A thoroughly inspiring read (It's Not About The Bike - Lance Armstong)

Member Name: alexlea88

Product:	It's Not About The Bike - Lance Armstong
Date:	11/08/09 (10 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simply put, a thoroughly engrossing story

Disadvantages: Reading it, you'll want to get out there and ride the tour yourself. Which you can't.

It's not about the bike is the story of Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's battle with testicular cancer. Although I'm not a huge cycling fan (I'm more of a doer than a watcher) I know enough about Lance and have heard a bit about his battle with cancer.

Like a lot of Texans (to his own admission) Lance is brash, noisy and full of himself. But them you wouldn't get to win the Tour seven times by being a shrinking violet would you? The book focused primarily on his childhood and youth and how he got involved in cycling, then moves on to his battle with cancer and finally ends with an account of his two (up to the time the book was written) Tour wins. Each section is just long enough to keep you hooked before it moves on the next and you never get bored or loose interest. I rattled through the book during a week in France. Incidentally, on the day I left, Lance was a few kilometers away up Mount Ventoux tying to win his eighth Tour. It wasn't to be, but having read this book, it doesn't take anything away from the man.

The book does hint on his problems with drug allegations, but was written before it all really blew up out of all proportion. I'm not here to pass judgment. I know it's trite and clichéd, but reading this book was an inspiration for anyone who has faced, or is facing any kind of adversity. Reading the final few chapters almost had me in tears, and as a result of reading the book, I have a much better understanding and appreciation for a cyclist who, beforehand, I just thought was a damn good cyclist. It puts a human face on the Tour footage and underneath all the bravado, out comes a man as fragile as the rest of us.

In short, a thoroughly engrossing and touching account of one man's battle and refusal to give up. You don't have to be a cycling fan, or indeed an Armstrong fan to find this an enthralling read.

Summary: Amazing account of one man's battle with cancer