Running Away

by Peter H. Riddle

Andrew Striker is a brilliant professor of English Literature at Acadia University. For forty years his students have known that he never relies upon notes when presenting his lectures. The one day, he forgets.

Running Away is the story of his last year before total collapse. He escapes to the South Shore of Nova Scotia to spare his family and friends the stress of watching his mental deterioration. But new friends appear, and he is unable to run away from life.

He takes on new responsibilities: the care and feeding of an old, unwanted cat; the guidance of a defiant child he meets on a deserted beach; the encouragement of a young waitress who aspires to a career in medicine.

In facing the inevitable end of life, Andrew believes he has nothing more to contribute. Events prove him wrong.

221 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

About the author

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Reviews

[Amanda Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt like this book cut off a chapter too early.

Finally, all the key players were on the scene, then it was done.

It was a fairly good literary fiction with a lot to unpack, and I liked the way that it did the flashbacks, but I didn't like that when I read the last line I turned the page and cursed.

I get that there isn't always closure in real life, but I feel like books have the luxury to give us an end, not just an end of words.