Some Reading for Christmas

Junior

Lads and Lassies,

If anyone is thinking of getting a book or two for reading for christmas, I've put together a post for those who are going looking for something to read over the christmas

http://www.thebike.ie/books-reviews-for-christmas.html

Cheers

ColSheehan

I was thinking of getting the Cavendish Book for Christmas ! Thanks for the review ! Think I might go and pick it up ASAP

irishpeloton

Bad Blood: The Secret Life of the Tour de France by Jeremy Whittle. It's about 2 years old at this stage, but it's a great read. Very insightful.

WhisperingDeath

http://www.cyclingnews.com/reviews/the-anna-meares-story-when-courage-triumphs-over-disaster-1

this one looks good - certainly warrants a read given her circumstances

Bunnyhopper

I recommend Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson by William Fotheringham (from €5.93 on Play, or €9.49 new)

ullu

The Sweat of the Gods: Myths and Legends of Bicycle Racing by Benjo Maso is excellent.

kincsem

Yesterday in Hodges & Figgis I bought
Personal Best - the autobiography of Beryl Burton (182 p)
The Tour is won on the Alpe by Jean-Paul Vespini (208 p)

I like factual / history cycling books with a bit of detail. Both interesting so far.

Strange facts
Marco Pantani has the three fastest times up Alpe d'Huez (last 13.8 km) with Armstrong fourth fastest.
Pantani's fastest was at the end of a 162.5 km stage; Armstrong's at the end of a 15.5 km time trial stage.
Beryl Burton held the English 12 hour TT record (men's and women's) of 277.25 miles.

brayblue24

I agree with "Bad Blood" and "Put Me Back on my Bike" as above and would add "Rough Ride" by Paul Kimmage and particularly "A Dog in a Hat" by Joe Parkin. I'm also told the Marco Pantani book is good but I have not read it yet.

jwshooter

my come back ,up close and personal. lance Armstrong .

thinking of getting it has any one read it.

Junior

Haven't heard of that Lance book, the new one he has out is Comeback 2.0 ?

To be honest most of the stuff that lance trots out now is of a slightly cultist bent, your either a believer or a troll, and without being a Kimmage or a Walsh it's easy to dislike the man for being a never ending cockend that uses and abuses people as suits himself.

Convict

Again Put Me Back on my Bike, but also Fotheringham's Fausto Coppi book, Fallen Angel, particularly good portrait of post war Italy - into the 50's. An epic.
Another one for Rough Ride, still a classic.
Tomorrow We Ride by Jean Bobet, really good book by a cyclist from the 50s - and a good writer - about his career and his relationship with his brother, the several times tour winner, Louison Bobet.
And The Death of Marco Pantani by Matt Rendell - the name speaks for itself. Fascinating.

kincsem

Convict wrote: »

Fotheringham's Fausto Coppi book, Fallen Angel, particularly good portrait of post war Italy - into the 50's. An epic. - I'll buy it

Another one for Rough Ride, still a classic. -
it's beside my bed. Kimmage always has an opinion: good day / horrible day; sound guy / f***er; nice hotel / kip.

Tomorrow We Ride by Jean Bobet, really good book by a cyclist from the 50s - and a good writer - about his career and his relationship with his brother, the several times tour winner, Louison Bobet. - a few have recommended this so I'll buy it

Thanks for the reviews.
Nothing better than buying a good book.
Nothing worse than buying a waste of paper and ink.

Signal_ rabbit

ColSheehan wrote: »

I was thinking of getting the Cavendish Book for Christmas ! Thanks for the review ! Think I might go and pick it up ASAP

Well worth the read

kensutz

Cavendish's book is good. Comeback 2.0 is good if you're into photography

Paul Kiernan

And for extra fun you can control the royalties.

For example, I recently bought Kimmage full price in a bookshop so he'd get a royalty payment and Lance secondhand on Ebay so he wouldn't.:P

brayblue24

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

And for extra fun you can control the royalties.

For example, I recently bought Kimmage full price in a bookshop so he'd get a royalty payment and Lance secondhand on Ebay so he wouldn't.:P

Heh heh heh

godihatethehils

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

For example, I recently bought Kimmage full price in a bookshop so he'd get a royalty payment and Lance secondhand on Ebay so he wouldn't.:P

Christmas will be lean in the Armstrong household this year...

Paul Kiernan

godihatethehils wrote: »

Christmas will be lean in the Armstrong household this year...

I'd hate to think he was reduced to cold turkey because of me;)

ColSheehan

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

Well worth the read

Thanks for that ! I searched through several differnt bookshops for the Cavendish book and even asked the people working there. Unfortunately there was only the Lance Armstrong books which I might purchase instead

hinault

I thoroughly recommend this book

In Search of Robert Millar : Unravelling the Mystery Surrounding Britain's Most Successful Tour de France Cyclist : by Richard Moore.

ISBN-10: 0007235011
ISBN-13: 978-0007235018

Recalls the golden age of cycling of the 1980's : fascinating stuff about the ACBB, Peugeot etc.
Roche is quoted extensively through the book - as is Kelly.

Super read.