It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring!
Review: As increadible as Lance Armstrong's third consecutive Tour De France victory is, it pales in comparison to his victory over cancer. Lance himself has said on numerous occasions that the Tour is much easier than the horrific cancer treatments he was forced to endure, and when you read this book, you'll believe him. "It's Not About the Bike" is a truly enjoyable read. It is the type of book you can sit down and blaze through in an afternoon, or, if you want a more leisurly pace, over the course of three or four evenings. It gives a brief account of Armstrong's rise to success as well as some insider information into some of his more impressive early victories. Then it descendes into the painful world of a cancer patient. As impressive as Armstrong's cycling victories are, you almost begin to forget that part of his life as you learn about what the cancer treatments put him through. By the time the cancer victory has been achieved, the Tour De France win seems more like icing on the cake than the real achievement. Lance Armstrong is an increadibly interesting personality that the general public knows almost nothing about. As an athlete, what he is doing on the pavement is almost unprecidented. He is starting to have the apperance of, not just a Tour winner, but one of the great men. It seems he has the potential to go after the record 5th or even 6th tour win (a feat no other racer has achieved). In Lance's book you see what it takes, both on the physical and mental side of the equation. Like all endurance athletes, Lance had, before cancer, displayed an awesome ability to fight off infection. He simply has a body that can take a tremendous amount of abuse and come through strong. But you get the sense as you read, that what cancer did for Lance was further temper an already iron will. He learned a level of discipline that almost goes on human potential and he learned it because he had to to survive. Although he undoubtably has always had the body to be a tour winner, cancer strengthened his will to the point where he is now almost unbeatable. It is a shame that the American media pays so little attention to the Tour De France. The race is bar none the most difficult sporting event in the world. Many of the top professional athletes in the world are unable to finish not because of injury but simply because they can't physically go on. This is not something you see in any other event. Armstrong's victories are a testament to iron will and meticulous preperation. The argument could be made that he is the greatest athlete America has ever produced. A three-peat in the tour puts him in an elite group of only a handful of racers that have participated in an event that has been going on for a hundred years. Combine this with the fact that Armstrong battled back against horrific cancer treatments that often totaly destroy the body of the patient, and you have a story that is simply miraculous. There is no greater example of the human spirit, or the American spirit than Lance Armstrong. It is simply a sin that he is not spoken of with the same godlike reverence that accompanies Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods. If you want to make up for this in some small way, take it upon yourself to learn about the man yourself. This is a story that every American should know.

Rating:
Summary: The ultimate race!
Review: Lance holds nothing back, in "It's Not About the Bike". Relationships, (both good and bad) throughout his life, vivid descriptions of healthy life and competition, and of course gut wrenching detail of cancer treatments are presented throughout the book. The final chapters put the reader in the tour, exposing the strategy behind the race, as well as the battles fought in the mind, and against the other competitors.

It's the ultimate comeback story of a world class athlete, young and on the rise, who is faced with his own mortality when cancer intervenes. Lance begins with his early days, competing and winning with brute force, no strategy just an all out attack. Like any competitive athlete, he expresses his feelings of invincibility, and continues this belief until cancer just can't be ignored. The medical procedures, the chemo, and it's sickening effects are described in vivid detail. Cancer becomes the opponent, and ultimately Lance wins.

It's a book about growing, maturing, and pushing on in the face of adversity. Following the battle with cancer, Lance battles himself, when making a comeback to the competitive circuit. On several occasions the decision is made to throw in the towel, to retire from competition. With the support of those around him, Lance is able to dig deep within himself and find the courage and determination to come back and win the Tour.

Truly and incredible autobiography, about living, learning, growing, and maturing. An amazing book!

Rating:
Summary: A peak into the life of a champion
Review: Ever wondered what drives a champion? Do you liked being inspired? Then this book is for you.

Rating:
Summary: What an amazing book!
Review: I'm a woman. I'm not a cyclist. I've never had cancer. I read mostly fiction. But this book absolutely blew me away. So much more than an athlete bio, this is a wonderfully told, brilliantly written story of a real American hero. The play-by-play cycling coverage is fascinating even to a non-cyclist and the detailed discussion of Lance's illness, treatment, and recovery is beyond inspiring. The look inside Lance's childhood, his love life, his amazing journey into fatherhood, and his role as a cancer activist is what brings the whole story home. So much more than a story of athletic achievement and cancer recovery, this is a story about triumph of the human spirit. I can't wait to root for Lance in this year's Tour de France and in the Olympics. Hopefully we'll be cheering him to victory for years to come. I have been talking about this book to anyone who will listen to me. Listen to me. Buy the book. You will not want to put it down. It is a story you will never forget.

