The Running Man

by Michael Gerard Bauer

There had always been the Running Man —always that phantom form somewhere in the distance, always shuffling relentlessly closer . . . For a long time, fourteen-year-old Joseph has wondered about old Tom Leyton, his reclusive next-door neighbor. Gossip and rumors suggest that something terrible happened to Tom in the past. Then Joseph is asked to draw Tom for a school art project, and that means Joseph has the opportunity to uncover the truth about this man who passes his days tending silkworms and keeping dark secrets. As Joseph learns more and more about Tom's world, he is forced to confront his own fears. Is there some connection between Joseph's dreams and his feelings about his father, who seems to have abandoned the family? And why does he continue to have nightmares about the Running Man—the disheveled figure who wanders aimlessly through town?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Read For School, School, War, Australia, Contemporary

264 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Michael Gerard Bauer was born and lives in Brisbane Australia. In 2000 he resigned from his full-time position as an English/Economics teacher to pursue his dream of becoming a writer.

In 2004 his first YA novel The Running Man was published to great acclaim. It subsequently won the 2005 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year for Older Readers and was short-listed for the NSW, Victoria and South Australian State Premiers’ Literary awards.

In 2008 the German translation of The Running Man was short-listed for the German Youth Literature Prize and won the German Catholic Children’s and Young People’s Book Prize. In 2014 it was short-listed for the Prix Farniente in Belgium. In 2009 the Italian translation of The Running Man was a finalists for the “Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cento” Prize.

In 2007 his second novel, a ‘laugh out loud’ comedy entitled Don’t Call Me Ishmael! was short-listed in both the CBCA awards and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and won the 2007 Children’s Peace Literature Award and the 2008 South Australian Festival Award for Children’s Literature. It was also included in the 2007 White Ravens selection for Outstanding International Books for children and young adults. Its sequel Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs was a 2008 CBCA Notable book. The final book in the trilogy Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel and was released in July 2011. It was shortlisted for the 2012 CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers.

Michael’s other books include, Dinosaur Knights a 2010 CBCA Notable Book described as ‘an original and adrenalin-pumping adventure’, You Turkeys! an illustrated chapter book, part of the Scholastic Mates series for early readers, and Just a Dog which was named Honour Book in the 2011 CBCA awards in the Younger Readers category and won the 2011 Queensland Premier's award for best Children's Book.

Michael has also written a series of three humorous books for younger readers: Eric Vale Epic Fail; (BILBY Award Winner 2014; KOALA Honour Book 2014) Eric Vale Super Male; (CBCA Notable Book 2014) and Eric Vale Off the Rails (Selected as one of the 2013 GET READING 50 Books You Can't Put Down). The books are fully illustrated by Michael's son Joe who as well as being a talented artist is an amazing young film-maker and along with his wife Rita Artmann make up Artspear Entertainment the creators of the extremely popular TOON SANDWICH film trailer spoofs on You Tube.  Joe also created the trailer for Eric Vale Epic Fail.

The first of spin-off series from the Eric Vale books Secret Agent Derek 'Danger' Dale: The Case of Animals Behaving Really REALLY Badly came out in July 2014. Two other Derek Dale action adventures The Case of the Really REALLY Scary Things and The Case of the Really REALLY Magnetic Magnetic have now been released.

In May 2016 the YA comedy The Pain, My Mother, Sir Tiffy, Cyber Boy and Me was released. Michael's first picture book Rodney Loses It! illustrated by Chrissie Krebs was published in September 2017. It won the 2018 CBCA Award in the Early Readers category as well as the 2018 Speech Therapy Award. His most recent YA book The Things That Will Not Stand won the 2019 Prime Minister's Award in the YA category and was a White Ravens selection

These days Michael is a full-time writer. His books are widely set as school texts and he is in high demand for talks and workshops at schools and Festivals around Australia. He has also enjoyed three very successful visits to Indonesia as a Writer in Residence at the Jakarta International School (2007 and 2008) and the British International School (2008). As well he has visited the American community School in Abu Dhabi (2012) and spent three weeks at schools in Southern China. In 2010 Michael was one of the guest authors at the White Ravens International Children’s and Youth Literature Festival in Munich Germany and in 2012 he was invited to the Edinburgh Writers festival.

