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Running with Sherman: The Donkey Who Survived Against All Odds and Raced Like a Champion
From the author of the international bestseller Born To Run
When barefoot running guru Christopher McDougall takes in a neglected donkey, his aim is to get Sherman back to reasonable health. But Sherman is ill-tempered, obstinate and uncooperative - and it's clear his poor treatment has made him deeply fearful of humans. Chris knows that donkeys need a purpose - they are working, pack animals - and so when he learns of the sport of Burro Racing or running with donkeys, he sets out to give Sherman something worth living for.
With the aid of Chris's menagerie on his farm in rural Pennsylvania, his wife Mika and their friends and neighbours including the local Amish population, Sherman begins to build trust in Chris. To give him a purpose, they start to run together. But what Sherman gains in confidence and meaning is something we all need: a connection with nature, the outdoors, with movement. And as Chris learns, the side benefits of exercise and animal contact are surprising, helping with mental and physical health in unexpected ways.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2019
1680 people are currently reading
12571 people want to read
About the author
Christopher McDougall
32 books1,240 followersChristopher McDougall is an American author and journalist best known for his 2009 best-selling book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. He has also written for Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, Outside, Men's Journal, and New York, and was a contributing editor for Men's Health.
McDougall is a 1985 graduate of Harvard University. He spent three years as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press, covering civil wars in Rwanda and Angola.
McDougall is a 1985 graduate of Harvard University. He spent three years as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press, covering civil wars in Rwanda and Angola.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,113 reviews
January 24, 2020
Hard for this little rescued donkey not to worm his way into your heart. Animal loverscrejoice, there are some big animal characters within and some pretty big human characters as well. Takes place in Amish country, Pennsylvania, the author tells the story of Sherman and his preparation for a big. Donkey race, but also takes the opportunity to include much more.
The Amish community, their lifestyle, of which I'm actually quite familiar as my son and his family live in Amish country, Indiana. Wonderful people, honest, hard-working and terrific food, Craftsman. He also discussed mental illness, depression, and the effect it has on the person, friends and family. Autism, spectrum disorders, may be more prevalent than one thinks. The way people cope, how they manage.
An all around terrific book, told well. The author narrates his own bookman's though sometimes I felt his voice was a bit too dramatic on the whole his earnestness son me over.
The Amish community, their lifestyle, of which I'm actually quite familiar as my son and his family live in Amish country, Indiana. Wonderful people, honest, hard-working and terrific food, Craftsman. He also discussed mental illness, depression, and the effect it has on the person, friends and family. Autism, spectrum disorders, may be more prevalent than one thinks. The way people cope, how they manage.
An all around terrific book, told well. The author narrates his own bookman's though sometimes I felt his voice was a bit too dramatic on the whole his earnestness son me over.
April 8, 2020
I feel like Ebenezer Scrooge in not liking this, but don't you want the truth from me?
I am having a terrible time finding a really good book about donkeys. Donkeys are great. Each of the books I have read disappoint in a different way. Donkeys deserve more than the books deliver.
I can give this book two stars because it is OK. The reader does get to meet several donkeys. By observing their behavior, the reader comes to understand how donkeys think, and think they do. A donkey’s mentality and way of being is presented. They are only stubborn from a person’s point of view. They are creatures with a strong survival instinct, and there is nothing wrong with that! It appeals to me! It gives them the dignity they deserve.
In other respects, the book has disappointed me. The author goes off on many and excessively long tangents. The problems and history of every individual one meets up with is recounted. He promotes himself—telling of his earlier employment with Associated Press and as a freelance writer. Such information is not to the point and turns into bragging. The author’s manner of speaking annoys me. He makes himself out to be your chum, a close friend, but he is no friend of mine. His language is crude. His heavy usage of slang does not appeal to me. He overdoes schmaltz big time—at the end of the book he’s got a sweet, sweet song that is sung by, yes, another buddy. I ended up feeling like a total creep for not falling for this gimmick, into the trap. I dislike being manipulated in this manner.
The author reads his audiobook. His reading matches the immature tone of the writing.
What is delivered is meant to be a popular feel good story. Of course, I am happy that the author and his family have given the poor, abused donkey, Sherman, a better life, but this does not mean I like the book.
********************
A donkey is a burro and an ass. A mule is born when you breed a male donkey to a female horse, also known as a mare. A hinny is born when you breed a stallion, or male horse, to a female donkey. Mules possess characteristics of both of their parents but are typically sterile and unable to reproduce.
*****************
Donkey Books:
My book ratings might seem to indicate I don't like donkeys, but I do. This is why I keep searching for a really good donkey book!
*The Wisdom of Donkeys: Finding Tranquility in a Chaotic World by Andy Merrifield 2 stars
*Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes by Robert Louis Stevenson 2 stars
*Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall 2 stars
*Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 1 star
*Saving Simon: How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion by Jon Katz
*Down Among the Donkeys by Elisabeth D. Svendsen
*Last of the Donkey Pilgrims by by Kevin O'Hara
*Donkey Work by Doreen Tovey
*Platero and I by Juan Ramón Jiménez
I am having a terrible time finding a really good book about donkeys. Donkeys are great. Each of the books I have read disappoint in a different way. Donkeys deserve more than the books deliver.
I can give this book two stars because it is OK. The reader does get to meet several donkeys. By observing their behavior, the reader comes to understand how donkeys think, and think they do. A donkey’s mentality and way of being is presented. They are only stubborn from a person’s point of view. They are creatures with a strong survival instinct, and there is nothing wrong with that! It appeals to me! It gives them the dignity they deserve.
