Liz Robbins illustrates various aspects of the 2007 New York City Marathon in her non-fiction book, "A Race Like No Other: 26.2 Miles Through the Streets of New York," capturing the essence of the annual event by examining a cast of real-life runners as they push themselves to the limit.

In her book, Robbins weaves tales from runners' lives with passages exploring the history behind the race and distance running. The book is a celebration of the marathon, and it's an informative read that can appeal to anyone interested in the sport.

Robbins, who is also a New York Times sports writer, does a good job of setting the context and the stakes of the marathon, and the general history that she provides helps the reader better appreciate the competitors' stories. Legend has it that Pheidippides, a Greek messenger, ran more than 150 miles in two days and promptly dropped dead after he finished his journey. The modern marathon is said to be based off this event.

All the historical info aside, what really drives the book is the competitors' personal stories. One of the runners, Pam Rickard, is a recovering alcoholic recently released from jail who runs the marathon to prove herself. Donald Arthur received a heart transplant, and he walks the marathon with the brother of the deceased man whose donated heart saved his life.

Everyone participates in the marathon for different reasons, but Robbins maintains readers' interest by not solely focusing on the runners.

She also offers perspectives from others surrounding the event, including volunteers like Carmine Santoli, who provides Gatorade and water to the runners. Santoli has witnessed a lot, even a man who stole two packages of water bottles and, when confronted, denied it.

With details like these, Robbins makes the marathon feel like a familiar event to the reader. By the end of the book, the reader has gone on a journey with the marathoners, learning a lot about the race itself and the racers' struggles.

The book itself is a lengthy 300 pages and feels like a marathon at times. But its division into 27 chapters -- one for each increment of the 26.2-mile marathon -- is effective, and enthusiastic readers will enjoy every minute of it.

For everyone else, the book's length offers an opportunity to look in-depth at various aspects of the New York City Marathon experience. It might be a little long to get through, but the information within it is well worth the effort.

Grade: B+