# Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

4 Hacker News commenters recommended Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Readers recommend it as a good story that helped one reader fix foot pain with thin shoes and walking on rocky ground. Critics say it is a story, not a practical handbook.

## Why people recommend it

- Practical fix for foot problems (1 comments): "I was able to fix mine by wearing thin sole shoes and walking regularly on rocky terrain. See Born To Run." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48621233))
- Good storytelling (2 comments): "he's certainly a storyteller and not a scientist to put it simply" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48193554)) "It it's a good story, not a handbook of practical advice." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48193443))

## What people warn about

- Not a scientific source (1 comments): "he's certainly a storyteller and not a scientist to put it simply" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48193554))
- Not a practical handbook (1 comments): "It it's a good story, not a handbook of practical advice." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48193443))
- Exaggerated claims (1 comments): "Some claim hyperbolically - masterfully understated there, Wikipedia." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48192022))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cuckoo-s-egg.md): 40 recommend
- [Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/amusing-ourselves-to-death.md): 36 recommend
- [The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt](https://hackerapproved.com/p/anxious-generation.md): 24 recommend
- [Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bullshit-jobs.md): 20 recommend
- [Enshittification by Cory Doctorow](https://hackerapproved.com/p/enshittification.md): 19 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307279189?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780307279187) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Born to Run by Christopher McDougall", https://hackerapproved.com/p/born-to-run/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).