In other respects, the book has disappointed me. The author goes off on many and excessively long tangents. The problems and history of every individual one meets up with is recounted. He promotes himself—telling of his earlier employment with Associated Press and as a freelance writer. Such information is not to the point and turns into bragging. The author’s manner of speaking annoys me. He makes himself out to be your chum, a close friend, but he is no friend of mine. His language is crude. His heavy usage of slang does not appeal to me. He overdoes schmaltz big time—at the end of the book he’s got a sweet, sweet song that is sung by, yes, another buddy. I ended up feeling like a total creep for not falling for this gimmick, into the trap. I dislike being manipulated in this manner.
The author reads his audiobook. His reading matches the immature tone of the writing.
What is delivered is meant to be a popular feel good story. Of course, I am happy that the author and his family have given the poor, abused donkey, Sherman, a better life, but this does not mean I like the book.
********************
A donkey is a burro and an ass. A mule is born when you breed a male donkey to a female horse, also known as a mare. A hinny is born when you breed a stallion, or male horse, to a female donkey. Mules possess characteristics of both of their parents but are typically sterile and unable to reproduce.
*****************
Donkey Books:
My book ratings might seem to indicate I don't like donkeys, but I do. This is why I keep searching for a really good donkey book!
*The Wisdom of Donkeys: Finding Tranquility in a Chaotic World by Andy Merrifield 2 stars
*Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes by Robert Louis Stevenson 2 stars
*Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall 2 stars
*Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 1 star
*Saving Simon: How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion by Jon Katz
*Down Among the Donkeys by Elisabeth D. Svendsen
*Last of the Donkey Pilgrims by by Kevin O'Hara
*Donkey Work by Doreen Tovey
*Platero and I by Juan Ramón Jiménez
February 11, 2020
Christopher McDougall is a wonder. This guy gets into the most peculiar situations and then writes about them. Spoiler alert, Sherman is a donkey and yes McDougall has found a footrace that involves human and donkey…and it's a doozy.
I loved this fun, quirky book from the very beginning. McDougall goes into great detail about this poor donkey who was abused by way of neglect with an owner who very clearly was not mentally stable. What follows is the story of Sherman's convalescence, not just his body but his mind and spirit. And along the way, Sherman's healing evokes a lot of empathy, warmth, gentleness, and affection from a large cast of characters. During the healing, McDougall inserts a lot of useful bits about mental illness and neurodiversity and how helping someone or an animal invaluably helps everyone involved.
This was a book about compassion, love, understanding and kindness. How the act of nurturing a near death donkey became an shared healing for many of the people and animals who contributed to the journey. Sherman of course did live and seized upon his new found lease on life by running with humans and other donkeys. The story is touching and profound and positive. Along the way McDougall deposits little bits of medical knowledge and words of wisdom about dealing fear and doubt and the games your mind plays when doing something difficult. He also goes into details about how exercise helps with depression. McDougall believes that humans are hardwired to connect with animals and that animals contribute to our emotional well-being. Yes there were a few rabbit holes. McDougall can't help himself. I still don't understand why I needed to know about "rumspringa" or a lopsided view of Amish life. But on the whole, I enjoyed the heck out of this book. McDougall is an author that I think I would like to meet. He has just the right amount of enthusiasm, confidence, adventure, humor, determination, self awareness and an intangible kindness that comes through in his writing. It's not quite a 5 star read, but is highly recommended for just about anyone. I can assure you that I will be reading/listening to this book again, and again. If you decide to read it (and you should), I promise you'll feel better and you might even want to go for a run…with a donkey!!
4 ++ Stars
Listened to the audio book. McDougall was the narrator and he was great!!
I loved this fun, quirky book from the very beginning. McDougall goes into great detail about this poor donkey who was abused by way of neglect with an owner who very clearly was not mentally stable. What follows is the story of Sherman's convalescence, not just his body but his mind and spirit. And along the way, Sherman's healing evokes a lot of empathy, warmth, gentleness, and affection from a large cast of characters. During the healing, McDougall inserts a lot of useful bits about mental illness and neurodiversity and how helping someone or an animal invaluably helps everyone involved.
This was a book about compassion, love, understanding and kindness. How the act of nurturing a near death donkey became an shared healing for many of the people and animals who contributed to the journey. Sherman of course did live and seized upon his new found lease on life by running with humans and other donkeys. The story is touching and profound and positive. Along the way McDougall deposits little bits of medical knowledge and words of wisdom about dealing fear and doubt and the games your mind plays when doing something difficult. He also goes into details about how exercise helps with depression. McDougall believes that humans are hardwired to connect with animals and that animals contribute to our emotional well-being. Yes there were a few rabbit holes. McDougall can't help himself. I still don't understand why I needed to know about "rumspringa" or a lopsided view of Amish life. But on the whole, I enjoyed the heck out of this book. McDougall is an author that I think I would like to meet. He has just the right amount of enthusiasm, confidence, adventure, humor, determination, self awareness and an intangible kindness that comes through in his writing. It's not quite a 5 star read, but is highly recommended for just about anyone. I can assure you that I will be reading/listening to this book again, and again. If you decide to read it (and you should), I promise you'll feel better and you might even want to go for a run…with a donkey!!
4 ++ Stars
Listened to the audio book. McDougall was the narrator and he was great!!
