French Revolutions - Cycling the Tour de France
It's cold, it's windy and we need a laugh. So I thought I would tell you about French Revolutions by Tim Moore. This is probably the funniest book I have read in a long while. And by funny, I mean laugh out loud funny! So, if you do get this book, be careful where you read it otherwise you may get very odd looks.
Tim Moore decided that before he completely fell to pieces (He was in his mid-thirties), he should have a big adventure. And the thing he decided to do was cycle around the route of the Tour de France! He had been watching it for years on television and had been captivated by the event. He was horrendously unfit, but as he persuaded himself. "How difficult can it be? Anyone can ride a bike!".
What follows is superb reading. He has a great eye for detail and also a self-deprecating sense of humour and the story just rolls along. Don't think for one minute that this is a book about sport. Except for the fact that he is on a bicycle and following the Tour de France route for that year, that is about the nearest we get to professional sport. However, it could be construed as one mans attempt to triumph over adversity, an ailing body, an inbuilt impracticality and plain stupidity, and leads to situation after funny situation.
Did he triumph in the end? Can't tell you, but it will be fun finding out.
You can buy it from amazon.co.uk
or amazon.com
posted by Anthony @ 6:06 pm
3 comments
3 Comments:
Not being a cycling fan (I've only ever been on a bike once and that was enough) I have to say that this book is an incredbly funny read. For anyone who's slightly put off by the subject matter, don't be. As well containing some interesting history stuff about the Tour, French Revolutions is also a very human if not hilarious story. And yes, I too laughed out loud in public but by that point I was past caring and just wanted to finish the book.
Anthony, given the quality of writing on your blog you appear to be an erudite type of guy but lousy when it comes to time management.
I have frequently visited your blog in the hope of coming across a new review and yet you seem to be frozen in time since December 2005.
Apologies if I'm coming over as a bit of a harridan but I bought several books based on your recommendation and as luck would have it you were on the money.
Seeing that someone recently posted a comment on one of posts I thought I would join the fray. If by chance you are looking in could you please pass on your thoughts if any about The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger.
Obviously I don't know if you have read it but if you have would you care to comment? I don't want to spoil the party but if it helps I thought the ending like a lot of books these days was rushed and a bit of a disappointment. Hope you see this and respond soon. Thnx.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you are right. I couldn't believe that so much time had passed since the last article.
As to The Time Travellers wife. Well it isn't exactly the type of travel I had in mind. However, I thought it was a very good book. Didn't Richard & Judy recommend it?
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