New Cycling Novel

[ptourkin]

I started this last night. It is very well-written: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/b...ungo-reed.html

We Begin Our Ascent” is a bicycling novel. It’s about a 29-year-old man, Sol, who is a professional rider in the Tour de France. He’s one of those bright-shirted fellows who, as Joseph O’Neill put it in his novel “Netherland,” “zoomed by like fantastically bicycling macaws.”

A salient fact about Sol is that he’s not the star of his cycling team, nor does he particularly care to be. As his coach, the amoral Rafael, says to Sol and his teammates about the team’s best rider:

“Obviously, you are supporting Fabrice. Shield him from the wind, bring him water, give him your bike if he punctures. If it makes you happy, make an inspirational speech about how much you believe in him and slap him on the bottom.”

[martl]

In the context of what life as a not-star rider is like, "Domestique" by Wegelius is a brilliant read.

[jumphigher]

Originally Posted by martl

In the context of what life as a not-star rider is like, "Domestique" by Wegelius is a brilliant read.

I just now bought a used copy of this book, per your recommendation.

[doomridesout]

George Saunders dust jacket quote got my attention. I'll check it out.

[Brendan Quirk]

Thx for posting this.

Just finished "Need for the Bike" by Paul Fournel and really enjoyed it. Probably the biggest spread of all time between the quality of the book (very high) and the quality of the cover (there's a reason I didn't read the book for 10 years despite owning it that long.)

[soulspinner]

Originally Posted by brendan quirk

thx for posting this.

Just finished "need for the bike" by paul fournel and really enjoyed it. Probably the biggest spread of all time between the quality of the book (very high) and the quality of the cover (there's a reason i didn't read the book for 10 years despite owning it that long.)

+1

[soulspinner]

Originally Posted by jumphigher

I just now bought a used copy of this book, per your recommendation.

Enjoyed this. Have The Man Who Rode Around The World on deck.

[martl]

Originally Posted by jumphigher

I just now bought a used copy of this book, per your recommendation.

i hope you'll like it!

[marciero]

My girlfriend had showed me that nyt review, and I will also take Paul's recommendation. I ordered a hard copy and also ordered the Wegelius book as a kindle to read while waiting.

Originally Posted by soulspinner

Enjoyed this. Have The Man Who Rode Around The World on deck.

As far as cycling travel books-"Miles From Nowhere" is a classic.
There also seem to be a few of these "around the world" books, and apparently two by Mark Beamont. I read his first. Not sure if that is the one you are referring to. Was enjoyable.

[pakora]

Fournel's Need for the Bike and Krabbé's The Rider are must read bike books for anyone interested in literature and also bikes. There's not a whole lot of them that are well written!

The Rider is a real-time-ish 1st person perspective of a semi-pro Belgian road racer in a point to point all day race of 200km or so. You will relate. No kidding.

I have given The Rider as a gift to many non-cyclists, and recently on Amazon it was unusually cheap (like $4 a copy) so I have a stack at the ready, I like it that much.

thanks for the heads up for the new novel!

[martl]

Other interesting reads along the lines were Kimmages "Rough Ride" and Peter Winnen's "Post from Alpe d'Huez", both have the insight from people who've actually been there, and have writing quality way above that expected from sportsmen-turned-writers.

[aellaguno]

Originally Posted by pakora

Fournel's Need for the Bike and Krabbé's The Rider are must read bike books for anyone interested in literature and also bikes. There's not a whole lot of them that are well written!

The Rider is a real-time-ish 1st person perspective of a semi-pro Belgian road racer in a point to point all day race of 200km or so. You will relate. No kidding.

I have given The Rider as a gift to many non-cyclists, and recently on Amazon it was unusually cheap (like $4 a copy) so I have a stack at the ready, I like it that much.

thanks for the heads up for the new novel!

"The RIDER" - +1, amazing book... wish we had a bunch more books like that..