Bicycle Diaries
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- ISBN13: 9780670021147
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
A renowned musician and visual artist presents an idiosyncratic behind-thehandlebars view of the world’s cities
Since the early 1980s, David Byrne has been riding a bike as his principal means of transportation in New York City. Two decades ago, he learned folding bikes and ongoing taking them on tour. Byrne’s choice was made out of convenience rather than political motivation, but the more cities he saw from his bicycle, the more he became hooked on this mode of transport and the sense of liberation it provided. Convinced that urban biking opens one’s eyes to the inner workings and rhythms of a city’s geography and population, Byrne started keeping a journal of his observations and insights.
An account of what he sees and whom he meets as he pedals through metropoles from Berlin to Buenos Aires, Istanbul to San Francisco, Manila to New York, Bicycle Diaries also records Byrne’s thoughts on world composition, urban preparation, fashion, architecture, cultural dislocation, and much more, all conveyed with a highly personal mixture of humor, curiosity, and humility. Part travelogue, part journal, part photo baby book, Bicycle Diaries is an eye-opening celebration of seeing the world from the seat of a bike.
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I thought all new hardbacks were supposed to have a kindle fee of $9.99, yet this one is $13.22. I guess I’ll wait until they right the fee.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
Several reviewers have covered fundamentals of this book including…
-its discursiveness (it is indeed, a imitation of blog-like musings and observations)
-the fact that it is only tangentially about the theme alluded to in the title, the bicycle
-the fact that David Byrne is a liberal Renaissance man whose thoughts are generally more appealing and insightful than persons of the average world citizen (sure, fine… I was a Talking Heads fan too, and even a liberal in most scenarios)
I’ve seen few reviews that take in what to me wound up being the essential aspect of this book: it is cultural/political snobbery by a writer who ought to be more aware than not everyone in his audience is a part of this enlightened, fortunate elite. (DISCLAIMER: I only read the first 80 pages. Perhaps the tone changed later in the book. But agreed the random-snippet aspect of it… I reflect I got the gist.)
Yes, I despised Bush too, and reflect America can learn some things from its neighbors, and agree that the lowest common denominator has in many cases weighted humanity down. But pervasively and indefatigably throughout this book (though sometimes subtly), David Byrne takes sneering potshots at the philistines whose fingerprint is visible everywhere he looks. While he may be right in many cases, his curmudgeonly take on things is made all the more irritating by his role as an exalted cultural arbiter. He seemed uninterested in bringing into the fold readers who do not already revere him. These ‘masses’ he takes issue with are, in fact, the majority.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
So far I have really loved reading this book. I have still to end but so far so excellent.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
I’m about half way through the book and I am very impressed with his insight into the way humans congregate and interact. He acts not as a overbearing rock star, but a tour guide to the heart of the cities he visits.
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
I am stunned by the additional books that this seems to get grouped with on Amazon. They deal with biking, Zen moments and the trials bikers face in today’s mechanical world. This book touches on the topic of bikes. What stands out most is Mr. Byrne’s political views and this is very disappointing. If I would have known that this was the topic to which the book would return, I would never have bought it. Being legendary does not really give one political insight. I would not read a book on politics by a ex- Red Sox pitcher and would not have read this had I not already place it on the Kindle.
The additional thing that stands out in this book is his condescending attitude towards anyone who does not share his beliefs. I used to reflect he left the Talking Heads but if this is any representation of what he is like, it would be more logical that he was kicked out.
If you are looking for a book about biking, traveling, or the like, I would steer clear of this book.
I was going to give it two stars but the fact that I had to stop reading this several times before finally completing it (with no reward) I could not justify it. This is the type of book that makes me wish there was a library system for Kindles so I would not feel ripped-off.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5