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The absorbing, definitive account of CrossFit's origins, its explosive grassroots growth, and its emergence as a global phenomenon. One of the most illuminating books ever on a sports subculture, Learning to Breathe Fire combines vivid sports writing with a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human. In the book, veteran journalist J.C. Herz explains the science of maximum effort, why the modern gym fails an obese society, and the psychic rewards of ending up on the floor feeling as though you're about to die. The story traces CrossFit’s rise, from a single underground gym in Santa Cruz to its adoption as the workout of choice for elite special forces, firefighters and cops, to its popularity as the go-to fitness routine for regular Joes and Janes. Especially riveting is Herz’s description of The CrossFit Games, which begin as an informal throw-down on a California ranch and evolve into a televised global proving ground for the fittest men and women on Earth, as well as hundreds of thousands of lesser mortals. In her portrayal of the sport's star athletes, its passionate coaches and its “chief armorer,” Rogue Fitness, Herz powerfully evokes the uniqueness of a fitness culture that cultivates primal fierceness in average people. And in the shared ordeal of an all-consuming workout, she unearths the ritual intensity that's been with us since humans invented sports, showing us how, on a deep level, we're all tribal hunters and first responders, waiting for the signal to go all-out.

Story Behind The Book

While doing genealogical research on my paternal family, I kept hearing stories about the Dickensian childhood of my maternal grand father and his notorious mother, Janetta Rundel. The stories were almost too shocking to be true, and the family in general looked back at Janetta Rundel as being the blackest of black sheep and they told her story in furtive whispers, less the children hear. It’s not that I doubted the word of my grandfather (who never had a kind word to say about his mother) but I found it hard to believe that anybody could be so heartless and scandalous. I felt that there had to be more to her story and her personality. I decided to change the focus of my research to discover the truth behind my notorious great grandmother. What I found was that the family only knew half of her story and that she was a far more complex person than they had painted. I originally set out to write a small book about her life, strictly for the benefit of my children and family. I wanted to set the record straight and see if I could redeem her reputation to some degree. However, I soon found that writing a factual account of her life was dry and, frankly, unbelievable. I decided, therefore, to treat her story as a fictional novel. I changed names, to protect the innocent, as they say, and added characters, who, I felt sure must have played a part in her life. Her lover Lieutenant Bird for example is fictitious but I am certain that there was such a lover in the background. He fits her story perfectly. The dates, locations, and fate of her husbands and children are all quite accurate however, as is her disappearance from history. I hope you will enjoy this tale for what it is, an incredible story of love, lust, and self serving ambition.

Reviews

It is difficult to distinguish who is more ambitious: Kerby and the historic diligence required to craft this well-informed debut novel or his indecently charming femme fatale. From impoverished and vulnerable to cunning and downright unconscionable, Janetta – at times unwittingly – carves acareer as the regiment’s woman. Katherine Moore, Homes Publishing Group, Ontario

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Robert Kerby

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Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness

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Story Behind The Book

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