Cycling books: recommendation and avoid - Racing only

[smutchin]

Currently reading The Race Against The Stasi by Herbie Sykes, as mentioned earlier. Highly recommended. It's the story of East German rider Dieter Wiedmann and the Peace Race, none of which I knew the slightest thing about before reading this.

The format is a series of short snippets of first-person narratives from key figures in the story (based on interviews or contemporary news reports), interspersed with documents from the Stasi archives. It works really well and makes for a compelling read.

Wouldn't be surprised if it were a contender for the next William Hill award. (Although it probably qualified for last year's shortlist, in which case it was undeservedly overlooked.)

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Currently reading The Race Against The Stasi by Herbie Sykes...The format is a series of short snippets of first-person narratives from key figures in the story (based on interviews or contemporary news reports), interspersed with documents from the Stasi archives. It works really well and makes for a compelling read.

I am finding the format very annoying - the personal recollections are good, but I am finding the Stasi documents and newspaper articles a bit tedious as they break the flow of the narrative. I might get used to it. As it is I have taken a break from it to read a book about match fixing in cricket.

As an aside but still on a related subject, I bought Bobke II second hand last week and it arrived a couple of days ago - I now have Bob Roll's autograph with a personal message on the inner cover, I just have to pretend my name is Tom Geehan.

 

[smutchin]

It's the sheer monotony of the Stasi documents that I found so fascinating, showing just how deeply intrusive their surveillance was of absolutely everyone, the effect heightened by the juxtaposition of the documents and the interviews. Ultimately, I found the systematic destruction of people's lives as a futile expression of political paranoia quite upsetting.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

It's the sheer monotony of the Stasi documents that I found so fascinating, showing just how deeply intrusive their surveillance was of absolutely everyone, the effect heightened by the juxtaposition of the documents and the interviews. Ultimately, I found the systematic destruction of people's lives as a futile expression of political paranoia quite upsetting.

I stuck with it, and was completely underwhelmed by it as both a cycling story and a human story; I can't see what the purpose of the book was - I think most people know the Stasi were a nasty lot, much nastier than the book portrays, and didn't take too kindly to people buggering off. I thought the response to him defecting could have been a whole lot worse for him and his family he left behind. Anyway, not recommended by me; quite possibly near the foot of my list of cycling books. Nowhere near Indurain's biography or Pantani's biography by Manuela Ronchi in terms of being utter bilge, perhaps on a par with Reckless: The Life and Times of Luis Ocana as being generally dull.

The dustcover proclaims it as an "incredible story", it wasn't. If it was, it wasn't told very well.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Spotted that this was published today so decided to order a copy

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

....and it arrived today - that was very quick!

 

[robertob]

Just finished reading the Tyler Hamilton book "The Secret Race". Probably most on here have read it already I imagine? Really liked it. Hamilton is honest, humble and only blames himself for his doping use. Cracking read I have to say. If I compare it with David Millar's book, which I also liked - I think the Hamilton one is the better one in a photo finish. Even more intense, even deeper insights into this dark age of cycling and not as much whiny as the Hamilton piece can be in parts. Thumbs up!

 

[StuAff]

....and it arrived today - that was very quick!

Should be good.....

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Just finished NIcole Cookes book

A cracking read, what a tough ride (no pun) she's had

To all intents & purposes, being ignored/belittled, by the management/coaches of the BCF

As she implies, her achievements would, if brought to light by the media, would cast the gravest of doubts on the achievements of the mens teams in comparison

Eg; 2008 Beijing Olympics
Nicole Cooke = Gold

Men, even finishing their Road-Race = 0

(Emma Pooley 'Silver' Time-Trial)

Spotted that this was published today so decided to order a copy
View attachment 88886

Will Fotheringham was on Simon Mayo, on Radio 2, the other night (Monday?/Tuesday?) talking about the book

 

[Buddfox]

Just finished NIcole Cookes book

A cracking read, what a tough ride (no pun) she's had

To all intents & purposes, being ignored/belittled, by the management/coaches of the BCF

As she implies, her achievements would, if brought to light by the media, would cast the gravest of doubts on the achievements of the mens teams in comparison

Eg; 2008 Beijing Olympics
Nicole Cooke = Gold

Men, even finishing their Road-Race = 0

(Emma Pooley 'Silver' Time-Trial)

And having read it, if you haven't already, remind yourself of this:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbNtXfjTFiA


What a great finish!

 

[oldroadman]

Just finished NIcole Cookes book

A cracking read, what a tough ride (no pun) she's had

To all intents & purposes, being ignored/belittled, by the management/coaches of the BCF

As she implies, her achievements would, if brought to light by the media, would cast the gravest of doubts on the achievements of the mens teams in comparison

Eg; 2008 Beijing Olympics
Nicole Cooke = Gold

Men, even finishing their Road-Race = 0

(Emma Pooley 'Silver' Time-Trial)

Hmm, a bit unbalanced, she did have challenges, and management could have been better. However, I failed to see a mention of the time BC "took her on" as a rider after the team she was running went down the tube. I admire the riding, and the single minded drive to success, but when reading autobiography, try to think that there are many facets to a story, and I'm only reading one of them. Dad was clearly a big influence, and there's an undercurrent of a person being pulled in several directions by outside influences. Anyway she's now retired, and I hope is enjoying a happy and successful rest of her life.




Will Fotheringham was on Simon Mayo, on Radio 2, the other night (Monday?/Tuesday?) talking about the book

 

[GilesM]

Nearly finished Shadows on the Road by Michael Barry, very good read, he really gets across the whole race thing very well.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

I enjoyed Fignon's book - ok it's one guys personal angle on things so everyone might not agree on the content but it was very readable and enjoyable.

+1. Really interesting read from a time when I was first really into pro cycling but now seems like ancient history. Great era, great riders.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I can recommend Etape by Richard Moore. As with many good things it's a simple idea executed very well - select stages of the Tour and then go and speak to those involved and then write a book about them. Moore tells other peoples stories very well.

 

[Louch]

Just finished David Millars new book 'the racer'

Nothing much of note in it, very much a love letter to himself as his talents faded amd he wound down his career. Disappointed.