May 10, 2022
Such a heartwarming and informational animal story. Sherman is a hero and his story has helped me to be a better runner. How so? The way donkeys and their humans interact and train for burro racing is also applicable to my half marathon training. This author also wrote Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen which has been on my TBR for awhile. You would think that is the book I would need to give me some extra "get up and go" to my daily runs. Nope! This one has given me much to consider like three tips Chris's wife Mika put into practice: 1) Smile 2) Make someone else smile 3) Run like a demon. (I am paraphrasing as I don't have a written copy to refer to.) Definitely have those points in mind as I prepare for an early summer half that is hilly and humid. This book is full of great stories and inspiring folks and tons of helpful information. Rounded up from 4.5. Taking 1/2 star off for some blatantly anti-faith bias that poked up its head occasionally.
April 24, 2021
5 ☆ who knew reading about an obscure donkey race could be so much fun?
An animal hoarder was “loving” his donkey to death for the donkey had been neglected in body and spirit and badly required rescuing. When the donkey arrived at McDougall’s small farm in remote Lancaster County, he wondered whether it wouldn’t be less cruel to euthanize the real-life Eeyore. McDougall renamed the donkey Sherman, because his family enjoyed the happy-go-lucky songwriting Sherman brothers, and this sad-eyed creature definitely needed some happiness. Running with Sherman is his tale of the the year-long process of restoring Sherman to health and eventually running in the high-altitude, 15-mile donkey and human race in Fairplay, Colorado.
Running with Sherman though is much more than the story of preparing for an obscure race that mimics the miners who had struck it rich and raced in glee down the mountain with their finds. Nor is it entirely about donkeys, though I laughed out loud when McDougall was informed about one particular aspect of donkey care, namely “sheath cleaning.” All I’m going to say is that “sheath cleaning” is only for neutered male donkeys. Nor could I help smiling when he wrote about the stand made by Sherman and his two donkey running-mates:
This was a fabulous, non-preachy, non-sentimental book. I’ll end with this observation from McDougall:
An animal hoarder was “loving” his donkey to death for the donkey had been neglected in body and spirit and badly required rescuing. When the donkey arrived at McDougall’s small farm in remote Lancaster County, he wondered whether it wouldn’t be less cruel to euthanize the real-life Eeyore. McDougall renamed the donkey Sherman, because his family enjoyed the happy-go-lucky songwriting Sherman brothers, and this sad-eyed creature definitely needed some happiness. Running with Sherman is his tale of the the year-long process of restoring Sherman to health and eventually running in the high-altitude, 15-mile donkey and human race in Fairplay, Colorado.
Running with Sherman though is much more than the story of preparing for an obscure race that mimics the miners who had struck it rich and raced in glee down the mountain with their finds. Nor is it entirely about donkeys, though I laughed out loud when McDougall was informed about one particular aspect of donkey care, namely “sheath cleaning.” All I’m going to say is that “sheath cleaning” is only for neutered male donkeys. Nor could I help smiling when he wrote about the stand made by Sherman and his two donkey running-mates:
united we run, divided we stallIn many respects, that was McDougall’s point in telling this off-beat, uplifting, and at-times laugh out loud funny tale. McDougall had intertwined stories about other runner athletes, his Amish neighbors, family and new friends during this year-long recuperation of Sherman the “Wild Thing.” He was gently making his point about the biophilia (“love of living things”) hypothesis that humans are better when the ancient human-animal connection is maintained. He addressed many ways that humans, as creatures that are as social as donkeys, need the bonds of community. His Amish neighbors exemplified this as they had created the full-moon runs through the countryside to enjoy the unspoiled night air (I hope that you weren’t expecting a different type of “full moon!”). His other theme was, of course, the more obvious “motion as medicine” as he wrote about three other young runners whose health (ranging from depression to seizures) improved with the running-with-animals combination.
This was a fabulous, non-preachy, non-sentimental book. I’ll end with this observation from McDougall:
Dreams are the beginning of every new adventure, and our greatest dreams come from the person right in front of us.
November 9, 2019
I was afraid this book would be awash in sentimentality, but thankfully, it was instead a fun read about an amazing transformation of an abused and traumatized donkey. I had found donkeys fascinating in the past, but never really knew much about them. They are amazing creatures, and now I need to visit the Donkey Sanctuary near home. And who would have thought that burro racing was a thing? And that training for it would save this little donkey's life? A heartwarming without being treacly story.
July 12, 2019
This could have been a great story if it had not been written in such an obsessive manner. Chris McDougall obviously cares about animals; he has some keen observations about our relationship with animals, and about life in general; plus, he tells some interesting, as well as funny, stories. Yet so often the writing seems obsessive. So often it's like he can't stop talking about something or someone once he starts.
Add to that, so often he's telling all about the personal problems of his friends and neighbors, which hopefully they won't mind if they read this book. By the time the story got to the long burro race at the end, I started skimming. Burro racing is neither an obsession nor an intense interest of mine. Personally, I think the author should have simply let sweet Sherman live out his days peacefully on the farm with the rest of the animals.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)
Add to that, so often he's telling all about the personal problems of his friends and neighbors, which hopefully they won't mind if they read this book. By the time the story got to the long burro race at the end, I started skimming. Burro racing is neither an obsession nor an intense interest of mine. Personally, I think the author should have simply let sweet Sherman live out his days peacefully on the farm with the rest of the animals.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)
July 6, 2023
Christopher McDougall is a writer and a runner.