Michael’s books are curre

Reviews

[Karlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those titles published for teens which is too good for adults to miss. The plight of a disturbed recluse, a Vietnam vet, and his sister are seen through the eyes of a 14 year old boy with troubles of his own. Beautifully written, the novel shows characters who are willing to change and who learn compassion.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally i thought i would come out of this bored and hating it. I was forced to read this book for English and at the time wanted to read my friends books who were in other classes. But now looking back at on i am glad i read this book. It was a little slow to get into but it was such a sweet story between two individuals. The thing that had me hooked on this book was the relationship between the two main characters. The ending, damn i almost balled my eyes in class. I would give this book a 4.5 -4.6 as i loved it but it took me a bit to fall in love with it. I read this book along time ago and this and only one other book has made me want to go out of my way and read it, this year for me has consisted of not wanting to read but this book made me want to read.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! A story about an unlikely friendship between Tom Leyton, the neighbourhood recluse and next door neighbour, 14 year old Joseph Davidson brought about by a common interest of silkworms. Written with compassion, the book explores the growing change in perception of Joseph's outlook towards himself and the people in his neighbourhood.

[Issy In Theory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried so I have to give it a 5/5

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph was having a tough time. He found himself staring at a coffin sitting in the front pew, thinking about silkworms. It was the last time I saw him and it was all my fault, he thought to himself. He then saw a man he had never met before and he doesn’t recall how he met him. The Running Man was staring at Joseph straight in the eye, but what Joseph didn’t understand was the man usually only appeared in his dreams. He is called “The Running Man.”
The Running Man was written by Michael Gerard Bauer. I actually liked this book. From the beginning, it grabbed my attention by all the mysterious character and the sneakiness and that’s how I knew I would be interested in reading the book. The book gave very specific details about Joseph. It explained how he was feeling most of the time what he was thinking. He also explained why everyone was scared of Tom Leyton, his neighbor who hasn’t left their house in years. I thought it was a great book to read. I would recommend reading it.

[Kylie Purdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a set English text for my 15 year old daughter. She gave it to me to read after she had finished it as she'd finished it before her friends and needed to talk about it! What a good mum I am!
The Running Man tells the story of Joseph - a high school student with an art assessment to complete - and Tom Leyton - his reclusive neighbour, a Vietnam Vet.
There are so many themes in this book and it is a rich text for a high school class to explore. However unlike some YA books that cram in a lot of ideas, this one didn't feel over crowded. Each theme was linked to another so they fit together like a puzzle rather than piling up like a bunch of unrelated pieces. Even Bauer's minor characters had some substance to them and the reader was given an insight into their motivations and behaviours.
The Running Man is a book that may very well have been written for the express purpose of getting onto the curriculum reading list (Bauer is an English teacher so he knows what a book needs!), but it has been done so well it's worthy of it's place in the classroom.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read two books from the "1001 Children's Books You Must Read" list this week in the Contemporary YA genre, and they could not have been more different. The first, "Heart's Delight" was overwhelming, depressing, and pointless. It represented the worst of the genre--tackling a tough subject in a soulless way: without conclusions, hope, or even the hint of clarity. "The Running Man", in contrast, tackled multiple tough subjects; I was frankly surprised at how many hard things could be packed into such a small space without feeling overwhelmed by them. And while I was not sure how much I would like the story, even by the middle of the book, the conclusion was soul satisfying, hopeful, and gave me a sense of clarity and understanding that I rarely have when reading in this genre. I have to wonder: why aren't there more Contemporary YA books like this?

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Passed on to me by my teen son as he really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this was definitely different to most YA fiction I've previously read. Although I thought I wasn't invested in the characters for much of this book, I was moved to tears by the end and wanted to read more.

[Declan Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the Running man was actually alright but, i felt like it was a little boring at times but it's fine. It was a n alright book and had a lot of amazing parts in the book and teaches us a good lesson about prejudice, but, it was quite boring.

[Louise Cleary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

[m̴̧̘̦̼̠̳̈̊̏̈́̂͘â̶̛̻̝̫̙̠̭̟̝͐͛̄̄̿t̴͓͈̻̞̳̞̱͋̏̈́̅͊̓͛͆͘̚͜t̶̮̺͖̰̟̜͊͋͆̐̊̀́͘h̵͕̘̮̠̮̱̳̟̫̆ë̷̦̺̫͠w̴̟͉͉͖͒́̔͗̀́̅͋͠͠ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I personally found this book quite average, I was under the impression that the designated audience was for young teenagers, and after reading this book, I can say quite confidently that I don't think society's youth would enjoy this. The themes are that of loss, mental health issues, and even hints of child abuse. These are themes that twelve and thirteen year old's should not be reading about, and make this book not to my liking.
- Matt

[Cayenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really like the book, i wasn't really motivated to read it either it just wasn't for me and i don't think i would read it again. others might enjoy it there was a clear meaning behind the book.

