The Front Runner

By: Patricia Nell Warren

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

First published in 1974, The Front Runner raced to international acclaim - the first novel about gay love to become popular in the mainstream.

In 1975, coach Harlan Brown is hiding from his past at an obscure New York college, after he was fired from Penn State University on suspicion of being gay. A tough, lonely ex-Marine of 39, Harlan has never allowed himself to love another man. Then Billy Sive, a brilliant young runner, shows up on his doorstep. He and his two comrades, Vince Matti and Jacques LaFont, were just thrown off a major team for admitting they are gay. Harlan knows that, with proper training, Billy could go to the '76 Olympics in Montreal. He agrees to coach the three boys under strict conditions that thwart Billy's growing attraction for his mature but compelling mentor.

The lean, graceful front runner with gold-rim glasses sees directly into Harlan's heart. Billy's gentle and open acceptance of his sexuality makes Harlan afraid to confront either the pain of his past, or the challenges which lay in wait if their intimacy is exposed. But when Coach Brown finds himself falling in love with his most gifted athlete, he must combat his true feelings for Billy or risk the outrage of the entire sports world - and their only chance at Olympic gold.

©1974 Patricia Nell Warren (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

A Great Love Story From the Past

Loved the book. A great look at gay life in the mid 70’s. A bit dated, but lovely.

A seminal gay love story beautifully narrated

I first read The Front Runner in the early 80s, and I was very moved by the story then. It was the first novel by Patricia Nell Warren that I had read, and I was surprised at how sensitively she could portray a love story between two men. OK, it's not Anna Karenina or Madame Bovary, but it is a warm and touching story. I remember being totally engaged by the emotion in the book, and not wanting to put it down. Listening to this beautiful narration by Christian Rummel, I felt the same. Even though I could remember the story, I was still totally engaged, and I didn't want to stop listening. I listen to audiobooks while I go for my morning run, and knowing that the next installment of this book was waiting for me when I hit the road was great motivation. Now I wish that the sequels, Harlan's Race and Billy's Boy, were available as audiobooks.

Brave novel in its time!

A re-read . . . Well, I actually listened this 'go-round' . . . First read this novel as a teenager . . . It was a 'Godsend' at that time in my life.

Excellent read

A beautiful love story, enjoyed the pace in which the story evolved. I would read it again.

great sports story, great love story.

this is a book for anyone who has ever loved or for anyone who wants to love.

Life isn’t a race, it’s a marathon

You will also fall in love with the charisma, kindness, and resilience of runner Billy Sive.

The performance of the narration is great! Very easy to listen to and follow along.


My only critique of the story is the misuse of pronouns and misgendering of the trans women in the story. As a reader you do have to take it with a grain of salt due to the book being written in the 70’s where gay culture was not as accepting to trans women. The trans characters themselves are wonderful and add warmth and sometimes comedic relief to the story.

OMG

Amazing story. A new favorite of mine. I laughed and cried.

Thank you so much

If I could rate higher than 5 this would be a 100

Wonderful book. I would love to listen to more of her books. The fancy dancer would be one I'd love to hear.

I still love it

I read this book when it first came out. I was a very young man then but I enjoyed it.

On a whim I downloaded the audiobook and listened to it. I had remembered the basic story but forgot the details. I throughly enjoyed it.

It’s well written ad well narrated. The characters are appealing and well developed. It’s a very accurate description of the time period and lifestyle.

I ended up buying the two sequels , Harlan’s Run and Billy’s Boy. I enjoy both but I was sad when I finished them. It was like saying goodbye to an entire group of friends

Incredible story with perfect narration!

What did you love best about The Front Runner?

The initially turbulent relationship between Harlan and Billy flowers into one of the most beautiful loves in modern literature. Yes, I would go that far.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Billy Sive is my favourite character. He is intelligent, always honest, a romantic, silly in a fun way, and abandons himself to love. Oh, and his eyes are described as being a shade of blue that is hard for me to my imagine. Billy is also very brave, a kind of bravery we need much more of in our daily lives.

What does Christian Rummel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His reading is simply perfect. It is capable of great emotion and the stating of cold, unyielding facts. His narration is flawless.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cried and laughed several times listening to this story, even after hearing it several times.

Any additional comments?

Buy this audiobook. It is a magnificent story and a wonderful narration.