Step by Step: A Pedestrian Memoir

By Lawrence Block

Book Overview

From the revered New York Times bestselling author comes a touching, insightful, and humorous memoir of an unlikely racewalker and world traveler

Before Lawrence Block was the author of bestselling novels featuring unforgettable characters such as the hit man Keller, private investigator Matthew Scudder, burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, and time traveler Evan Tanner, he was a walker.

As a child, he walked home from school (mostly because he couldn't ride a bike). As a col-lege student, he walked until he was able to buy his first car (a deep blue 1950 Chevrolet coupe named Pamela, after the Samuel Richardson novel). As an adult, he ran marathons until he discovered what would become a lifelong obsession--never mind if some people didn't think it was a real sport--racewalking.

By that time Block had already spent plenty of time walking through the city of New York. But racewalking ended up taking him all over the country, from New Orleans to Anchorage, from marathons in the punishing heat to marathons in the pouring rain. And along the way, as he began to pen the books that would make him a household name among suspense fans all over the world, he found that in life, as in writing, you just need to take one step after the other.

Through the lens of his adventures while walking--in twenty-four-hour races, on a pilgrimage through Spain, and just about everywhere you can imagine--Lawrence Block shares his heartwarming personal story about life's trials and tribulations, discomforts and successes, which truly lets readers walk a mile in the master of mystery's shoes.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061721816
• ISBN13: 9780061721816
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 365 Pages
• Weight: 1.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Ya''ll should have a 6 for this book

Not only do I love this author, I got the book quickly and in great condition. I would buy from this seller again.

Witty, Acerbic at Times, Inquisitive and, Above All, Honest

Several years ago Lawrence Block, author of over 60 mystery novels, told me that he could write a cookbook and it would probably be shelved in the mystery section of bookstores. As a novelist for the past half-century, Block has created some of the greatest mystery series of all time --- from the dark stories involving alcoholic private eye Matt Scudder to the lighter mysteries featuring burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr to the stamp-collecting hit man known as Keller. But now he has written a memoir that deserves to join his mysteries on the bestseller list, if not the mystery shelf. STEP BY STEP is a memoir, not of the writing life, but of the walking life. It is also the story of an intellectually honest and adventurous man who has struggled to overcome his demons and excel in living. Unlike many recent memoirs, this is not a book about victimization; it is about living a life to the fullest. Both the journalist and novelist have some personal cover while practicing their craft. The reporter can take refuge behind facts; the novelist behind his imagination. And readers of the latter can discover the writer's voice in his or her style or tone. They can also strive to get glimpses of the author through his characters or the settings in which they exist. At the end of the day, it is, after all, fiction, and any resemblance to those living or dead is, as they say in the movies, purely coincidental. But real life is rarely so simple. STEP BY STEP is written in the same conversational, graceful style that has made Block the ideal writer to study for those interested in learning the craft. Indeed, his only nonfiction titles before this one were four instructional books for writers, two of them gleaned from his work for many years as the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine. So how do you write a memoir about walking? Well, this isn't exactly strolling down to the grocery store for a six-pack of beer and newspaper, which I have practiced for many years and am very good at. Much of this book involves racewalking. That is the rather odd-looking sport that definitely is not running. It consists of the stiff knee, leg in constant contact with mother earth, arms swinging at the sides, a sort of rapid propulsion forward. As the Supreme Court once said of pornography, you would know it when you see it. And Block excelled at it. In 2006, at the age of 68, he competed in 18 races, including six marathons and two 24-hour races, covering a total of 375 miles. Between 2005 and 2007, he took part in 52 races, including 11 marathons and seven "ultras." We learn that ultras are races that can go for 24 hours or even days and cover hundreds of miles. Block covered 70 miles in one 24-hour race. Indeed, we meet in these pages many highly motivated athletes who take part in the sport. If you walk 100 miles in 24 hours, you become a Centurion. If I did it, I would become a corpse. But to each his own. Block traces his enthusiasm for walking back to his early yea

What it is and what it isn't

Lawrence Block's memoir, Step by Step, is very much like P.D. James's Time to Be in Earnest. Both of them (as her book announces in its subtitle) are fragments of an autobiography. Both begin with the notion of writing `a year in the life of . . . ` narratives which then feather out to encompass an entire life. There is, however, a huge difference between the two. James's memoir concerns her activities as a writer; Block's memoir concerns his activities as a racewalker, runner and traveler. There are glimpses of his writing life and glimpses of his personal life (though he is very guarded with regard to the latter), but the book principally concerns his racewalking. Those approaching the book with the hope that it will also be about his writing will be disappointed. There is material concerning the writing, but it only occupies approximately 5% of the book. In part, this is because Block takes his gifts and accomplishments as a writer for granted; it is what he does; it is how he makes his living; he has done it since his days in college; it does not challenge him the way racewalking does and it is not the source of pride that rigorous physical activity can be to a person in his late 60's. In March, 1992 I had the pleasure and privilege of interviewing Lawrence Block as part of a program operated by the Smithsonian. His conversation is like his writing--expert, lucid and economical. (Which is to say, terse. Not impolite, but brief.) A two paragraph question would elicit a monosyllabic response. For Block, less is always more. That is one of the reasons why he is a great writer and one of the reasons why he is an MWA Grand Master. He reveals by concealing or carefully withholding. How does that affect his work as a memoirist? One would think that it would be an impediment, but it is not. He provides fulsome detail concerning his exercise regimen, his training regimen, his performance in specific races and the state of his toes and their blisters, his diet and his dress. He does not provide extensive details with regard to his previous drinking, with regard to his marriages and his writing. He reveals a little, very little, but the extensive details which he provides concerning his racewalking enable the reader to draw inferences concerning his personality, his private life and his work. I have read 36 of Block's books and I admire him greatly as a writer and (from our hour together on the stage) as a person. I would like to have heard more about the writing than the racewalking in Step by Step, but that is not Block's way, as I should have known from our previous acquaintance. Step by Step appears to be somewhat off-the-cuff. As always, Block writes with a light touch. No one makes writing `look' easier. When one reflects upon the work, however, one sees how impressive it is and how difficult it is to do what Block does. Step by Step appears to be Block-at-his-ease, telling faintly-connected stories about his favorite a

Running through life at a talking pace.

An easy-to-read, well-orchestrated memoir. Block discusses many things, the unreliability of memoirs, his early career writing crime and porn, growing up in a family of Reform Jews, how he became addicted to racewalking, finishing his last contractual novel, HIT AND RUN, in three weeks so that he could devote himself to writing what he wanted to write without pressure. Great stuff, lively ironic wit and some laugh-out-loud humor. I'm also a runner/walker (once a runner, always a runner), so it was an especially good read for me. I vicariously enjoyed his portrait of the running/writing/racewalking lifestyle. Like all of Block's genre books, this memoir is sprinkled with sardonic humor and attitude. Block at his best is equal to the best of James Lee Burke, and that is saying something. People who treasure this book might also enjoy novelist Haruki Murakami's delightful memoir, WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING, as well as Don Kardong's classic THIRTY PHONE BOOTHS TO BOSTON.

on the road with Larry Block

Walking is high on the list of subjects that do not normally hold my interest. But this book is totally engaging and kept me reading straight through the weekend. Block digs deep here, emotionally, physically, spiritually. Step By Step is part memoir, part inspirational and wholly entertaining. As a longtime Lawrence Block reader, I was finally able to draw a line from his characters back to him. Now, if he would only write another Scudder!