[blaise · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh

[Mandie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to read the running man for school. When I first read the back cover of this book at the start of the year, it didn't sound promising. If it had I would have read it right then. When we were told to read it over the holidays I was dreading reading it, but I knew I had to so I did. Although this is quite a short book, only 280 pages it felt like the longest book I have ever read. I didn't like the writing style, there were so many metaphors and it seemed like half the plot was based around silkworms. At the start of the book it seemed like almost the whole plot was communicated through conversation which I found rather annoying- it just doesn't read well and would work better in a movie. Joseph seemed like a judgemental character to me and while this changed throughout the book, it still seemed shallow to me. The plot of this book just seemed to drag on and on which as I said before made it seem like the longest book I have ever read. There were several mentions of Joseph's father throughout the book and you hardly even learn anything about him until the end of the book, along with other things that just dragged on and on.

People says things about this book such as 'what a meaningful book' or 'what a nice message'. I have gotten the message from this book out of so many other books and after reading many good reviews on this website I felt it was quite a letdown. Out of everyone I asked about what they thought of the book, they all hated or disliked it except one who loved it. As for a rating for this book, I would rate it Twilight series bad, and that's saying something.(If you're wondering, I gave the Twilight 'saga' one star also for every book except breaking dawn because it was the last awful book in the series). I felt this book had many similarities to the twilight saga, in fact if you ignore the difference in plot and genre they almost become exactly the same. If you are confused I will explain it for you.

1. Dislikable characters

2. Bad plot

3. Overrated message

4. Goes on and on- i guess that's why it's commonly known as the twilight saga not the twilight series.

5. A lot of people like it for reasons I cannot understand

I have to say that this is a book that you can judge by its cover- the silkworms poem, the pictures of silkworms, the man pictured on the front, the blurb of the book and the themes of the book are written in the blurb! I have to say while I didn't notice the significance of everything before reading it, I can say that the cover pretty much represents everything in the book and with the themes written on the back cover, the message is even less effective than if it would have been without the themes on the cover.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph Davidson is a shy and artistic boy. So naturally, when he’s given a school assignment to make a portrait, he is unsure of whom he wants his subject to be. So, he never expects to pick him mysterious neighbor, Tom Leyton. At first, he tells Caroline, the sister or Tom Leyton who first suggested Tom as the subject, that he will think about it. But when another neighbor thinks that Joseph would be too afraid, he takes up the challenge.

Gradually, Joseph spends more and more time with Tom and gets to know him. Tom at first is very cold and reclusive and doesn’t respond much to Tom. But soon, he opens up, and Joseph and Tom’s meetings are spent taking care of Tom’s silk worms more than working on the portrait. But Tom’s eyes are still stony and cold; Joseph feels that he cannot capture Tom’s true self until he can see what’s really behind Tom’s eyes.

The Running Man is set up a little like The Luxe by Anna Godbersen in that it begins with a funeral and then flashes back to the events before it. However, the two stories are extremely different, as one could expect. The Running Man goes much deeper and is not filled with gossip about high society; rather, rumors circulate about Joseph’s mysterious neighbor Tom. In some ways, this reminded me of Boo Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird, because Tom and Boo are so similar in many ways.

The Running Man was a beautiful and touching story. It’s about the tentative friendship between two people who need each other. It’s also one of those deep books filled with metaphors that can seem confusing at first but are explained. It’s about the miracles that friends provide for each other and conquering the demons in your past. It’s about reaching out to others who need you and making peace with your life.

I recommend this novel to readers who are up to a thought-provoking read. While The Running Man is not full of excitement or suspense and is more of an emotional novel, readers will not be disappointed. This book has already been published by Scholastic, but it will be published again by HarperTeen in July.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Ms Tee · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is wonderful to teach. It is full to the brim with metaphors, analogies, historical context and didactic views and values.
But, my like of this book stops there.
The book has been written by a high school English teacher, obviously with certain literary devices in mind, and certain messages that he wants to get across to his young readers. In this way, 'The Running Man' is patronising because it hits the reader over the head with its messages again and again and again. The metaphor of Tom Leyton being like a silkworm is over-worked and so obvious, it doesn't trust the reader to just pick it up on their own.
Finally, the book tries to teach young people the lesson that it is not good to judge others, however, it does this by showing a friendship between a young boy and a man suffering PTSD. While this might be heartwarming, there is good reason for young people to be at least a bit suspicious of adults who try to befriend them. I'm not convinced that "make friends with your 50-yr-old disturbed neighbour' is a message we should really be promoting to young people.
Hopefully, next year, I can teach something a little bit more authentically written.

