The Ghost Runner, Bill Jones
The Ghost Runner, Bill Jones
List: $21.95 | Sale: $15.37
Club: $10.97

The Ghost Runner
The Tragedy of the Man They Couldn’t Stop

Author: Bill Jones

Narrator: Clive R. Anderson

Unabridged: 11 hr 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/06/2013

Synopsis

The mystery man threw off his disguise and started to run. Furious stewards gave chase. The crowd roared. A legend was born. Soon the world would know him as "the ghost runner," John Tarrant, the extraordinary man whom nobody could stop. As a hapless teenage boxer in the 1950s, he'd been paid ┬ú17 expenses. When he wanted to run, he was banned for life. His amateur status had been compromised … forever. Now he was fighting back, gate-crashing races all over Britain. No number on his shirt. No friends in high places. Soon he would be a record-breaker, one of the greatest long-distance runners the world had ever seen. This cross between Once a Runner and Chariots of Fire tells the heartbreaking story of this remarkable individual.

About Bill Jones

Bill Jones worked for Granada Television for twenty-seven years where he was an award-winning documentary maker. He was researching a documentary about the centenary of the Salford Harriers in 1985 when he first came across the story of John Tarrant (a former Harriers member) and it has haunted him ever since.

About Clive R. Anderson

Clive R. Anderson is the narrator of several audiobooks, including The Ghost Runner by Bill Jones, The Tooth Tattoo by Peter Lovesey, and The Skeleton in the Closet by M. C. Beaton.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jay

This book, like its subject, is an underdog. It didn't get a lot of publicity. The author is a virtually unknown. I don't believe it was picked up by a major publisher. It starts off a little dry, but once you get to the meat of the story, it becomes hard to put down. This tale epitomizes the proble......more

Goodreads review by Larry

This is the remarkable tale of John Tarrant, who became famous in the British sporting world as the "ghost runner" in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. As a teenager - long before his running career - John took a paltry 17 pounds in "expense" money as a boxer. Thus, he was banned for life by the British at......more

Quotes

“An astonishing story of staggering grit and determination.” Independent (London)

“Jones has unearthed and told quite brilliantly the tragic story of a man condemned not only by authority but also by his own stubbornness.” Sunday Times (London)

“A terrific story—a comic-strip hero made flesh.” Daily Mail

“Jones has written a vibrant account of endurance and rebellion.” Publishers Weekly

“John Tarrant fought against a sporting establishment that held him hostage in what could have been one of the great international ultra-distance-running careers. Jones restores his legend while revealing his very human frailties.” Kirkus Reviews

“A fascinating study of one man’s obsession and the heartless, hypocritical bureaucracy that stubbornly aligned itself against him. Unforgettable reading.” Booklist, starred review

Awards

  • Library Journal Best Book
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