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=