Bike Snob Abroad
chroniclebooks.com / $17
My proper entry to the world of cycling came a bit late. After the sizable gap between jumping over my friend’s little brother on my Haro and my high-school graduation I re-entered the world of two-wheeled wonderment. Instantly I found myself awash in a culture in which I was sordidly lacking fluency.
And, like any resourceful, modern individual I turned to the set of encyclopedias I received as a child—where I learned nothing, other than the interesting fact that Cyperaceae (it’s a type of sedge for all you inbreeds out there) would go great in my future water garden.
After admitting defeat and turning to the scary world of cyberspace I stumbled across a blog and into the proverbial rabbit hole. The blog went by the name of Bike Snob NYC.
And, thanks to Mr. Snob, I skipped the deer-in-headlights newbie stage and graduated straight into the role of jaded ne’er-do-well. If I weren’t such a quick study, I’d use this platform to thank Mr. Snob for his titillating tutelage, but that would go against my carefully cultivated, er, excuse me, curated, smugness.
Now, lest anything in this introduction begin to come off as a sense of admiration, I’ll spare you any further reminiscing and get to the point. Mr. Snob, who also sometimes also goes by his given name (which you can look up yourself you lazy twit) has published a book. His third, actually.
It’s good, well, that is to say it’d be good if I could ever admit that sort of thing.
And, before you expect me to give you a plot synopsis or some critical analysis, just go out and buy the damn book already. Your eyes will thank you for ditching the screen and picking up a good ol’ hunk of tree pulp and Mr. Snob’s publisher will be happy (and Mr. Snob will be 10-percent as happy as his publisher when he gets his royalty check).
From the Publisher:
“In his new book, BikeSnobNYC reaches the final frontier of cycling: riding with the family. As his choice to take to the road with his toddler son in tow is met with bewilderment and disapproval from onlookers and the occasional motorist, he ponders why it’s such a taboo. And what does it really mean to be a bike-friendly country? Seeking answers, he heads from the U.S. to London, Amsterdam, Gothenburg, and San Vito dei Normanni in search of an alternative. With humorous anecdotes and his trademark biting wit and wisdom, BikeSnobNYC takes us on his most personal narrative journey yet, and ultimately shines a light on the growing pains that exist in any culture that asks smartphone-obsessed, text-happy pedestrians, the two-wheeled and the four-wheeled to share the road.”
Related posts:
- Book Report: Merckx 525 That there is no greater cyclist than Eddy Merckx is...
- Book Report: The Art of Racing in the Rain In keeping with our recent motorsports slant, I thought it’d...
- RAAM Report | Episode 4 Host Dave Towle checks in on the Race Across the...
- RAAM Report | Episode 5 With the leaders now in Kansas, and the mountain passes...
- RAAM Report | Episode 2 Join host Dave Towle as he looks at the start...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.