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» Book Reviews » Features » Short Stories
| BOOK REVIEWS Every Second Counts Ruth Bradbury-Horton
Picking up from where his first biography "It’s not About the Bike" ends, Lance Armstrong continues his narration in "Every Second Counts: From Recovery to Victory". Now considered cancer free, Armstrong takes up the challenge of promoting Cancer awareness, while taking you on the journey of his further four astonishing Tour De France wins. The title, "Every Second Count"s comes with two very clear messages. The first being the philosophical viewpoint of living your life to the full, right down to the briefest second, and secondly it cleverly refers to the techniques Armstrong uses to cut seconds from race stages, thus ensuring his continued winning track record. For full effect you really need to have read the first biography, because without this valuable background, this second bio is going to leave you wondering. It assumes you are au fait with Armstrong’s life threatening cancer, only bringing in brief recollections, not enough for a clear picture to evolve. The aggressive determination to win at any cost still exists. He still demands full and total commitment from his people, expecting them to be readily available day or night to accommodate his every need. And as with the first book, it would be a welcome addition to include the sentiments of the Armstrong brigade, to understand just what exactly keeps them there, because it certainly isn’t his personality. Yes he brings to life a picture of a team working and melding together, having the proverbial fun, but equally it’s unmistakably clear that he is the top man, and that everybody else is there because he wants them to be. If they don’t play ball so to speak, they are out. There's little glimpse into Armstrong the man, and this book is more a step-by-step account of his training methods, and the many highs and lows of the Tour De France wins. Interspersed are references to the work he undertakes for cancer research under the auspice of his own Lance Armstrong Foundation. But there could have been more details about the idea behind the yellow armbands he promotes, and how the money raised is actually used. His family life is equally brushed over, including the birth of his twins and the breakdown of his marriage. An autobiography, or life story as this is referred to, should portray more than just how many seconds the adjustment of a seat can cut; it should give us an idea of a complete life, warts and all. To give this book more credibility it needs a personal touch. We need to really get to know the man, not just the aggressive athlete. Great for cyclists and technical sports fans, but for someone wanting to get a glimpse into the man behind the yellow jersey, this book just doesn't cut it.
Title: Every Second Counts: From Recovery to Victory
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