Cycling Anthology - book and podcast

Richmond Racer
Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
edited December 2013 in Pro race
This is pretty interesting. Collection of new pieces written by Friebe, Birnie, Moore, Whittle, Fotheringham and others, to be published in a couple of weeks time

http://www.lionelbirnie.com/cyclinganthology/


Birnie, Moore and Friebe recorded a podcast yesterday

http://soundcloud.com/the-cycling-antho ... hology-1-1

Some interesting stuff discussed.
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Comments

  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    It does look promising. However, as it's not going to be on Kindle I refuse to buy it
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Or is it because you saw this:

    In Praise of Thomas Voeckler by Edward Pickering

    :lol:
    Contador is the Greatest
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    That too. I'll have to have a word with Ed about that

    I buy pretty much every cycling book released (the Wiggins explosion of books is an exception) as long as they're on Kindle. And I will buy a coffee table book (like Friebe's excellent mountain book last year, and maybe the Herbie Sykes on that's just come out)
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Are these old news reports re-purposed, in a sort of money-for-old-chinwag kind of way? If so then, like many sports books, the ephemeral nature of the content may not be worth the yellowing paper its printed on.

    Depends how profound the essays are, but for an object that is going to take up shelf valuable space give me coffee table books that, in the quality of materials and design, become iconic souvenirs representing the subject, like having a piece of it in your home.



    Sorry, had a bit of a Rouleur moment there....
  • Monsieur Le Comentateur, all the essays are original pieces of work.
  • I have to admit they lost me with the "In Praise of Thomas Voeckler" line.
  • LBirnie1 wrote:
    Monsieur Le Comentateur, all the essays are original pieces of work.

    Good to know. I'm thinking of buying it just to read the Voeckler one!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pleased to say the book will arrive at prendas in the next day or two. I've read a sample chapter and really enjoyed it - really good journalism without a load of black n white photographs! :D

    http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ID=3247

    For the kindle/ipod/ipad/etc types; check out their interesting podcast;
    http://www.lionelbirnie.com/the-cycling ... y-podcast/
  • Yep, also ordered

    (LBirnie1, it had better be good :))
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    Ha! You lot are stupid buying it.
    I'm going to read me a copy in Borders...
  • OCDuPalais wrote:
    Ha! You lot are stupid buying it.
    I'm going to read me a copy in Borders...


    Oh, OCDP, another nail in the coffin for writers....
  • OCDuPalais wrote:
    I'm going to read me a copy in Borders...
    another nail in the coffin for writers....

    ...and bookshops. Didn't Borders close a while ago?
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    In the absence of DullDave, henceforth you shall be known as 'DullMechanism'...
  • The Cycling Anthology Book (Volume 1) is now in stock in @prendas
    (unlike amazon and waterstones!)

    Order (card or paypal payments), from the only official online store.
    http://www.prendas.co.uk/cycling-anthology
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Prendas rock!
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,436
    I'm really enjoying the book so far, some great writing in it.
  • The essay by Alasdair Fotheringham on Oscar Freire is worth the price alone. The accounts of his forgetfulness are hilarious, and the one that combined this with his lesser known obsession with yoghurts, had me crying with laughter. :lol:

    He will be sadly missed.
  • I got this for Christmas and it is looking pretty good so far. I like short essays as they are more succinct.

    The one on Voeckler is worth a read Iain. I liked him a lot before...that has just gone up many notches.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,697
    Ordered yesterday after I'd given up sulking about it not being on Kindle. Got a few issues of Privateer to ease the P&P cost too. Quite excited, but won't get it till next week I'd guess...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647
    I'm over halfway through and enjoying it. Some great bits of writing and little insights... ironically I found Lionel's piece on Hansen the weakest thus far...

    It's my first 'paper book' since I got a kindle, and I do prefer reading on the kindle. Wonder why they decided not to publish electronically. You'd think a kindle version sold at the same price (quite reasonable) would provide a bigger margin.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    dish_dash wrote:
    I'm over halfway through and enjoying it. Some great bits of writing and little insights... ironically I found Lionel's piece on Hansen the weakest thus far...

    It's my first 'paper book' since I got a kindle, and I do prefer reading on the kindle. Wonder why they decided not to publish electronically. You'd think a kindle version sold at the same price (quite reasonable) would provide a bigger margin.

    Funnily enough the co-editor - Ellis Bacon - has done the worst piece so far. Very weak.

    I've read about half and would still recommend.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • dish_dash wrote:
    I'm over halfway through and enjoying it. Some great bits of writing and little insights... ironically I found Lionel's piece on Hansen the weakest thus far...

    It's my first 'paper book' since I got a kindle, and I do prefer reading on the kindle. Wonder why they decided not to publish electronically. You'd think a kindle version sold at the same price (quite reasonable) would provide a bigger margin.


    Cos Birnie and co are the sort who still believe in the beauty of having a paper tome in your hands, the feel of the paper, the rustle of the pages as you turn them over, of being able to browse the books on a shelf and pull out a favourite for a re-read. As do I.

    It's not all about convenience. Snuffle, snuffle.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,697
    I think it was much more heartless than that. Amazon charge a big chunk of money to the publisher to sell the book which they could nt afford/were nt willing to pay. I'm sure they could have released it as a different sort of e-book, but I think it was a purely economical decision.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Oh shut up

    :)
  • mike6
    mike6 Posts: 1,199
    iainf72 wrote:
    That too. I'll have to have a word with Ed about that

    I buy pretty much every cycling book released (the Wiggins explosion of books is an exception) as long as they're on Kindle. And I will buy a coffee table book (like Friebe's excellent mountain book last year, and maybe the Herbie Sykes on that's just come out)

    You must have the same strain of cycling book lust that I am afflicted with.

    Why not the Wiggins books? I have "In persuit of glory" and really enjoyed it, thought it an honest account of an ordinary bloke, and a difficult father.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    ddraver wrote:
    I think it was much more heartless than that. Amazon charge a big chunk of money to the publisher to sell the book which they could nt afford/were nt willing to pay. I'm sure they could have released it as a different sort of e-book, but I think it was a purely economical decision.

    I had a long chat to Lionel about it and they've got pretty solid reasons I'd say.

    Various reasons, many economic and some because they're luddites (just kidding) :P
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    dish_dash wrote:
    I'm over halfway through and enjoying it. Some great bits of writing and little insights... ironically I found Lionel's piece on Hansen the weakest thus far...

    It's my first 'paper book' since I got a kindle, and I do prefer reading on the kindle. Wonder why they decided not to publish electronically. You'd think a kindle version sold at the same price (quite reasonable) would provide a bigger margin.


    Cos Birnie and co are the sort who still believe in the beauty of having a paper tome in your hands, the feel of the paper, the rustle of the pages as you turn them over, of being able to browse the books on a shelf and pull out a favourite for a re-read. As do I.

    It's not all about convenience. Snuffle, snuffle.

    A person after my own heart. I've just started using my iPad to read ebooks (through Kobo). It's definitely convenient but I just can't get into it and don't seem to read anywhere near as quickly as I do with a real book.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    There was some research in developed on how long people look at screens - tv, pc, tablet, phone etc. It is shockingly high. Don't be one of them.

    It's slowly changing the World in a fundamental and detrimental way.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,697
    Kindles are far far better for reading on. Amazon played a blinder there!

    Obviously the trouble is you can do naff all else on them though
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver