French Revolutions: Cycling The Tour De France Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Not only is it the world's largest and most watched sporting event, but also the most fearsome physical challenge ever conceived by man, demanding every last ounce of will and strength, every last drop of blood, sweat, and tears. If ever there was an athletic exploit specifically not for the faint of heart and feeble of limb, this is it. So you might ask, what is Tim Moore doing cycling it?An extremely good question. Ignoring the pleading dictates of reason and common sense, Moore determined to tackle the Tour de France, all 2,256 miles of it, in the weeks before the professionals entered the stage. This decision was one he would regret for nearly its entire length. But readers--those who now know Moore's name deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Bill Bryson and Calvin Trillin--will feel otherwise. They are in for a side-splitting treat. French Revolutions gives us a hilariously unforgettable account of Moore's attempt to conquer the Tour de France. "Conquer" may not be quite the right word. He cheats when he can, pops the occasional hay fever pill for an ephedrine rush (a fine old Tour tradition), sips cheap wine from his water bottle, and occasionally weeps on the phone to his wife. But along the way he gives readers an account of the race's colorful history and greatest heroes: Eddy Merckx, Greg Lemond, Lance Armstrong, and even Firmin Lambot, aka the "Lucky Belgian," who won the race at the age of 36. Fans of the Tour de France will learn why the yellow jersey is yellow, and how cyclists learned to save precious seconds (a race that lasts for three weeks is all about split seconds) by relieving themselves en route. And if that isn't enough, his account of a rural France tarting itself up for its moment in the spotlight leaves popular quaint descriptions of small towns in Provence in the proverbial dust. If you either love or hate the French, or both, you'll want to travel along with Time Moore.French Revolutions is Tim Moore's funniest book to date. It is also one of the funniest sports books ever written.
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (June 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312316127
ISBN-13: 978-0312316129
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 15 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #262,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #57 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Cycling > Excursion Guides #379 in Books > Travel > Europe > France > General #468 in Books > History > Europe > France
This novel answers a question most cyclists have asked themselves: Could I, a mere mortal, finish the Tour de France? The answer Moore walks away with is yes, you can probably Forrest Gump your way through--provided you play free and loose with the route and the rules.As you begin the book, however, it seems as though it will take Moore a lifetime to reach this conclusion. The first few chapters read less like literature than the winning essay in a "Can You Fit a Gag in EVERY Sentence?" contest. At times it takes paragraph after excruciating paragraph of wacky hijinks for Moore to complete the most mundane task, e.g., picking up the bike and walking out the door--you may find yourself ready to scream "just get ON with it!" more than once.Once Moore gets his act together and starts rolling, however, so does the book. Moore makes no secret of the fact that he is an absolute beginner when it comes to cycling, and this really helps the book remain fun. Rather than getting bogged down in technical jargon and precise details, Moore simply bumbles his way around France, using a liberal dose of caustic English wit to chronicle his journey and reflect on the unique, at times baffling enigma that is French culture. And he does bring to light some head-scratchers; why do the French post a permanent sign next to every chip, hole and gouge in a road instead of simply repaving it? In a country the size of France, how could a canyon 12 miles long and a mile wide possibly go undiscovered until 1905?Moore's real genius, though, was in unearthing a treasure trove of arcane, fascinating Tour de France trivia.
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