Jens Voigt autobiography
neilo23
Posts: 783
Who'd be interested in reading this? I'm considering asking his publisher if I can do an English translation of Voigt's autobiography which is currently only available in German. It would be a labour of love more than anything else. The book didn't get good reviews on Amazon ("2 stars for the book, 5 for Jens") and is currently selling for almost €1400 for the paperback (hardback's a snip at just over €800)! Do you guys think there would be much interest in an English version?
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Yeah, but only if it was a bit cheaper. I'd certainly not pay more than €700.0
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Yes, interest from many mee included.
But I would not pay much.0 -
You're a tight fisted bunch :-). If it ever did come out I can't imagine it costing any more than any other book. Unless I demand €500 commission per copy.0
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I'd hope that'd be a great read.0
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Would it be a good read?
Chapter 3
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 45kph for the next 4 hours...."
Chapter 8
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 47kph for the next 5 hours...."
Chapter 12
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 50kph for the next 6 hours...."
Chapter 15
"I crashed"
Chapter 21
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 45kph for the next 4 hours...."0 -
....and impregnated my wife 6 times.0
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Billy Dunlop wrote:Would it be a good read?
Chapter 3
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 45kph for the next 4 hours...."
Chapter 8
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 47kph for the next 5 hours...."
Chapter 12
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 50kph for the next 6 hours...."
Chapter 15
"I crashed"
Chapter 21
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 45kph for the next 4 hours...."
Cool! Here's €500!0 -
neilo23 wrote:....and impregnated my wife 6 times.
When did he meet your wife?0 -
I'd be interested too as long as the photos weren't too gory
(wife impregnation and crashes)0 -
ShutUpLegs wrote:neilo23 wrote:....and impregnated my wife 6 times.
When did he meet your wife?
After he'd towed her along the road for an hour at 50 kph.0 -
I'd sell a kidney to pay for it.... :P0
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Billy Dunlop wrote:Would it be a good read?
Chapter 3
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 45kph for the next 4 hours...."
Chapter 8
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 47kph for the next 5 hours...."
Chapter 12
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 50kph for the next 6 hours...."
Chapter 15
"I crashed"
Chapter 21
"I went to the front of the bunch and towed it along at 45kph for the next 4 hours...."
Can the OP put SPOILER in the thread title as Mr Dunlop has just spoilt the ending of what promised to be a great read?0 -
You forgot the sections that would say
'Despite coming out of the E.German system I wasn't aware of any doping even riding for J.Ullrich in the 2000 Olympics'
Not saying he did take anything but he came thro' the 90s when PED usage was really revving upM.Rushton0 -
:shock:dmclite wrote:I'd sell a kidney to pay for it.... :P
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-136399340 -
Those prices are from US sellers. Some American sellers on Amazon (on eBay too) wildly inflate the price of anything they think is out of production/out of print, no matter what worth or interest it may have.neilo23 wrote:The book ... is currently selling for almost €1400 for the paperback (hardback's a snip at just over €800)
You can get the book as an Epub (E-book digital file) for 9.99 € from Buch.de and as a book from various other sources, like antiquariat.de, Buecher.de, ZVAB.com and JustBooks.de for between 13.50 € and 19.99 €, albeit mostly as a second-hand book.
The book isn’t really an autobiography but was written by a sports journalist called Jochen Willner. Nothing unusual of course in that, few sportsmen really write their own autobiographies.
Willner met with and interviewed Voigt several times in Spring 2006 and also submitted an extra list of questions and topics to Voigt who responded and provided information by phone or letter/email over the following months. Willner then wrote the book attempting to phrase everything in the same tone Voigt might do himself when talking, sometimes transcribing word for word what Voigt had said or written in answer to Willner’s questions.
It’s matter of opinion how well this was done, but most critics think not so well, the text lacking flow and continuity, partly because Voigt talks anyway (perhaps writes too) somewhat staccato fashion, which doesn't translate well to written word. Also because Willner wasn't able to link the different topics/chapters smoothly, perhaps because of a lack of complete information or ideas from Voigt.
In its content the book also received some criticism for Voigt avoiding proper discussion of the doping issue, judging Basso’s exclusion from the 2006 Tour as a hardship for the CSC team rather than in any way thinking the exclusion correct and condemning doping. (Perhaps it’s not surprising, that the book contains a foreword by Bjarne Riis!)
There are also small errors like Voigt saying his colleague for the previous 3-4 years, Arvesen, is a Dane (Arvesen is Norwegian). I haven’t read the book but apparently the most interesting bits are when he speaks of his family, and to a lesser degree his relationships within the peloton.
I used to like Voigt from what I saw of interviews with him when he lived near Toulouse and rode for Credit Agricole, but after he joined CSC, he seemed less open and sincere to me, and I was also disappointed with the stance (or rather lack of) he took about doping when he was spokesman for the professional riders.0 -
Voigt has a big engine but he's forever complaining about how races are too long, too hilly and how he can't possibly cope without a radio plus he comes across very much as a team man rather a maverick so all in all he's probably the last rider I'd like to read a biography of - especially one that's been panned for being poorly written. So I don't think I'd go above £350 for it.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
NapoleonD wrote:
:shock:dmclite wrote:I'd sell a kidney to pay for it.... :P
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13639934
I read the chinese post first. I was being post-modern ironic in a cavalier stylee.
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