[Int'l librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a haunting book, with a great storyline. 14-year-old Joseph feels abandoned by his father, and refuses to abandon those around him to their own torments. He can’t hold back his interest in next-door neighbor Thomas Leyton, in spite of some serious hints of Leyton’s tortured past and present. Then there’s the Running Man himself, with his frenzied circuits across town, and his cameos in Joseph’s nightmares. Although this is by no means a horror story, there are plenty of around-the-next-corner mysteries to keep the pages turning. There are some especially traumatic flashbacks to Leyton’s tour of duty in the Vietnam War.

In line with Bauer’s overt symbolism, however, the action at times feels trapped within a silk cocoon of deeper meaning. Bauer goes overboard with the metaphors and frequent elaborations of anguish. Even so, this is a good book for mature readers who don’t mind a strong cloud presence to their silver linings.

[Jill Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the most brilliant books I have read. I rarely suggest that everyone should read a book, but this is one I will. As usual Michael has you terrified of missing a page because you are turning them so fast. The school system will miss this teacher but the literary world needed him.
I believe it will join the classics. Though originally an Ishmael fan, I read 'running man'. curious about the author's first published book and this became a sudden favourite.
If you missed this book, you have missed a mandatory glimpse into your soul.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although you may know where this story is going, you will be drawn in by the relationship between Joseph and Tom Leyton. A relationship that is as tenuous as a strand of silk, but which leads to a metamorphosis for them both. A touching, and heartbreaking, story of redemption.

[Nelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it when I was younger but I would read it anytime again. I am trying to overcome my fears of writing since I love to create stories. This man had always been a great inspiration for me. I'm still dreaming about this book. Absolutely worth reading.

[Salma L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely recommend!! A very well written book with some beautiful metaphors, the exploration of deep themes, and strong morals. Forces you to continue reading to the very end ... but was it just me or did anyone else also not want Tom to die?

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another superb children's book which I will be recommending to my adult reader friends. Beautifully written. Read the last 50 pages through tears.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book some years ago. It was my first introduction to Michael Gerard Bauer and it is brilliant.

[Caz · Rating 2 out of 5]

not something i'd read usually but it was nice.

[Confused Hamburger · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars.
Starts off quite cliched in its character depictions (Tom Leyton is basically Boo Radley at the start, Ms Mossop is basically a Jane Austen character at the start), but soon progresses into a story that is quite rich and beautiful.

Tom Layton's character is intricately nuanced, where Bauer strategically uncovers its various contradictions and tragedies at key moments of the novel to reinforce the dehumanisation that is caused by war, and to explore the possibility of redemption when one's worldview has been so corrupted by experience.

Aiding this is an interesting story that keeps the reader guessing from moment to moment with its impactful twists. I think that the scene in the fireplace room is the most powerful one in the novel due to the way it contrasts Joseph's optimistic naivety with Leyton's nihilistic despair, and its tension is partially achieved through the mystery-like structure of the novel.

Overall this works as piece, with impactful emotional moments and fantastic characterisation, even of side characters such as Ms Mossop and Joseph's dad. Speaking of which, the Running Man himself is for me another highlight of the novel, an iconic image that pervades throughout, and maintains a sense of mystery that only hints at his underlying tragic state. The scene at the bus stop is another powerful one that evokes the power of poetry to cross the boundaries of perspective and understanding.

Despite these many positives, I did have to end up overall giving this a 3.5 because of glaring prose issues, where the author would use similes to compare a character's actions to an analysis of their actions. A lot of the metaphors were cliched and repeated, and this was a consistent issue.

The overall figurative devices just were not subtle, leaving no room for interpretation and extrapolation, with the author explicitly revealing purpose repeatedly through the characters' dialogue. An example of this is when Layton says that the Running Man is running from Hell, forcing that interpretation on the reader.

Finally, I take issues with some of the juvenile endings of chapters, such as the chapter that ended with Layton dramatically saying 'Satan', which came off as being a bit too cringey and self-important.

