I picked up this book two years ago at the San Fransisco airport. And I have read it many times over. It is an inspirational real-life story. Of a six-times Tour de France winner. One who fought all odds when it was detected that he had testicular cancer. And now this July he will be making his last appearance. He says he misses his three young children and a younger and fitter body. "It's not an old man's race".
A professional athelete for 20 years,he feels that the body does not keep going and going and going. Diagnosed with cancer in 1996,he has won a record six titles between 1999 and 2004,every year.
Those who know about this gruelling event,will understand and appreciate how the body is pushed to its extremes in this tortuous cycle race of human endurance. 200 riders cycling the entire circumference of France,mountains included,in three weeks in the heat of the summer. Lance calls it a contest in purposeless suffering. The climax is the Pyrenees. One bad day in those treacherous mountains and the race could be lost.
His book,a New York Times bestseller,"It's not about the bike,my journey back to life",makes engrossing reading. Written with Sally Jenkins it is a genuine and honest account of Lance's life from childhood to adolescence and fame. A must read.
Lance will be parking his cycle after tdf 2005. We will all miss a truly great hero.
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6 comments:
hi appa
pls send this to me in your next "goodies package" that you coerce someone into bringing for me :)
lulu,surely.either tim or maya or any new yorker visiting mumbai soon?
thanks, appa! maya is coming to bangalore next weekend and returning in three weeks so maybe through her thanks!
incidentally,i will be in bangalore next friday and will request maya to send the book to you.and i will be mostly carrying a 16" tv monitor for pop,junked by chinani! i will also give him the white tshirt that you got for him which is still lying with me.and yday i received from rumi the chitrita banerjee written book on bengali life and food.i have thanked her and sent her a mysore sandal soap!i will send rumi an email now.chow.
mysore sandalwood soap is always welcome. thanks uncle! and i hope you like the book :)
i am sure i will like the book.last night though i was dead tired,i started reading the book and my curiosity led me to a sneak preview of some other chapters.i am going to learn more about bengali food and culture than i what i have learnt so far.thanks rums for your thoughtful gesture which i greatly appreciate.mysore sandal soap is a small token of appreciation and i do hope the courier guys deliver it to you.
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