Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

In "Flowers for Algernon" Charley goes from handicapped, low IQ guy to super genius guy and then back again. There are similar emotions created in "The Memory of Running." A 43 year old Viet Nam veteran has had a series of difficult things hit him hard including 20 bullets and a tragically flawed and beautiful, but mentally ill sister's disappearance. And so, he is has become overweight, a heavy smoker and drinker with a minimal job, kind of a slob with no real friends, no real life.

I won't take time to describe how and why, but he is driven within to ride his bike from Rhode Island to Los Angeles on his quest to pick up his sister. During this impossible trip, he rediscovers his life while going through amazing and yet believable experiences with different people throughout the country. Some of these experiences are hard to take as he is kicked around by Doctors and Policemen who think he is a no goodnick bum.

As he makes progress as he rides across the country, the mental fog starts to disappear, the weight starts to fall off, he quits his bad habits, loves his daily bananas and a real transformation starts to take place.

It is sometimes emotionally draining, sometimes hard to take, and even though our protagonist is 43 years old, it is a coming of age story. And it is subtly told in a way that makes you cheer for him as his mind clears and he regains his life.

A wonderful book.