Natural Born Heroes

Natural Born Heroes follows an underground resistance movement on the Nazi-occupied island of Crete during World War II. The narrative centers on a small group of British special forces operatives and local Cretan fighters who carried out a high-stakes mission behind enemy lines. McDougall investigates the physical capabilities and training methods that allowed these fighters to survive in harsh conditions with minimal resources. The book explores ancient Greek practices, indigenous movement skills, and nutrition strategies that enabled extraordinary human performance. The author interweaves historical research with his own experimentation in natural movement, parkour, and traditional fighting methods. He travels to modern-day Crete to retrace the routes of the resistance fighters and learn from contemporary practitioners of ancestral movement arts. The book examines themes of human potential and lost physical capabilities, suggesting that heroic feats come from practical skills rather than superhuman abilities. This research into forgotten training methods raises questions about modern fitness culture and the untapped capacities within ordinary people.

Readers describe the book as unfocused, jumping between multiple narrative threads about Cretan resistance fighters in WWII, nutrition science, parkour, and natural movement. Many note it lacks the cohesive storytelling of McDougall's previous book Born to Run. Readers appreciated: - Fascinating historical accounts of Cretan resistance - Exploration of ancient Greek fitness methods - Information about natural movement and parkour - Research on fat-adaptation and endurance Common criticisms: - Scattered narrative structure - Too many disparate topics - Loose connections between concepts - Less engaging than Born to Run - Overreaching conclusions As one Amazon reviewer notes: "Like a kid with ADD who keeps changing the subject." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (8,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,100+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (200+ ratings) Several readers suggest the book would work better as separate volumes on history, fitness, and nutrition rather than attempting to weave them together.

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🌟 The author discovered the book's premise while exploring Crete, where he learned about local runners who helped the Resistance during WWII by traversing the island's treacherous terrain. 🏃‍♂️ The book reveals how Cretan shepherds could run for hours across mountainous landscapes while consuming only small amounts of food, challenging modern theories about endurance and nutrition. 🗺️ A key story in the book follows the kidnapping of German General Heinrich Kreipe by British Special Operations Executive agents and Cretan resistance fighters in 1944—a daring mission that included a 23-day journey across Crete's mountains. 💪 McDougall explores the ancient Greek concept of "natural movement" (now known as parkour), showing how humans are designed to run, jump, and climb efficiently without modern exercise equipment. 🌿 The book connects modern scientific research about fat-adaptation and low-carb diets to the traditional Mediterranean way of eating, which helped Cretan resistance fighters maintain incredible endurance.