Prior to reading this, I had never heard of Eric Liddell so this was a real treat to read. It’s the story of a world class runner, but most importantly a man of God.
This is an easy to read biography and if you are interested in reading it I recommend it.

I graciously received an advance e-copy from Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Running to Win is a lovely biography of Eric Liddell.. His life is a beautiful testimony of God's grace and love. I think it's important for the younger generation get to know men and women like Eric Liddell who had great impact in the life of everyone around them, who put God first and served Him with everything they have. Highly recommended!!!

One of the first times I ever heard of Eric Liddell was about 12 years ago when we watched the movie about his life called Chariots of Fire. I can’t remember if I have read any other biographies of him, but I found Running to Win very interesting. Eric had an amazing life. He was involved in many different things, and was used of God in some incredible ways.

Eric was born in China in 1902 to missionary parents. Not too long before he was born, his parents had lived through the Boxer Rebellion. When he was five years old, the family went to Scotland for a furlough. It was many years before Eric saw China again. He and his brother stayed in England to attend boarding school, and Eric discovered how much he enjoyed rugby and running. He became known very well for his athletic prowess, especially for his speed in running, even though he had his own unique style that appeared very humorous. For several years he ran in races and won medals, using his fame as a runner to help spread the gospel by preaching to people who wanted to see him.

Eric’s heart was really in China as a missionary, however. In the 1930s he was finally able to go back to China. He and his wife had several happy years there together while Eric taught in a school. Before long, however, World War II broke out, and Eric sent his wife and children to Canada for safety. He stayed in China, and poured out his life helping people.

The story of Eric's life is very inspiring. This was a man who had great talent given him from God, and he used those talents to do everything he could to share God‘s love with the others around him. A lot of details no set up. Ellen Caughey has included a lot of the history of China, and a lot of information about the Olympic Games in Running to Win. At times, this drags down the story a little bit, but I did find it very interesting. I found Running to Win a fairly quick read and except for the long side notes about Chinese history, very interesting. I really appreciated reading about Eric‘s strength of character and convictions and how he made sure to glorify God in all that he did. One quote that really stood out to me comes from chapter 9. It says, “sports 'is one of the most productive fields for Christian work, for it remains generally true that the man who is a real sportsman in athletics, who can play the game under all circumstances, fight against odds and disappointment without losing heart or temper, and knows how to take a beating—he is the man who is most likely to be a true sportsman in the greater game of life.'”
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Several times, atrocities committed by the Japanese or Chinese soldiers, or by starving Chinese against each other, are mentioned.

Author Ellen Caughey brings Eric Liddell’s inspirational story to life in Running to Win. As one of the children of Scottish missionaries to China in the early 1900’s, Liddell’s story is weaved together with threads of sports, history, political strife, missionary sacrifice and family bonds. The threads are tied together with Liddell’s unrelenting Christian beliefs and lifestyle.

As Scotland’s first Olympic gold medalist, Liddell’s infamous ‘windmill’ style of running wasn’t pretty. But his grit and determination, along with the training he received while living at the Eltham School for the Sons of Missionaries culminated in a career as a world-class short distance runner.

Besides his prestige as a runner, Liddell was a devout Christian. His faith permeated his whole lifestyle, making it an easy decision to decline to run in the Olympic qualifying trials because they were held on a Sunday – the Sabbath. As he explained to his coach: “God’s fourth commandment to Moses said to remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. If I run in a race that honors me or other men, I am not remembering God’s Sabbath. And if I start ignoring one of God’s commands, I may as well ignore all of them. But I can’t do that because I love God too much.”

Liddell’s faith ultimately led him down his father’s path as a missionary in China where he lived the life he felt called to live even through all the difficulty and sacrifice it required. His life proved to be an inspirational example of how living out your faith sometimes means sacrifice for a greater good.

Who would like this book: Running to Win covers a lot of ground! Athletics, Olympics, missionary work, world history, Chinese history and political climate, Christianity, and following God’s will are all included in this true story. Anyone who loves inspirational true stories with a Christian foundation would appreciate this book.

How this book affected me: As a narrative nonfiction fan and a Christian, I thoroughly enjoyed the way Liddell lived out his life according to his Christian calling. I appreciated his athletic achievements and the work it took to achieve them. History isn’t my specialty, so I didn’t follow all of the world’s political issues but could appreciate the dangers they brought to missionaries living in China. I was haunted that Liddell and his brother were basically abandoned and grew up without their family in a School for the Sons of Missionaries. It saddened me to think that having children only to ‘abandon’ them for the greater good was seen as an acceptable Christian lifestyle. And then Liddell repeated the cycle with his own family, although at least those children had the advantage of growing up with their mother.

Our Christian Book Reviews: The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books – adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. Our specialty is books on faith and new Christian book releases. We’re proud to be included in the Top 20 Christian Book Review Bloggers. I chose to read this book through NetGalley for Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an interesting read, albeit (I felt) geared toward a younger audience than the back-cover blurb would suggest. Informative about Liddell, his story, and China at the time. I just wish it was a bit meatier and perhaps aimed for adult readers. There’s so much promise in the topic, it just didn’t deliver quite as I expected or hoped!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This biography of Eric Liddell goes beyond the 1981 Oscar winning film; Chariots of Fire., In that it shows that films have this tendency to exaggerate the truth.
Beginning in China with Eric Liddell parents during the trying time of the Boxer rebellion to Scotland where Eric along with his brother Rob Excel in sports at the school. Onto the Olympics in 1924 and before Eric Liddell becomes somewhat of an evangelist. Afterwards he sets sail to China to begin his own missionary work.

The writing is fast pace goes chronologically through the life of Eric Liddell.
Main problem with the biography is that it presents a false narrative. This is true of so many Christian biographies and some secular ones. It depicts Eric Liddell as being all holy without sin.
No believer or unbeliever can relate to this biography. In scriptures there are several incidences in which men who have been called by God fall. Abraham, Issac, Jacob, King David, Jesus own disciples.
Warts on a person show the true nature.
There are no warts on Eric Liddell

Arc from net Galley.

truly inspiring book of an athlete and saint. God medal winner, gold medal missionary who makes every so-called GOAT of the modern era mere child's play. This is a life well lived and an eternity secured.

MUST READ!

I cannot recommend RUNNING TO WIN by ELLEN CAUGHEY - The Life Of Eric Liddell - highly enough. What an inspiration! I have read other books about thie “Flying Scotsman” and seen Chariots of Fire several times, in which his great athletic prowess together with his honouring of the Lord are well described, but this book gives us insight into the real man. We see how he lived his life to honour God. We read about the hardships and danger he faced as a teacher and missionary in China, the long separations from his wife and daughters, and his joy in serving the Lord. We see his indomitable sense of humour and his humility.
It is also interesting to learn more about life in China at this time in history.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.