ABOUT THE BOOK

A world-class marathoner who completed all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, Charles Moore brings to light his experiences as a Black man in the world of marathons in his incisive memoir.

Based on Charles Moore’s experience running 24 marathons between 2016- 2023, Apropos of Running is at once a celebration of his journey to become a 24-time marathon runner and a candid, deeply personal interrogation of how race and culture are intertwined. The author explores the lack of diversity in marathoning, as he came face to face with the predominant myth that “Black people don’t run marathons.” From international races in major cities across Asia, Europe and the United States, including his native Detroit, he is confronted with not only the racial history of America, but the racialized history of the sport he had devoted his life to. 

A timely and unforgettable memoir of long-distance running, Moore is one of the few to address the Venn diagram of Blackness and long-distance running. Apropos of Running is an essential testament to the persistence and power of Black marathon runners and how one man transformed his life and the sport of running just by showing up at the starting line time after time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles Moore is a New York-based art curator and established author. His curatorial work investigates the convergence of abstraction, color theory, and social justice. Through his exhibitions and criticism, he emphasizes collaboration and seeks to illuminate the systemic disparity at work in the art world. He has run 24 marathons, most recently the Tokyo Marathon in March 2023, which completes all 6 of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. A feat that only a fraction of global marathoners has accomplished. 

Born in Detroit, Michigan, he moved to New York City in 2005 where he began a career on Wall Street working in Wealth Management. He began his MBA at St. John’s University, relocating to its Rome, Italy, campus to complete the degree. There, he learned Italian and spent time visiting museums and opera houses all over Europe. In 2012, he returned to New York City to work in Wealth Management and began collecting art. Art collecting soon grew from a passion to a second career, and he enrolled at Harvard University and obtained a Master’s in Museum Studies.

He is currently a doctoral candidate at Columbia University in Art and Museum Studies, scheduled to complete in May 2024. 

He is a contributing writer to notable art publications including Juxtapoz, CULTURED, Artsy, The Brooklyn Rail, The Art Newspaper, and Fine Art Connoisseur. He is the author of three  books about art criticism and collecting: The Black Market: A Guide to Art Collecting (2020); Israel’s Transformative Black Artists (2020); and The Brilliance of the Color Black Through the Eyes of Art Collectors (2021). The Black Market has been translated into 10 languages. Apropos of Running is his first memoir.

TIMELY TIE-INS

November

• National Life Writing Month
• National Author’s Day – 1
• New York City Marathon – Publication Day (5)

January

• National Book Blitz Month
• National Hobby Month
• National Staying Healthy Month
• Shape Up US Month

February

• Black History Month
• Recreational Sports & Fitness Day – 22

April

• World Health Day – 7 

June

• Global Running Day – 5