The Motion Of The Body Through Space Lionel Shriver
b'After an ignominious early retirement, Remington announces to his wife Serenata that he\\u2019s decided to run a marathon. This from a sedentary man in his sixties who\\u2019s never done a lick of exercise in his life. His wife can\\u2019t help but observe that his ambition is \\u201chopelessly trite.\\u201d A loner, Serenata disdains mass group activities of any sort. Besides, his timing is cruel. Serenata has long been the couple\\u2019s exercise freak, but by age sixty, her private fitness regimes have destroyed her knees, and she\\u2019ll soon face debilitating surgery. Yes, becoming more active would be good for Remington\\u2019s heart, but then why not just go for a walk? Without several thousand of your closest friends?
As Remington joins the cult of fitness that increasingly consumes the Western world, her once-modest husband burgeons into an unbearable narcissist. Ignoring all his other obligations, he engages a saucy, sexy personal trainer named Bambi, who treats Serenata with contempt. When Remington sets his sights on the legendarily grueling triathlon, MettleMan, Serenata is sure he\\u2019ll end up injured or dead. And even if he does survive, their marriage may not.
The Motion of the Body Through Space is vintage Lionel Shriver written with psychological insight, a rich cast of characters, lots of verve and petulance, an astute reading of contemporary culture, and an emotionally resonant ending.'