The Perfect Mile

Few individual achievements enthrall the popular imagination as does the first mile ever run under four minutes. Nelson Runger's enthusiastic reading of THE PERFECT MILE lends a quality of personal testimony to collective history. Runger has an affable, comfortable sound with a touch of the no-nonsense solidity of a nature show announcer. Athletes, like lions and antelope, are fascinating, complex creatures when Runger's voice describes them. Three runners of unprecedented ability and determination peak simultaneously on different continents. One breaks the barrier initially, yet another soon shatters that record. After beating the clock separately, the competitors finally face each other. When the story is over, the congenial Runger interviews the author to elicit additional details about the milers. D.J. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine