The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
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2008-07-08T02:31:24Z
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'''''The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner''''' is a story by the British writer [[Alan Sillitoe]] published in [[1958 in literature|1958]], and it is contained in a collection of short stories published under the same title.
In the film, which is based on the book's title story, an impoverished [[Nottingham]] teenager has few prospects in life and enjoys few pursuits beyond committing petty crimes. His home life is dismal as well. Caught for robbing a bakery, Colin is confined in a [[borstal]], or prison for delinquent youth. He seeks solace in long distance running, attracting the notice of the school's authorities, but, during an important cross-country meet which he is winning, he stops running just short of the finish line to defy his captors.
It was subsequently adapted into a [[The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (film)|film of the same name]].
==Musical Adaptations==
*The British [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] group [[Iron Maiden]] adapted the short story into the song of the same name on their ''[[Somewhere in Time (album)|Somewhere in Time]]'' album.
*British [[Oi!]] and [[Punk rock|punk]] band [[The Angelic Upstarts]] included a song of the same name on their [[Reason Why?]] album.
*Scottish [[Rock music|rock]] group [[Belle and Sebastian]], adapted the title for the song "Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner" on their 2001 EP, [[Jonathan David]].
*American band [[Ruxton Towers]] takes its name from the film, in which a reformatory school has the same name.
*Washington D.C. punk band [[Fugazi]] have a song entitled "Long Distance Runner" on their fourth LP, [[Red Medicine]].
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, The}}
[[Category:1958 novels]]
[[ru:Одиночество бегуна на длинные дистанции (фильм)]]