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» Book Reviews » Features » Short Stories
| BOOK REVIEW It's not About the Bike Ruth Bradbury-Horton
Unless you’re an avid cyclist, one can assume that Lance Armstrong is going to mean little or nothing to you. But for those who follow the cycling fraternity, Armstrong is a phenomenon, if not an idol. In "It's Not About the Bike" Armstrong tells us about his childhood, his rise to world champion status, the astounding beginning of his eventual six straight Tour De France wins, and the cancer he fought to overcome. Written in his own words, Armstrong takes an honest stance as he details his journey to be the best. Clearly he was an angry and arrogant young boy, maturing into early adulthood with an attitude of grit and determination. He endeared himself to few and attacked where he could, regardless of the consequences. Somewhat surprisingly, the people with which Armstrong surrounded himself — sponsors, friends and colleagues — stood by him, despite his less-than-charming personality. Perhaps this is the point where the the book lacks some depth, since these people never really get a say in the Armstrong story. One can only assume they hung around because they saw at an early stage the greatness that lay behind Armstrong's hard exterior. But "It’s Not About the Bike" is more than just a cyclist reminiscing; it’s also about Armstrong's struggle to fight the testicular cancer that struck him at the age of 24. Presented with a 40 percent chance of survival, Armstrong employed the same aggression he had as an athlete, and bulldozed his way into researching and learning to understand just what this disease was doing to his body, and how he could fight it. He openly shares the agonies of his treatments, the fear of staring death in the face, the roller coaster ride that dealing with cancer is. His battle with the disease reads like a cycle race in the Alps, the ascents and descents of illness, recovery, and survival — and finally taking control again to win and go on. Cancer may well be a turn off for potential readers, but Armstrong just tells it like it is. There's no bullshit, no feeling sorry for himself, and no trying to make out it that it wasn’t so bad. And this is what makes this book a great read: you feel for the man and his family, but you don’t find yourself feeling sorry and depressed. He inspires you with his journey, outlining the importance of taking each day at a time, living life to the full. Almost philosophically, the book concludes that maybe Armstrong was meant to get the cancer, whether it was to slow him down, or, to see just exactly what he could do with his life, not just for himself but also to help so many others. You don’t have to be a cyclist to enjoy this book; it’s a remarkable story and will be an inspiration to many. "It's Not About the Bike" won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award in 2000.
Title: It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life
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