Rating:
Summary: Lessons from a Hero
Review: For those not inclined to reading anything, this is a quick read, not because it is simplistic (which it is not), but rather because the story is engrossing and ultimately, uplifting. For those not knowledgable about the world of competitive cycling, after reading this book you may find yourself tuning into this summer's Tour de France just to watch Lance do what he does best - living life.

From the opening sentence, Lance Armstrong makes it clear to his audience that this is not a book about the Tour de France (even though it is the subject of the longest chapter in the book), nor about cycling (though it serves as the constant backgrop of his story). Lance takes you with him, day by day, into his personal struggle with cancer, chemo, and near death. But he also shares the romance of finding true love and the personal gratification of winning the ultimate cycling challenge, the Tour de France. The book is filled with personal lessons found previously in other writings such as "Tuesdays With Morrie" - enjoy life, love those close to you, never quit.

In a time when role models are scarce, Lance Armstrong emerges as a true hero for all generations.

Rating:
Summary: Good quick easy read
Review: Essentially two books in one. One is about Lance's cancer, and the surgeries and treatment of that cancer -- especially concerning chemo. If you don't know what chemo treatments and the suffering associated with this procedure is...then this part of the book will certainly open your eyes. Very informative, and readable. The other part of the book is about professional bicycling and more specifically -- The Tour de France, and Lance's wins of that tour. And though he could have detailed professional cycling more so for the reader; he does give enough overview of team racing and of the Tour, and the techniques utilized to race it -- certainly enough to whet anyone's interest to learn more. You don't have to be into bike racing to enjoy this book. Just the information concerning cancer is enough to make this a valuable read.

Rating:
Summary: Cancer Survivor- Worlds Greatest Athlete
Review: Lance Armstrong's autobiography "It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life," is a great book for anyone out there. It appeals to anyone who likes to read because it has many different stories. Lance tells stories about his childhood and growing up with his mother when he first started to bike. He then writes about his life after his childhood leading up to when he finds out that he has cancer and his life during his cancer and chemotherapy treatments. After all of this, he then goes on to tell stories about post-cancer life, and how he has become the worlds most dominant cyclist, the worlds best athlete, and how he has inspired many young kids to always try as hard as they can and never let life's obstacles stop them from getting to their dream.
This is probably the best book I have ever read because it had all of the elements that a book needs. I do enjoy cycling and mountain biking, so I can make that connection to myself. But the rest of this book and Lance Armstrong's life has a completely different background than mine. I have never had cancer, I live with both of my parents, I go to a good school with many teachers that care about me and what I do in the future. Lance Armstrong had cancer, he lived with his mom and her husbands that she would marry then divorce a few years later until he was about 18 or 19, and he had teachers who didn't think he was headed in the right direction in life because all he would do was go to triathlons and cycling events.
For Lance Armstrong to accomplish as much as he did in life is still amazing in my mind. I don't know anyone that could amount to anything like that when they have all those things happen in their life and survive cancer when given less than a 10% chance to live. This book is very inspirational and anyone who reads it will automatically become one of Lance Armstrong's many fans, even if you have never touched a bike in your life.

Rating:
Summary: Awsome
Review: The book wasincredibly detailed, and it awesomely displayed his life beyond the bike.

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Summary: Hopefully will inspire teenage readers
Review: This book was great. I found it in the library at the school where I teach. As a busy teacher, I don't always have the time to read for pleasure. I made time for this book. It was great. You learn about cycling, but greater still, you learn how to cope with a traumatic disease. I hope that the students at my school will take the time to read this book. Hopefully his book will inspire them to read more nonfiction books.

Rating:
Summary: Fighting Cancer and Mountains
Review: As a Dutchman I am almost naturally interested in cycling. When Armstrong first started riding his style was attacking and funny, though not always very smart. He got better at tactics and started to race better. Then all of a sudden he was gone from the newspapers, having been diagnozed with cancer.

This book is a fascinating account about how his career evolved, became pro and was diagnozed. And of course how he got back and won the Tour de France, the sports hardest race.

His fight against cancer is something which is a big and important part of this book. People who have never been around cancer patients and never read about but like cycling or sports will have a chace to read about what it is like, it opened my eyes.

it may also give people who don't know a lot about the sport a good insight in how it really works. Cycling is a teamsport with its own unwritten rules and Armstrong talks about this a lot.

It's a good story about an American in a European sport (think a Frenchman pitching for the Yankees) and how he managed to survive,