He moved from the city of Philadelphia to Amish country in Lancaster County, PA and created a small farm (goats & chickens).
One day, a neighbor brought him a donkey that was rescued from a hoarder house. McDougall wasn’t even sure he’d survive that first night but he did and they named him Sherman.
This is Sherman’s story about how he ended up running in a very special Burro race with Chris in Colorado. It’s also the story of all of the friends, family and support they received along the way.
McDougall writes as if he just sitting at dinner with you telling a story. As each person in his life is introduced to the reader, he will tell you how he met them, their challenges and achievements and how they helped Sherman meet his goal. Some folks who have reviewed this book aren’t the happiest about this sort of “off on a tangent” style, but I kind of enjoyed it.
I’m not a runner and I’m not a farmer - I didn’t need a how to book on how to do what Sherman and Chris did. I was just there for the story, and it was fun for me.
The photos scattered throughout the book were icing on the cake and they helped me get to know Sherman, Lawrence, Matilda, Flower, Mika, Amos, Zeke, Tanya, Harrison and all the rest of the animals and people.
You’ll have to read the book to figure out who in that list are the animals and who are the people.
He moved from the city of Philadelphia to Amish country in Lancaster County, PA and created a small farm (goats & chickens).
One day, a neighbor brought him a donkey that was rescued from a hoarder house. McDougall wasn’t even sure he’d survive that first night but he did and they named him Sherman.
This is Sherman’s story about how he ended up running in a very special Burro race with Chris in Colorado. It’s also the story of all of the friends, family and support they received along the way.
McDougall writes as if he just sitting at dinner with you telling a story. As each person in his life is introduced to the reader, he will tell you how he met them, their challenges and achievements and how they helped Sherman meet his goal. Some folks who have reviewed this book aren’t the happiest about this sort of “off on a tangent” style, but I kind of enjoyed it.
I’m not a runner and I’m not a farmer - I didn’t need a how to book on how to do what Sherman and Chris did. I was just there for the story, and it was fun for me.
The photos scattered throughout the book were icing on the cake and they helped me get to know Sherman, Lawrence, Matilda, Flower, Mika, Amos, Zeke, Tanya, Harrison and all the rest of the animals and people.
You’ll have to read the book to figure out who in that list are the animals and who are the people.
August 7, 2019
Running with Sherman is a great book for people who love running and people who love animals. It's a beautiful story about an animal who's been neglected becoming the best version of itself. I've read the other two books by Christopher McDougall and I really a joy his writing style, you can really notice he has a passion for what he's writing about. There's a whole world out there for people racing with donkeys, I never knew!!
Thank you publisher and NetGalley for an ARC!
Thank you publisher and NetGalley for an ARC!
September 17, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Serpent's Tail/Profile Books for this arc.
Having been told repeatedly that sitting on my butt reading a book is NOT a sport, I have to admit to having absolutely no interest in the subject of sports/athletics whatsoever. But this is about a DONKEY! And it's a wonderful story.
Sherman (the donkey) came from a hoarder's collection and was an absolute mess when adopted by Christopher McDougall. Initially, there were questions about whether Sherman would make it or not. But Lawrence (a goat) showed people the way. From that point on, Sherman's rehabilitation soared. Within months, he was able to complete the short version of Colorado's Burro Race (15 miles) in Fairfax with his team - Gang of Three (six if you count the people) coming in at just over three hours. This is a race with people and a tethered burro.
Along the way to the race were all sorts of pig-trails followed.... ultra-marathon running, Amish lifestyle and Amish running clubs, introductions to some fascinating and amazing people. Altogether an exhilarating and exhausting read.
Having been told repeatedly that sitting on my butt reading a book is NOT a sport, I have to admit to having absolutely no interest in the subject of sports/athletics whatsoever. But this is about a DONKEY! And it's a wonderful story.
Sherman (the donkey) came from a hoarder's collection and was an absolute mess when adopted by Christopher McDougall. Initially, there were questions about whether Sherman would make it or not. But Lawrence (a goat) showed people the way. From that point on, Sherman's rehabilitation soared. Within months, he was able to complete the short version of Colorado's Burro Race (15 miles) in Fairfax with his team - Gang of Three (six if you count the people) coming in at just over three hours. This is a race with people and a tethered burro.
Along the way to the race were all sorts of pig-trails followed.... ultra-marathon running, Amish lifestyle and Amish running clubs, introductions to some fascinating and amazing people. Altogether an exhilarating and exhausting read.
January 24, 2020
Five stars for being a book to cherish.
There are multiple favorable reviews that I have liked:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Some of my earliest memories are running with dogs on tall grass covered hillsides.
The idea of running with a Sherman sized and spirited creature has particularly appeal.
The world of donkey-racing one I'd like to exist in.
Really liked the animals and people that CM introduced.
The Wisdom of Donkeys ...
The Wisdom of Donkeys: Finding Tranquility in a Chaotic World
November 6, 2020
Another win for McDougall. I loved Born to Run and am still running in Five Fingers after reading that book 7 years ago.
This was a broad spectrum book covering Donkey personalities, Amish personalities, depression, running, Colorado, Pennsylvania and a very wide array of disparate characters that enter and exit McDougall's life. This is also very much a short autobiography.
I am amazed at how McDougall can weave so many topics into a coherent story all wrapped around the tale of a rescue Donkey who needed a job to stay alive. I admit I was not unbiased when picking this book up because I have lived in Colorado for 50 years (old I am) and I have a friend who ran the burro race not too long ago. Running With Sherman is mostly based in Pennsylvania on the McDougall's farm but the actual race and driver of the saga takes place every year in Colorado. The book did not disappoint and I would recommend this to anyone.
