Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall, Alfred Knopf Publisher, 337 pages, $32.
In our current pop culture the term hero will conjure up images of costumed figures with superhuman powers but heroic efforts are not fictional. The strength and endurance that exists within us is something real and accessible.
Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, looks at the special characteristics that sets those brave enough apart from those who don't. At the heart of the book he tells of a group of resistance fighters on Crete during World War II and their daring capture of a German general. McDougall brings to life an incredible tale of how the population fought back and kept thousands of German troops engaged when they were meant to be deployed elsewhere.
As he shifts from the past to the present, McDougall explores the nature of heroism and the various methods that people have used to push themselves beyond normal limits in
order to do exceptional feats. His research is global and looks at ways that modern athletes escape routine and incorporate nature into their practice. That research extends into the nutritional needs of peak performance and debunks many myths.
McDougall examines the tools of the hero, natural movement, extraordinary endurance and efficient nutrition, and how groups throughout history and in modern times have applied their principals to make seemingly impossible tasks achievable.
