Recommend me some books

[Chuffy]

Evening all
I'm on the lookout for some decent books on racing. I've almost exhausted the standard repertoire of TdF books (I've read about Eugene Christophe so many times I feel like I was actually there in the forge as he fixed his forks) but I'd like to read more about the Giro, the Vuelta and the Classics.

Where does a chap start?

 

[ergmonkey]

Check out The Death of Marco Pantani.

 

[Andrichuk]

Here is a list of books I would like to read. Maybe a few of them will interest you too.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami
Man Gone Down - Michael Thomas
Underworld - Don DeLillo
Atomised - Michel Houellebecq
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
Saturday - Ian McEwan
Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World - Haruki Murakami
Ghostwritten - David Mitchell
The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon
1984 - George Orwell
The Sicilian - Mario Puzo
American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis
Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk

 

[Greyhound Velo]

I enjoyed Joe Parkin's book Dog in a Hat (strange title, unless you're Flemish ), which covers his entry into professional cycling and what he found behind the scenes, along with some interesting descriptions of what it's like to race as a pro. I also liked Willy Voet's book Breaking the Chain, which is his side of the Festina scandal story.

 

[fatandfast]

Fallen Angel and Put Me Back on The Bike are two of the best cycling books I have read so far. Fallen Angel is all about Coppi and his life both on and off the bike. It will make you call in sick and spend all day reading

 

[craptastic]

In Search of Robert Millar is great for trying to unravel the enigma of one of the best climbers of the 80s and one of the best cycling books I've read. Brought back a lot of memories of watching those TdFs and some insights into what went on in the peloton. Also a couple of interesting mentions that show the bridge of that generation and the emergence of EPO in the 90s.

 

[NashbarShorts]

Beginning English Grammar

Also,
The Yellow Jersey
Hearts of Lions
Dead Air: A cycling murder mystery

Not recommended:
Boy Racer (aka, I'm a c*ck and here's my book)
It's not about the EPO (or my bike)

 

[Chuffy]

Thanks chaps. I've already read most of that lot, but Fallen Angel and Dog In A Hat are on my radar.

Are there any more general books covering the Giro/Vuelta/Classics? I'm thinking of something as short and digestible as Matt Rendell's Blazing Saddles, which was a great starting point for reading and researching the Tour.

Nashbar - I generally try and avoid autobiographies, especially those of people I dislike. So your two unrecommendations will remain untouched!

 

[JRTinMA]

The Rider

The Rider by Tim Krabbe, amazingly good book.

 

[Roude Leiw]

for a fake race:

French Revolutions: Cycling the Tour de France by Tim Moore

for real:

give fignons autobiographie a try, its a good read

if you read german or dutch >> Peter Winnen "Post aus Alpe d'Huez"

 

[Nederick]

I would also recommend Fignons book.

One other book I read while on holiday recently and really enjoyed was Alan Peiper. Very interesting with some great insights to his racing days and where he came from. One of the better ones I have read by quite a margin.

 

[D Avoid]

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/c...certain-irsquom-not-winningrsquo-2366495.html


His autobiography, I've not been there yet, but I here it's very good.

 

[Saddlesaw]

As someone else said The death of Marco Pantani, and

From Lance to Landis - Inside the American Doping Controversy at the
Tour de France - David Walsh (my favorite)

 

[edevans505]

Kings of the Mountains n Matt Rendell

As far as books on the giro, vuelta and classics in English, we are struggling.

Viva la Vuelta has been recommended to me, and that is about it.

That must be the next project for someone, there are only so many books to write about British tour riders.

 

[straydog]

Definitely try: Dog in a hat, We were young and carefree, Tommorow we ride, Put me back on the bike, the rider, Fallen angel and French revolutions.

Definitely avoid: Olympic Gangster, Rough ride, Boy racer

 

[Chuffy]

Kings of the Mountains n Matt Rendell

As far as books on the giro, vuelta and classics in English, we are struggling.

Viva la Vuelta has been recommended to me, and that is about it.

That must be the next project for someone, there are only so many books to write about British tour riders.

Yup, it's thin pickings! Maybe someone should prod Matt Rendell to do a Blazing Saddles style book for the other GTs...

I might break my 'no autobiographies' rule for the Peiper and Fignon books.

 

[pmcg76]

Inside the Tour de France by David Walsh from 1993. I know another Tour book but from a different angle.

Even if you dont like Walsh, this is way before his anti-doping zealot stage and is a very enjoyable read. Even though I have had it for years, I just re-read it and found it very interesting, even with the benefit of hindsight.

Hell, there is even a chapter on Lance that is glowing about him, where did it all go wrong.

 

[shawnrohrbach]

"Cast the First Stone"

Dark tragedy, not a "happy days" kind of ending

Full disclosure: I wrote it.

 

[uphillstruggle]

The best one i've read recently is Graeme Fife's: inside the peloton. I find so many cycling books poorly written but this I an enjoyable read. It is a little Anglo-centric but if your ok with that then you should enjoy it.

as said by others In search of Robert Millar is good read.

Personally I find Matt Rendall books a disappointment.

 

[masking_agent]

I recommend "Le Metier" by Michael Barry