This was a broad spectrum book covering Donkey personalities, Amish personalities, depression, running, Colorado, Pennsylvania and a very wide array of disparate characters that enter and exit McDougall's life. This is also very much a short autobiography.
I am amazed at how McDougall can weave so many topics into a coherent story all wrapped around the tale of a rescue Donkey who needed a job to stay alive. I admit I was not unbiased when picking this book up because I have lived in Colorado for 50 years (old I am) and I have a friend who ran the burro race not too long ago. Running With Sherman is mostly based in Pennsylvania on the McDougall's farm but the actual race and driver of the saga takes place every year in Colorado. The book did not disappoint and I would recommend this to anyone.
September 2, 2019
A warm, feel good memoir about a rescue donkey and running, from the author of Born to Run. A light hearted easy read for animal lovers and runners both, peopled with interesting characters from a variety of walks of life.
January 22, 2020
When author Chris McDougall decided to rescue a neglected donkey, eventually named Sherman, he and his family had no idea what they were about to encounter. But once they realized what Sherman's purpose was, burro racing, an entire community, friends, strangers, and those on the brink of broken rallied together in this delightful and inspirational story. For those who enjoyed Marley & Me or The Art of Racing in the Rain. This is our library's One Book One Town 2020 pick and we are all looking forward to McDougall's March visit.
January 9, 2020
Not since PT Barnum exhibited a whale in a small tank at his Natural History Museum in Manhattan has there been an animal exploited as much as McDougall's donkey. It is not a tale of animal rescue but rather how to monetize a poorly treated donkey.
McDougall had known about donkey racing in Colorado and found a meal ticket with Sherman. He already knew he would write about training the donkey and sought his next bestseller. He would have been better off just donating to charity and letting his donkey enjoy the farm.
His style is pedantic and wanders off course. He attempts to present scientific concepts and distorts most of them. He makes to many comments about his Amish and Mennonite neighborhoods yet he has chosen to live in their corner of the Keystone State.
The book at over 300 pages is too long for young adults though due to its lack of content can be easily skimmed. Boring and mediocre through most of the text it often just stops.
In the words of the great general William T Sherman "I shall not run and shall not serve" Although the donkey is named after the Sherman Brothers who were the songwriters for Mary Poppins, the donkey would have had a far better life if it was allowed to roam the farm and "did not run and did not serve" the ego and coffers of Chris McDougall
McDougall had known about donkey racing in Colorado and found a meal ticket with Sherman. He already knew he would write about training the donkey and sought his next bestseller. He would have been better off just donating to charity and letting his donkey enjoy the farm.
His style is pedantic and wanders off course. He attempts to present scientific concepts and distorts most of them. He makes to many comments about his Amish and Mennonite neighborhoods yet he has chosen to live in their corner of the Keystone State.
The book at over 300 pages is too long for young adults though due to its lack of content can be easily skimmed. Boring and mediocre through most of the text it often just stops.
In the words of the great general William T Sherman "I shall not run and shall not serve" Although the donkey is named after the Sherman Brothers who were the songwriters for Mary Poppins, the donkey would have had a far better life if it was allowed to roam the farm and "did not run and did not serve" the ego and coffers of Chris McDougall
Read
May 11, 2022Such a heartwarming and informational animal story. Sherman is a hero and his story has helped me to be a better runner. How so? The way donkeys and their humans interact and train for burro racing is also applicable to my half marathon training. This author also wrote Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen which has been on my TBR for awhile. You would think that is the book I would need to give me some extra "get up and go" to my daily runs. Nope! This one has given me much to consider like three tips Chris's wife Mika put into practice: 1) Smile 2) Make someone else smile 3) Run like a demon. (I am paraphrasing as I don't have a written copy to refer to.) Definitely have those points in mind as I prepare for an early summer half that is hilly and humid. This book is full of great stories and inspiring folks and tons of helpful information. *Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
December 10, 2023
*libby app, Overdrive was better *
*Narration by the author*
Sherman, Flower, and Matilda wormed their way into my heart ❤️. You couldn't help but root for them and crossing your fingers everything would work out.
I wouldn't mind seeing a burro race but I wouldn't want to race in one, no thanks. I admire the racers for their grit and commitment.
The author does go on long targets that eventually come back to the story. I enjoyed them at first but after Zeke's story I wish they'd been shortened.
Would still recommend :) wouldn't mind meeting these lovely animals some day.
*Narration by the author*
Sherman, Flower, and Matilda wormed their way into my heart ❤️. You couldn't help but root for them and crossing your fingers everything would work out.
I wouldn't mind seeing a burro race but I wouldn't want to race in one, no thanks. I admire the racers for their grit and commitment.
The author does go on long targets that eventually come back to the story. I enjoyed them at first but after Zeke's story I wish they'd been shortened.
Would still recommend :) wouldn't mind meeting these lovely animals some day.
April 13, 2021
I was looking forward to a lovely story about Sherman and his recovery from abuse. It starts out well, then transforms into a book about various runners, athletes and other tangents of information. It's like the author got sidelined into lots of unrelated stories triggered by one of the characters coming into the story. I enjoyed the parts of the Sherman and his band of animal friends being trained for the Burro race in Leadville, CO. but I don't feel like I really connected to the animals personality like I hoped.
