Discussion Questions
The questions below were written by our Associate, Jennifer Johnson, MA, MLIS, Reference Librarian, Springdale (Arkansas) Public Library. Thanks, as always, Jennifer.
1. What observations did Wade make in Run the World? Do you think she enjoyed each country she visited? Which ones did she find more favorable than others?
2. How does Wade’s portrayal of running compare to what you knew before you read the book? Did this book inspire you? How so?
3. Wade writes about her travels through running in different cultures. What major points does she mention as she does this? Are there common themes throughout the book?
4. Which chapters or countries did you enjoy the most? Which ones did you enjoy the least?
5. According to Wade, she wanted to "…question the practices I had assumed were best, test how much of myself I would invest when the leash came off, and ultimately, find a balance between freedom and structure" (6). Do you think the author was successful in finding those answers?
6. After reading Run the World, did your perspective and opinions of the Olympics and track and field change?
7. What did you think of Wade’s writing style? Do you think, considering her content, she wrote in a form that best suited the content?
8. Do you believe that she has the experience and knowledge to critique running styles and cultural approaches to running in other countries? If so, why?
9. Do you think Wade overreaches in her attempts to cover running styles and forms, traveling 3,500 miles, and food? Or was it successful for you? How so?
10. The author explains that she’d "accepted that I’d probably never fully grasp Banchi’s reasoning about Derartu and the Devil — which I later learned was a blend of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and religious superstition, both foreign to my Catholic upbringing. But I was committed to trying, as I remained open-minded to other cultural beliefs and practices… I was searching for meaning in the universal phenomenon of running…" (4). Do you think this is an accurate statement of what she was trying to accomplish? Was she successful?
(Questions submitted to LitLovers by Jennifer Johnson, M.A., M.L.I.S., Reference Librarian, Springdale Public Library. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)