important to so many people. Through running journeys that are interspersed with interesting anecdotes and memories, the history and beauty of Ireland are brought to life. We are all unique and run for many different reasons but every runner will find something poignant that resonates within this book.

Paula Radcliffe

Some books are for runners, some are for history lovers. This charming volume is for both. It has made me vow to keep my eyes more widely open the next time I put my running shoes on – whether the ground beneath my feet is new or familiar.

Adam Hochschild, author of King Leopold’s Ghost

Read The Running Book and you see life in every route you run: past, present and future. Life is for running.

Sonia O'Sullivan

British colonialism is a topic that demands coverage and I am glad that Mr Connell is approaching it from this new lens.

Shashi Tharoor, author of Inglorious Empire

In this slim volume, Connell offers a lovely testimonial to all the seeing to be done by eyes and hearts that hold themselves open. And he shows us that, wherever we run, the world remains with us, to be grasped in all its grief and majesty.

Zia Haider Rahman, author of In The Light of What We Know

Sensational! John Connell has done it again

Dean Karnazes

Takes the theme of running and opens it out into something much wider

Irish Times

A book rich in history, personal reflections and questions . . . a book about life

RTÉ Culture

A celebration of the primal joy of running

RTÉ Guide

A thoughtful book that begins with putting one foot in front of the other and opens up to encompass a great deal more

Herald

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/book-on-one/