Spokesongs: Bicycle Adventures on Three Continents

Rating:
Summary: Endearing tales of intrepid adventures
Review: Beginning with his ride out of Delhi, India, where he felt "as if all 8.4 million residents of that city were on the same road" and "bicycles are at the very bottom of the vehicle caste system," Willie Weir has an uncanny way of summing up situations in a few wry, descriptive sentences. His sense of humor is infectious, and usually quite ironic. Yet, he also confronts the serious isues of racisma nd discrimination in all three countries. In the Balkans, where he toured in 1996, he is constantly faced with war-torn villages, food shortages, and ethnic hatred. One particular day he eats lunch with a Muslim family, then shares dinner with a Croat one, and realizes he has the privilege of being "able to pass back and forth between the camps without being threatened."

Rating:
Summary: an entertaining and inspiring collection of short stories
Review: Besides being funny, Spokesongs is an inspiration to all travellers. Willie Wier seeks to find the best in every culture and has the ability to share his experiences in an entertaining way.

Rating:
Summary: Goes good with Vivaldi and other mediocrities
Review: Both my wife and I approached this book with enthusiasm, and finished it with vague disappointment. Frankly, the stories are good, but the quality of the writing is throroughly mediocre. I kept imagining what a really good writer would do with the situations described in the book, and how much better they could have been handled. I think that the appeal of this book is mostly to bicyclists who are more interested in the story than the quality of the writing.

Rating:
Summary: A very entertaining and informative book
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. It is well written and entertaining. Any person from teenager to grandparent, from biker to non-biker would find this book exciting. I have given this book for a gift to many people. Nancy Wagoner

Rating:
Summary: You'll laugh, you'll cry...Don't miss it!
Review: In "Spokesongs", Willie Weir demonstrates the rare combination of indomitable spirit and poetic soul. "Spokesongs" will thrill you with its daring adventure and touch you with its sensitive portrayal of Willie's personal interactions. "Spokesongs" is a great read and a perfect gift.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!!--Each story whisks you away on a new adventure.
Review: Reading Spokesongs was like a wonderful journey into places I have only dreamed about. Willie writes on such an absorbing and personal level that after reading each chapter, I found myself looking up and almost blinking when I realized I was still in Seattle. He takes us with him as he travels the world and what a wonderful adventure we are invited to share!

Rating:
Summary: A riveting account of biking in places I only dream about
Review: This book not only appeals to recreational bikers who dream of biking in "other worlds", but gives an arm-chair traveler a glimpse into the backroads of countries, into the lives of real people living real lives. In a wonderful easy reading, humouous manner, Willie Weir has made us all believe that if we can dream it, we can do it..if we're willing to go for a week without clean underwear or everyday predictability.

Rating:
Summary: A riveting account of biking in places I only dream about
Review: This book not only appeals to recreational bikers who dream of biking in "other worlds", but gives an arm-chair traveler a glimpse into the backroads of countries, into the lives of real people living real lives. In a wonderful easy reading, humouous manner, Willie Weir has made us all believe that if we can dream it, we can do it..if we're willing to go for a week without clean underwear or everyday predictability.

Rating:
Summary: Goes good with Vivaldi and other mediocrities
Review: This is a delightful little book that you will read and reread many times. But be cautious, it will cause you to dust off that bike and go for a ride yourself, even if it is just a spin around our own neighborhood. If you are one of the lucky ones, you just might find yourself at a Joe (Kurmaskie, the Metal Cowboy) and Willie show. Friends who have gone to the Joe and Willie Show gave it enthusiastic reviews. But no matter, get the book yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Singing Wheels!
Review: This is a delightful little book that you will read and reread many times. But be cautious, it will cause you to dust off that bike and go for a ride yourself, even if it is just a spin around our own neighborhood. If you are one of the lucky ones, you just might find yourself at a Joe (Kurmaskie, the Metal Cowboy) and Willie show. Friends who have gone to the Joe and Willie Show gave it enthusiastic reviews. But no matter, get the book yourself.