Atis Petersons' memoir chronicles a quintessential American success story. Born in Latvia, he spent the first six years of his life enjoying the freedom of running through the pastures and woods of his family's dairy farm. In 1940, his world was shattered by successive invasions of Soviet and Nazi troops, forcing his family to abandon their farm and eventually flee to Germany. After five years of living in refugee camps, Pete and his family immigrated to America. The story follows a shy adolescent's sometimes humorous attempts to adjust to life in the United States. Pete's talent as a runner helped him earn a scholarship to U.S.C., where he developed a passion for education and running. After graduation, Pete enjoyed a long career as a dedicated educator and innovative track coach. Pete's infectious enthusiasm and creative workouts spawned a fresh approach to the sport: hence the birth of "run for fun." The book describes Pete's ascendency in the world of track and field, starting as an assistant coach in a Los Angeles area junior college to his eventual position as a coach/manager for the Nike European touring teams. Pete coached and inspired Olympic athletes such as Bill Toomey, Marty Liquori, Willie Banks, Ron Whitney, Bob Day, and Tom Petranoff. Many of his former athletes and coaching associates have contributed "Life with Pete" stories in order to add their personal experiences to Pete's extraordinary story. A large portion of his memoir describes his travels through Europe and the challenges of coordinating the needs of meet directors and athletes. Pete's description of his family's one year residency in Saudi Arabia while he helped develop a Saudi Olympic track and field program provides an illuminating glimpse into how he and his family were able to adjust to a new culture. Few track fans today recognize the name Atis Petersons, but almost any world or national class coach or athlete of the 1970s to 1990s is likely to agree with Ron Whitney, a 1968 Olympian, who observed: "Everyone knows Pete, don't they...?"