In the Spell of the Barkley
Unravelling the Mystery of the World's Toughest Ultramarathon
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In the Spell of the Barkley
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Narrated by:
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Rupert Holliday-Evans
About this listen
Bloomsbury presents In the Spell of the Barkley by Michiel Panhuysen, read by Rupert Holliday-Evans.
'A wonderful, compelling read'
Vassos Alexander, radio presenter and ultrarunner
Welcome to the Barkley Marathons, a fever dream of an ultra event, inspired by a prison break, heralded by a conch blast, paid for in cigarettes and socks, and completed only by a select few. A race in which competitors haul themselves up mountains, through extreme weather conditions, beyond pain and exhaustion, mile after mile. Completed 60 miles? That’s just the fun run.
Journalist and ultrarunner Michiel Panhuysen is a multiple-time Barkley entrant, having fallen under the spell of this most enigmatic of races – and its presiding philosopher-genius organizer Lazarus Lake – in the early 2010s. On each occasion, the Barkley won. The Barkley nearly always wins.
In the Spell of the Barkley is a story of sporting obsession, exploring what drives individuals to challenge themselves at the limits of what is possible – and what it takes to succeed.
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What listeners say about In the Spell of the Barkley
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kate O'Malley
- 06-10-24
Magical ultra story
Enjoyed the narration and the story, and how it links to different people’s journeys. Would listen again
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- KQ
- 24-02-24
Brilliant Insight
I am likewise fascinated with The Barkley. This was a fantastic insight into the race and the author's experience. Enjoyed it over a couple of long runs and made me grit them out!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 12-05-24
Great Story Telling
I really enjoyed this book and listened to most of it on my long trail marathon today. I only started it yesterday. Very well narrated and engaging. Best book I’ve listened to this year. A must for any long distance running fanatics.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ab
- 10-01-24
Great narration
Great story with great narration - captures the Barkley perfectly. Listened to a number of ultra running books and this was one of the most enjoyable
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Jason Garwood
- 07-07-23
Great running inspiration
I listened to this book over a few treadmill runs and really enjoyed it. I love the stories and the almost mythology that surrounds the Barkley Marathons. It was also great listening to some insight from some who has been "out there" a number of times. I also enjoyed the other aspects of the story relating to ultrarunning in general. All in all, it's worth the listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- M C OAKES
- 09-07-23
Excellent Listen
Well written and narrated. A fascinating insight into the Berkeley Marathon. Proof that clinical insanity loves flogging itself.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sid Barnes
- 30-06-24
Mesmeric
This is without doubt an absolute work of art. You are entranced and captivated from start to finish. A phenomenal story and journey.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lisa
- 16-07-24
How fascinating
I liked it all,aside from the narrator doing "voices" of people. The narration didn't need that. otherwise I loved it
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ferdinand
- 28-05-23
All round great listen and a little glimpse into ultra running
Casual runner myself and thoroughly enjoyed listening to it on my runs, extending them somewhat just to get more listening time.
Nice insight into a somewhat baffling world of ultra running and very special event.
Definitely an amazing listen to anyone who runs or does sport …and lots of positive feedback from everyone I recommended it to!
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- Mark Mud Mad
- 23-02-25
Excellent insight to the Barkley
As a whole Really enjoyed the whole story. The Barkley is a fascinating race . Was a nice surprise to have the same narrator from the Shantaram book 👏
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