Rating: 
Summary: great short stories about cycling and life
Review: His first book, titled 'Metal Cowboy', was a collection of bike stories from his many road trips. With 'Riding', Joe's still has tons of hilarious stories to make you snort milk out of your nose laughing. It's not so much a book about cycling, but snapshots of this wonderful world in which we live in and those we meet along the way. This is some of the best short-story non-fiction I've ever read, ever! How's that for my Highest Recommendation!!!
Rating:
Summary: great short stories about cycling and life
Review: His first book, titled 'Metal Cowboy', was a collection of bike stories from his many road trips. With 'Riding', Joe's still has tons of hilarious stories to make you snort milk out of your nose laughing. It's not so much a book about cycling, but snapshots of this wonderful world in which we live in and those we meet along the way. This is some of the best short-story non-fiction I've ever read, ever! How's that for my Highest Recommendation!!!
Rating:
Summary: riding outside the lines
Review: I read his first book - Metal Cowboy - on a lark and found its stories to be interesting, funny, well written, and at times even poignant. This second collection of stories is more of the same. It's great if you like to ride a bicycle. But even if you do not the stories have a charm of their own for which the bicycle is merely the vehicle to get you there (no pun intended.) The guy can write. His stories make for very good reading.
Rating:
Summary: riding outside the lines
Review: I read his first book - Metal Cowboy - on a lark and found its stories to be interesting, funny, well written, and at times even poignant. This second collection of stories is more of the same. It's great if you like to ride a bicycle. But even if you do not the stories have a charm of their own for which the bicycle is merely the vehicle to get you there (no pun intended.) The guy can write. His stories make for very good reading.
Rating:
Summary: i want to ride my bicycle
Review: i've thoroughly enjoyed both of joe kurmaskie's books. the vignettes from the author's numerous bicycle travels touch me on so many levels. i applaud his obvious love of words and the poignant, often humorous way he uses them to transport us to a time, a place, the soul of cycling. i would often find myself laughing out loud at some clever twist of phrase or zany escapade.the stories reminded me of why i love bicycle travel so much: the joy and freedom i feel on my own bike as i let go of the past and future, and live in the rhythm of each pedal revolution. as much as i was enjoying reading the book, i was often possessed by an impulse to put it down and pedal myself on down the road for my own adventures! alas, the book ends too quickly, but hopefully there will be more tales from the metal cowboy to look forward to. bravo, joe!!
Rating:
Summary: i want to ride my bicycle
Review: i've thoroughly enjoyed both of joe kurmaskie's books. the vignettes from the author's numerous bicycle travels touch me on so many levels. i applaud his obvious love of words and the poignant, often humorous way he uses them to transport us to a time, a place, the soul of cycling. i would often find myself laughing out loud at some clever twist of phrase or zany escapade. the stories reminded me of why i love bicycle travel so much: the joy and freedom i feel on my own bike as i let go of the past and future, and live in the rhythm of each pedal revolution. as much as i was enjoying reading the book, i was often possessed by an impulse to put it down and pedal myself on down the road for my own adventures! alas, the book ends too quickly, but hopefully there will be more tales from the metal cowboy to look forward to. bravo, joe!!
Rating:
Summary: It's the "why to" book of bicycle touring.
Review: Joe won't tell you HOW to go bicycle touring, but his books sure show you WHY. His stories from almost every point on the globe have shown the best reasons to get out and get on your bike. He's not going to tell you what bike to buy or what equipment to bring, but you will learn the importance of getting a head start on chasing after all-girl bagpipe squads and maybe getting a second opinion before harvesting cantaloupe. Joe's world is an exciting place filled with wonderful characters and great places to be. After reading both "The Metal Cowboy" and this most recent work, "Riding Outside the Lines", I can't help but ask myself: "What am I doing here??" Get the books, read the books, GO FOR A BIKE RIDE!
Rating:
Summary: More Than I Expected!
Review: Joe's first collection, "Metal Cowboy" showed us the makings of a rich storyteller. What stuck with me - his ability to put humor and inspiration into a barrel of adventures across America. What I hoped for in his next offering, his global trek, best case, much more of the wit and his eye for observational humor and quicky characters. I hoped for more Twain style tales like A Friendly Game of Darts - the sort that you have to imagine grow and expand inside Joe's head on quiet backroads and long days on the road. But Wow, the new book is more than I expected - I was laughing outloud during his Ireland stories, and South America gets way out there in a very ON THE ROAD way. In The Outback, When the bodybuilder with a thick accent wearing a kilt and driving a blue vestpa stands over a sleepy, out of sorts cowboy and the man is wearing a T-shirt that said "In case of the rapture I'll be off looting the homes of the righteous!" Joe had a reader for life. His writing has grown more subtle and definitely, definitely funnier.
Rating:
Summary: way beyond cycling
Review: Kurmaskie may not have ridden in the Tour de France, but like Lance Armstrong, he pedals in a world where "it's not about the bike". This charming collection of tales from outside the lines adds depth to the carnival of characters Joe K. portrayed in his first book. This time the stories seem to have more suspense, and the characters speak more deeply about life. His story about the dumpster diver is a keeper, the riveting story of the ex-green beret working in South America could be a novel in itself, and the last chapter about his father is worth the price of the book. Bravo Mr. Kurmaskie, you are a tour de france winner on my bookshelf!
Rating:
Summary: Kurmaskie Does It Again!
Review: Riding Outside the Lines by Joe Kurmaskie If you liked Joe Kurmaskie's "Metal Cowboy" then you'll LOVE "Riding Outside the Lines." The rider, I mean reader, is immediately transported to destinations dear and far, fast and funny, and in a word, nay, with many of Kurmaskie's wonderful words--it's a remarkable journey. On Yere Bike, the opening chapter, is where you'll coast to a cozy pub tucked in Ireland, hob-knob with the locals, down a pint or two, and be able to kick back after a strenuous ride. All along you'll know that it's Joe's experience, but the way he tells the story, you're right there with him. Indeed, whether it's about the mad Scottish Aussie who rides a Vespa, or the Three (Unlikely) Amigos-"Riding Outside The Lines" is an armchair cyclist's dream adventure. Kurmaskie's writing style is humorous and philosophical simultaneously. Almost Naked Lunch, the chapter that he and his companions stop at a nudist colony is exactly where Kurmaskie's skillful writing brings comedy and profound thought in tandem. You'll laugh aloud at, "We stood around for a moment, like boys in a gym shower without the shower, trying to meet each other's gazes at eye level..." Then, reflect at the conclusion, "We hit the road, fully clothed, but each of us sporting an entirely new sense of freedom." Sure the writing is superb. But Kurmaskie's intuitive feel about life is what makes every story a gem. "Riding Outside the Lines" is bigger than the bike, it's about how to live. Bravo!
Gianna Bellofatto, columnist of "Life is a Bike"
January 2004
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