Review of “Coffee First, Then the World”

 Usually it takes more than the title to get me interested in a book, but the title of this grabbed my attention right away - and it turned out to be fantastic! Her is my review of”Coffee First, Then the World.”

Title/Author:

“Coffee First, Then the World: One Woman’s Record-Breaking Pedal Around the Planet” by Jenny Graham

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:   

When Jenny Graham decided to attempt to become the fastest woman to circumnavigate the world on a bicycle (with allowances for flights over oceans), she was both excited and nervous. This book that captures her adventures during this expedition was a fun and enjoyable read.

The best part of this book is her refreshing honesty about her fears and trepidations - and she does so with happiness and humor. This would sound like it would be difficult to pull off but Graham does so in a way that will keep the reader engaged and entertained. It doesn’t matter whether she is describing the terror of trucks running her off the road in Russia, the fear of snakes in Australia or when she sleeps outside in the elements on so many nights, it’s just fine to read about her adventures.

She does talk about her relationships with family and friends, but the real people aspect of this book is her interactions with those from other countries and cultures. The most heartwarming of these encounters are the many friendly people she met in Mongolia. Just like when talking about her fears and frustrations, Graham talks about these encounters with great energy, humor and joy - one can’t help but smile at some of these passages. 

One doesn’t have to be a cyclist, a fan of the sport or even know anything about a bike to enjoy this book. If the reader wants to get a first hand account of a fantastic accomplishment by one woman with determination, then this is the book for them.

I wish to thank Bloomsbury Sport for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-First-Then-World-Record-Breaking/dp/1399401068/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "Go Like Hell"

As the Thanksgiving weekend is winding down, it is time to review some books.  It was a very busy holiday weekend for me - between the eating, the basketball (yes, I said basketball - took my grandson to a Brooklyn Nets game on Black Friday) and the other activities with the family, I even found time to finish three books.  First one was an outstanding book on the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race.  Here is my review of "Go Like Hell."

Title/Author:

“Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory At Le Mans” by A.J. Baime

Tags:

Auto Racing, business, endurance

Publish date:

January 1, 2009

Length:

321 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

The race known has the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the most famous, testing the endurance of drivers, pit crews and cars alike.  It was a very dangerous race, as it was once called “a four hour sprint races followed by a 20 hour death watch” by Car and Driver magazine.  However, winning the race was also very prestigious for everyone involved.  Two car makers waged an epic war in the 1960’s for this glory, Ford and Ferrari, and the battle is captured in this excellent book by A.J. Baime.

The book covers everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, about what the two owners, Enzo Ferrari and Henry Ford II, did in order to ensure their cars were the best at the race.  Ferrari cars had a head start, as in the mid-1960’s, they were the kings of Formula 1 and European racing, and Ford had some catching up to do.  At first, it appeared to have a deal to work together on racing cars, but when that fell through, a bitter rivalry ensued.

While their business rivalry is well-documented, Baime writes about every aspect of the racing teams and what they did for their respective areas.  Drivers such as Phil Hill, John Surtees, Carroll Shelby (who was also a designer), Bruce McLaren and Mario Andretti are all a part of the story.  The scenes in the garage and the pits, starting from 1957 and Phil Hill driving for the Ferrari team up until 1966 when Ford finally won its first race, are described wonderfully as race fans of all interest levels will feel like they are either fueling the cars or speeding down the Mulsanne Straight at over 200 miles per hour.

Baime is a well-respected writer on auto racing and his research and writing for this book is superb. It is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in the sport or in the Le Mans race.

Book Format Read:

E-Book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Go-Like-Hell-Ferrari-Battle/dp/0547336055/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/go-like-hell-a-j-baime/1100196621;jsessionid=A072290396743E2926A837A128B63984.prodny_store02-atgap08?ean=9780547336053