Summed up, this was not the feel good animal story that I usually cherish.
Summed up, this was not the feel good animal story that I usually cherish.
January 24, 2020
I've read this author before, (Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen) and absolutely loved it. Now put a cute little donkey on the cover of another running book and of course I'm going to read it.
I liked this one. Some of this was 5 stars and it had me laughing out loud; other parts didn't have that same effect. There were many deviations into different tangents. That is a bit of a gray area for me because sometimes I like it....sometimes I don't. I think I was so rooted to the story of Sherman, I was a little annoyed when the direction changed. Mainly I appreciated the extra information but some of it felt overly wordy. However, all in all, I liked this one. I liked the voice of the author. He has a soft spot for animals no one else wants or animals that have been neglected. This made for an entertaining afternoon. So 4 stars.
I liked this one. Some of this was 5 stars and it had me laughing out loud; other parts didn't have that same effect. There were many deviations into different tangents. That is a bit of a gray area for me because sometimes I like it....sometimes I don't. I think I was so rooted to the story of Sherman, I was a little annoyed when the direction changed. Mainly I appreciated the extra information but some of it felt overly wordy. However, all in all, I liked this one. I liked the voice of the author. He has a soft spot for animals no one else wants or animals that have been neglected. This made for an entertaining afternoon. So 4 stars.
February 3, 2021
Somehow this never made it onto my "read" list from my "to-read" list. So I'll have to do my best to remember what happens.
Sherman, a cyberdonkey from the year 3030, is sent back in time to protect a small boy. Why a cyberdonkey instead of a cyberman? Well, we don't know for sure, but until you've got a viable time travel option, don't knock someone else's ideas, okay?
Sherman is armed with a handhaled tactical nuclear device, a real upgrade to Chekov's gun as we're introduced to it early in the story. He's also got jet hooves and lasers that shoot out of his eyes and will boil your insides to a crisp. You might not think you can boil something to a crisp, and that tells me you've never boiled a Twix before.
Anyway, Sherman befriends the boy and protects him from several low-level bullies, and when he cooks them from the inside out it seems like overkill, but again, 3030, who knows what our societal norms might be.
In the climax, I won't spoil it for you, but we all learn the important lesson that the tactical nuclear device was in all of us all along.
Sherman, a cyberdonkey from the year 3030, is sent back in time to protect a small boy. Why a cyberdonkey instead of a cyberman? Well, we don't know for sure, but until you've got a viable time travel option, don't knock someone else's ideas, okay?
Sherman is armed with a handhaled tactical nuclear device, a real upgrade to Chekov's gun as we're introduced to it early in the story. He's also got jet hooves and lasers that shoot out of his eyes and will boil your insides to a crisp. You might not think you can boil something to a crisp, and that tells me you've never boiled a Twix before.
Anyway, Sherman befriends the boy and protects him from several low-level bullies, and when he cooks them from the inside out it seems like overkill, but again, 3030, who knows what our societal norms might be.
In the climax, I won't spoil it for you, but we all learn the important lesson that the tactical nuclear device was in all of us all along.
October 21, 2019
Even if you’re not a fan of running (I’m certainly not!), you’ll fall in love with Sherman the donkey. This book isn’t about running so much as it is about love between the rescued Sherman and the family who took him in. First, healing him of his ill treatment, then strengthening him so he can learn to run, they eventually train him to run in a burro race in Colorado. Chris and his wife Mika don’t do it all alone. They engage lots of people to help – Amish neighbors, goats, Cesar Millan, and Zeke who struggles with depression. If this story doesn’t lift your spirits, nothing can!
I met this book at Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane, WA
I met this book at Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane, WA
November 5, 2020
Very heartfelt.....funny, and I loved it....quick simple read...with very straight forward language. I really enjoyed it.
September 10, 2022
This book is about much more than a neglected donkey rescued by the author in Amish country Pennsylvania and trained to run a “famous” (I hadn’t heard of it) burro race in Colorado. The author is a runner (wrote the book, Born to Run) so there is a lot about running, especially ultra running. As a runner that was fine with me. Other topics covered in depth are the human animal bond and animal therapy for various populations (incarcerated, the depressed and anxious, the neurodiverse), donkeys’ personalities and all the pitfalls training them, Amish culture and Pennsylvania rural life, goats, autism, suicide and mental illness in general….what else? I’m forgetting a bunch I’m sure. Initially I was put off by his long tangents and detailed back histories of both himself and all his friends, neighbors, and all the individuals that helped him along the way to his goal. I think the book could have been edited down quite a bit. Still, my overall feeling by the end was positive, as he really highlighted the goodness of humanity in the way so many people came together to overcome obstacles and help each other and their donkey friends. There was a real sense of love, kindness, and compassion in all these pages. I think most people will love this book.
October 12, 2025
You might love this story.
As for me, I was disappointed in every aspect, and the reason boils down to it not being what I expected. Since the title is Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero, I mistakenly thought it would be mainly about Sherman the donkey; but little Sherman, along with his donkey friends Flower and Matildonkey, only takes up about 15% of the book. The author describes hoping to save Sherman's life when taking him in from an animal hoarding situation, unsure if he'd live or die. You can imagine my surprise (and outrage) when he never summons a vet, and apparently all Sherman really suffered was overgrown hooves and a mild skin infection from filth, that he overcame easily with a bath. So from the start, I viewed the author as prone to exaggeration.
