Starstruck: A Journalist's Pursuit of a Fugitive Pop Star, Her Diabolical Maestro, and Their Teenage Sex Cult
nonfiction · First published 2026
Author guide
Christopher McDougall Books in Order
Christopher McDougall is an American journalist and author who began as an Associated Press foreign correspondent covering conflicts in Africa. His books combine investigative reporting, memoir, history, and adventure narrative, including accounts of Mexican pop-star scandal, ultrarunning, World War II resistance, and the rehabilitation of a rescue donkey. He co-authored Born to Run 2 with running coach Eric Orton.
nonfictionjournalismbiographymemoirtrue crimesports writinghistory
Catalog record updated .
Christopher McDougall's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
McDougall's best-known and most representative work, and the clearest introduction to his narrative nonfiction about endurance and human potential.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (4)
- Girl Trouble: The True Saga of Superstar Gloria Trevi and the Secret Teenage Sex Cult That Stunned the World
nonfiction · 2004
Gloria Trevi, Mexico's most popular singer in the 1990s, stunned fans and the world when revelations surfaced that the talent school she and her boyfriend, producer Sergio Andrade, operated was a front for a sex-slave operation. Trevi…
- Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
nonfiction · 2009
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer,…
Nonfiction (1)
- Running with Sherman: How a Rescue Donkey Inspired a Rag-tag Gang of Runners to Enter the Craziest Race in America
memoir · 2019
Rescues donkey from dying.
Collaborations (1)
- Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide
co-authored nonfiction · 2022
'Invaluable' - WATERSTONES BEST SPORTS BOOKS OF 2022 'Amazing, really incredibly inspiring book' Joe Wicks on Born to Run Born to Run's Chris McDougall and long-time running coach Eric Orton show us how to join the global barefoot running…
Frequently asked questions about Christopher McDougall
Who is Christopher McDougall?
Christopher McDougall is an American journalist and nonfiction author known for narrative writing about endurance, adventure, and human potential. He is best known for his work on running and athletic culture.
Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)
What did Christopher McDougall do before becoming a bestselling author?
Before becoming a bestselling author, McDougall worked as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press, covering wars in Rwanda and Angola.
What inspired Christopher McDougall to write about running and endurance?
His interest grew from his own recurring running injuries and a desire to understand how the Rarámuri runners of Mexico could excel at long-distance running. His broader fascination with the limits of human potential also shaped his reporting.
Sources: chrismcdougall.com (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
What awards has Christopher McDougall won?
A biographical reference records that McDougall won the 2002 Clarion Award from the Association for Women in Communications for his article “The Clan behind the Curtain,” published in Philadelphia magazine.
What is Christopher McDougall’s legacy in running culture?
McDougall is widely associated with helping spark the barefoot and minimalist-running movement through his influential endurance writing. TIME described his best-known running work as a seminal book whose portrayal of minimalist running helped fuel that craze.
Source: time.com (opens in a new tab)