Aganetha (Aggie) Smart won gold in the 800-meter race in 1928 at the first Olympics to include women. Whenthe novel opens, she is 104 years old and sits in a wheelchair in a nursing home.
Author Carrie Snyder of Waterloo, Ontario, deftly weaves flashbacks to various stages of Aggie’s life to explore her joy of running, her determination to compete in the Olympics, and her muddled relationships with her family, her companion in training, and her team escort.
As is the pace in a race, this story begins slowly in Aggie’s old age, revisits her early childhood enthusiasms and optimism, relaxes into a study disciplined rhythm, and finishes with a burst of unexpected revelations. It’s a great read. (Anansi Press)
About the Author
Jim Romahn is a freelance journalist in Kitchener, Ont., where he belongs to Community Christian Reformed Church.