The other part of the title, "running," is definitely represented in a big way. Runners, joggers, marathoners--you are his intended audience. But lots of other topics fill in the spaces:
his bio
his wife's bio
the Amish
country living
goats
the Colorado donkey race
donkey racing participants
bio of a boy with a seizure disorder
bio of a boy with an attempted suicide
bio of a boy with severe autism
bios of various runners
bios of donkey owners
bios of friends
In other words, the book is about all the people he met along the way because he took in a donkey. His emphasis is heavily on the people.
The author reads the audio himself, and his voice and inflection gave me the impression of a yokel doing dad jokes, but then shocked me with spicy language. He clearly thought he was funnier that I did. 1.5 stars, reluctantly rounded up.
As for me, I was disappointed in every aspect, and the reason boils down to it not being what I expected. Since the title is Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero, I mistakenly thought it would be mainly about Sherman the donkey; but little Sherman, along with his donkey friends Flower and Matildonkey, only takes up about 15% of the book. The author describes hoping to save Sherman's life when taking him in from an animal hoarding situation, unsure if he'd live or die. You can imagine my surprise (and outrage) when he never summons a vet, and apparently all Sherman really suffered was overgrown hooves and a mild skin infection from filth, that he overcame easily with a bath. So from the start, I viewed the author as prone to exaggeration.
The other part of the title, "running," is definitely represented in a big way. Runners, joggers, marathoners--you are his intended audience. But lots of other topics fill in the spaces:
his bio
his wife's bio
the Amish
country living
goats
the Colorado donkey race
donkey racing participants
bio of a boy with a seizure disorder
bio of a boy with an attempted suicide
bio of a boy with severe autism
bios of various runners
bios of donkey owners
bios of friends
In other words, the book is about all the people he met along the way because he took in a donkey. His emphasis is heavily on the people.
The author reads the audio himself, and his voice and inflection gave me the impression of a yokel doing dad jokes, but then shocked me with spicy language. He clearly thought he was funnier that I did. 1.5 stars, reluctantly rounded up.
September 10, 2024
Ein toller Esel
Der Journalist Christopher McDougall erwirbt mit seiner Frau eine Farm im am Rande eines Amisch County. Es dauert nicht lange und die Beiden beherbergen einige Tiere. Bald kommt ein kleiner Esel hinzu. Er wurde aus einer schlechten Haltung gerettet und Christopher konnte Sherman einfach nicht seinem Schicksal überlassen. Zunächst kümmert er sich um die gesundheitlichen Probleme des Esels. Doch wie soll er die Seele des Tieres wieder aufrichten? Sherman scheint allen Mut und das Vertrauen verloren zu haben. Als Christopher von den Esel Rennen erfährt, hat er eine Idee. Er, selbst ein Läufer, versucht, Sherman zu trainieren und erfährt erstmal, was man dabei alles falsch machen kann.
Wenn man weder etwas vom Laufen versteht noch etwas über die Haltung von Eseln weiß, bietet dieses Buch einige Überraschungen. Der Autor selbst wird von seinem Wunsch zu helfen angetrieben. Er will Shermans Leben wieder lebenswert machen und er stellt fest, dass Sherman sehr wohl merkt, wer ihm Gutes tut. Das heißt nicht, dass immer alles glatt geht, aber die beiden grooven sich ein. Das große Ziel, von dem Sherman nichts weiß, ist ein Esel-Rennen. Auf dem Weg dahin gibt es einige Hindernisse zu überwinden. Manchmal schient das Ziel in unerreichbare Ferne zu rücken.
Halb dokumentarisch ist dieses Buch, beinahe romanhaft geschrieben. Man kann Shermans Geschichte im Internet finden und sich freuen, mit welcher Energie er durch die Gegend trabt. Man merkt, dass der Autor Läufer ist und sich für viele Arten des Laufens begeistert. Er begeistert sich auch für Menschen. So hat er liebenswerte Worte und Geschichten über viele Menschen aus seiner Umgebung. Manchmal wird schweift er dabei etwas ab, so dass es für Leser, denen die Expertise an gewissen Themen fehlt, etwas langatmig werden kann. Auch ist zu finden, dass der Autor inzwischen auf Hawaii lebt. Bleibt also zu hoffen, dass Sherman entweder mitkommen konnte oder er ein anderes liebevolles zuhause gefunden hat. Shermans Rettung und wie er wieder aufgepäppelt wird ergibt eine berührende Erzählung, die eine ansprechende Erweiterung des Lesekanons darstellt.
3,5 Sterne
Der Journalist Christopher McDougall erwirbt mit seiner Frau eine Farm im am Rande eines Amisch County. Es dauert nicht lange und die Beiden beherbergen einige Tiere. Bald kommt ein kleiner Esel hinzu. Er wurde aus einer schlechten Haltung gerettet und Christopher konnte Sherman einfach nicht seinem Schicksal überlassen. Zunächst kümmert er sich um die gesundheitlichen Probleme des Esels. Doch wie soll er die Seele des Tieres wieder aufrichten? Sherman scheint allen Mut und das Vertrauen verloren zu haben. Als Christopher von den Esel Rennen erfährt, hat er eine Idee. Er, selbst ein Läufer, versucht, Sherman zu trainieren und erfährt erstmal, was man dabei alles falsch machen kann.