Most of these issues, however, are only apparent in the first half of the novel, and are practically gone by the second half, which genuinely turns into a moving and haunting portrait of the loss of innocence and the power of spiritual redemption. With such an incredible ending, and giving credit to the first half that did, despite its flaws, make the second half so impactful, I'll average off this novel's rating to a respectable 3.5. With editing it would've easily been a 4.

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joseph lived with his mother in their small town. His father always worked away. As he grew older, the boy became more resentful of his father's absence.

Next door lived Tom Leyton and his sister Caroline. There had been gossip about Tom Leyton and his reclusive life for thirty years. Joseph was a little scared of the man no one knew. When Caroline asked Joseph to help her in the garden, she offered to pay him, and he was glad to help.

When he was asked to do a portrait of someone local for a school project, Joseph thought of Caroline. He went to ask her to sit for him, but she suggested Joseph draw his brother Tommy. Should he listen to the scathing rumours spread by gossip mongers such as Mrs Mossip?

What he discovered over two months was quite different. The cold and guarded exterior of the former Vietnam veteran, the impenetrable facade behind the dark eyes, allowed Joseph glimpses of the person underneath. They began with Silkworms and continued through nightmares and views of miracles.

I can only say, what exists on the inside can be hidden and disguised, even from those closest to them. This book is so touching. Tom Leyton helped Joseph as much as he helped Tom. They believed in each other and the miracle they shared.

This is an award-winning book. I've read many of MGB's books and loved them. If you've never read any of his books, you could start with this, or 'Just a Dog', the simple message is most heart-wrenching.

[Elkaza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt a little disappointed reading this book. Sure, overall, I felt the book was a lovely story, not knowing where the narrative was going, and was deeply drawn in by the unlikely relationship between Vietnam veteran Tom Leyton, who is the recluse neighbour, who locks himself from the world, and his young next-door neighbour 14-year-old Joseph Davidson to whom is afraid of the world. However, the other stuff in the book, ignored me, like half of the story is full of many metaphors like the narrative based around silkworms.

Also, I felt the story line about Joseph’s father needed to be more developed, as it was briefly mentioned here and there, like why he wasn’t living with Joe and his mother, that was quickly wrapped up at the end. Then, the metaphor of the Running Man, that comes to Jospeh in his dreams, often through nightmares. Thus, sadly, I feel is a book that teachers – educators love, therefore get their students to read, but the kids will find boring and pointless because they care far more about exciting plots than beautiful metaphors and a poem about silkworms. Sure, there is a few good points, like how our Vietnam Solders suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder, when they returned home, yet feel sorry for the kids who have to write essays about it.

[Tristan Clasohm · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is an absoulte pain to read and even after I read it everytime I try and research for this book for my assignment the movie "The Running Man"(1987) Staring Arnold Schwarzenegger comes up instead of this book and you need to scroll for ages until you can find a link that relates to the book and often you just scroll past it without even realising like whoever made this book im sorry but what kind of man are you to write about silkworms and Veitnam.. THEY HAVE NO CONNECTION like what so ever.

Micheal Bauer must be Skitsofrantic if he if writing about silkworms and a man named Tom Leyton who is obbessed with them. He watches them and does nothing else besides sit in a dark room, I know he has PTSD but bro his sister just lets him sit there... and look after these DAMN SILKWORMS!!

Also how did "The Running Man" win the Courier Mail 2005 People's Choice Award for Younger Readers. The themes in this book should not be read to young readers like BRO...

The Qoute "Get away from me!"is my recation when I am forced to read this it is such and annoying and depressing book and No one should read it for a damn English Assigment proven by my whole year level basically failing this assigement on this book. READ SOMEThING ELSE PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU....

[Adam Byatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reading this in preparation for my Year 7 English class and it is so absorbing. I had no knowledge of the novel when I started reading it so my first impressions were off a retelling of "To Kill A Mockingbird" except the story was focused on Boo Radley. Tom Leyton is like Boo Radley: a recluse and the subject of neighbourhood gossip and innuendo. He lives with his sister Caroline and is rarely seen.
When Caroline suggests their young neighbour draw Tom for his school art project that the relationship between the young boy and Tom begins. They forge a relationship over silkworms, and the novel charts their developing understanding of one another, and Joseph's growing awareness that people are not who you see them as.
For younger readers, like Year 7, this is a fantastic book. I thought it was going to twist on itself and reveal truths about Tom, and it did, but not the ones I expected.
I look forward to discussing this with my class as there is a great deal to get our teeth into.