Wenn man weder etwas vom Laufen versteht noch etwas über die Haltung von Eseln weiß, bietet dieses Buch einige Überraschungen. Der Autor selbst wird von seinem Wunsch zu helfen angetrieben. Er will Shermans Leben wieder lebenswert machen und er stellt fest, dass Sherman sehr wohl merkt, wer ihm Gutes tut. Das heißt nicht, dass immer alles glatt geht, aber die beiden grooven sich ein. Das große Ziel, von dem Sherman nichts weiß, ist ein Esel-Rennen. Auf dem Weg dahin gibt es einige Hindernisse zu überwinden. Manchmal schient das Ziel in unerreichbare Ferne zu rücken.
Halb dokumentarisch ist dieses Buch, beinahe romanhaft geschrieben. Man kann Shermans Geschichte im Internet finden und sich freuen, mit welcher Energie er durch die Gegend trabt. Man merkt, dass der Autor Läufer ist und sich für viele Arten des Laufens begeistert. Er begeistert sich auch für Menschen. So hat er liebenswerte Worte und Geschichten über viele Menschen aus seiner Umgebung. Manchmal wird schweift er dabei etwas ab, so dass es für Leser, denen die Expertise an gewissen Themen fehlt, etwas langatmig werden kann. Auch ist zu finden, dass der Autor inzwischen auf Hawaii lebt. Bleibt also zu hoffen, dass Sherman entweder mitkommen konnte oder er ein anderes liebevolles zuhause gefunden hat. Shermans Rettung und wie er wieder aufgepäppelt wird ergibt eine berührende Erzählung, die eine ansprechende Erweiterung des Lesekanons darstellt.
3,5 Sterne
October 9, 2019
This might be my favorite book Mr. McDougall has written yet! You can really feel the personality of Sherman and his friends Flower and Matilda and I finished it really wanting to go watch a burro race. However, I will caution readers that the book starts off rather heavy. Mr. McDougall describes the horrible condition he finds Shermie in, at the home of a hoarder. I was revolted, as I am whenever I hear of animal cruelty or neglect. But I will say that this is necessary so that the reader knows how things where when they started: with an extremely neglected and fearful animal. However, the reader obviously knows Sherman will get better and Mr. McDougall does a good job of balancing out this information with other stories so as not to overwhelm the reader. Before long, the reader feels like they too have a vested interest in the Sherminator's success. Mr. McDougall also uses the journey of Team Sherman to share various other stories related to himself and other people he has met. For the most part, these were interesting; however at some points they felt a bit distracting. I think it is because we all want to know what's happening with Sherman.
Thanks to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail/Profile Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail/Profile Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
February 23, 2020
Wow! Even the tangents and rabbit holes the author goes through are interesting and are brought back into the main story. This book actually gave me goosebumps in the ending of the next to the last chapter - never had that happen before.
July 7, 2021
If this book was just about Sherman and the other donkeys, I probably would have given this book 4 stars. But the author and his ego enjoyed talking about himself too much, dragging my score down. Sad, really. Sherman deserves better.
February 19, 2020
Wow, what a fantastic book! Chris McDougal earlier wrote a very good one with Born to Run, and this one, with a love able donkey named Sherman (and a few friends) is even better. So many topics are covered, but they all help to tell the story of Sherman and his great 50 mile race.
July 6, 2019
Some years ago, I read and enjoyed “Born to Run” by this author. I was thrilled to receive an advanced reader copy from Netgalley on Chris McDougall’s latest work set to be released October 15, 2019.
Chris and his wife Mika take in a rescue donkey named Sherman who his close to death. He was kept isolated in a stall by a hoarder. Chris quickly learns that in order to help save his life that he needs to give him a “job”. Chris decides to enter Sherman and himself in a burro race in Colorado. They have 10 months to actually train for this race which probably isn’t enough time given all the obstacles they must face. The biggest challenge probably is getting to know how donkey’s think and overcoming all of Sherman’s fears since he had been neglected his entire life.
This story as you may imagine, is quite funny! I found myself laughing out loud so many times. I do think I had an advantage in reading this book because I enjoy mountain ultra-running and have a thorough understanding of what the author was talking about. I know my ultra-running friends would probably love this book as much as I did.
The story is also educational as Chris has included chapters about Amish life, famous female ultra-runners, the beginnings of Leadville 100 mile foot race, and the history of burro racing. I really enjoyed these sections of the book as well.
The author did a great job in developing the key characters who helped him in training Sherman for the burro race. I particularly enjoyed how well they knew their animals personalities. It was quite entertaining.
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf Publishing group for allowing me to preview this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Chris and his wife Mika take in a rescue donkey named Sherman who his close to death. He was kept isolated in a stall by a hoarder. Chris quickly learns that in order to help save his life that he needs to give him a “job”. Chris decides to enter Sherman and himself in a burro race in Colorado. They have 10 months to actually train for this race which probably isn’t enough time given all the obstacles they must face. The biggest challenge probably is getting to know how donkey’s think and overcoming all of Sherman’s fears since he had been neglected his entire life.
This story as you may imagine, is quite funny! I found myself laughing out loud so many times. I do think I had an advantage in reading this book because I enjoy mountain ultra-running and have a thorough understanding of what the author was talking about. I know my ultra-running friends would probably love this book as much as I did.
The story is also educational as Chris has included chapters about Amish life, famous female ultra-runners, the beginnings of Leadville 100 mile foot race, and the history of burro racing. I really enjoyed these sections of the book as well.
The author did a great job in developing the key characters who helped him in training Sherman for the burro race. I particularly enjoyed how well they knew their animals personalities. It was quite entertaining.
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf Publishing group for allowing me to preview this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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