For starters, the writing was at maybe a junior high level: Short, choppy sentences. Then there were some factual missteps, such as stating that triathlon was started in Hawaii by lifeguards. Assuming that they are talking about Ironman, that is just not true. And, while it is admittedly just a nit, when a non-fiction book gets something wrong because the authors assumed that they “knew” something, it makes me wonder what else they assumed they knew and didn’t bother to fact check.
The book also seems to be as much about showing that Lance is, in fact, a giant asshole to everyone, as it as about drugs in cycling. While not disputing the fact that he certainly has come across a hugemongous penis based on what I’ve read, there is a definite undertone of bias throughout the book. Later, we find that Lance didn’t give them an interview they were pestering him for, and it makes one wonder if what’s in the book is a little payback for that.
Frankly, you can get pretty much the same information (and for free, to boot, right on the USADA website) that is in the book by reading USADA’s Reasoned Decision, along with the affadavits. Or you can read “The Secret Race” by Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle, which has far better writing, IMO. About the only thing that was truly news to me was that it certainly appears that Heins Verbruggen was pretty deeply in bed with Thom Weisel, creating at the very least a conflict of interest. Exposing more of the Lance-UCI link would have been better than showing, repeatedly, that Lance was a big meanie.
For starters, the writing was at maybe a junior high level: Short, choppy sentences. Then there were some factual missteps, such as stating that triathlon was started in Hawaii by lifeguards. Assuming that they are talking about Ironman, that is just not true. And, while it is admittedly just a nit, when a non-fiction book gets something wrong because the authors assumed that they “knew” something, it makes me wonder what else they assumed they knew and didn’t bother to fact check.
The book also seems to be as much about showing that Lance is, in fact, a giant asshole to everyone, as it as about drugs in cycling. While not disputing the fact that he certainly has come across a hugemongous penis based on what I’ve read, there is a definite undertone of bias throughout the book. Later, we find that Lance didn’t give them an interview they were pestering him for, and it makes one wonder if what’s in the book is a little payback for that.
Frankly, you can get pretty much the same information (and for free, to boot, right on the USADA website) that is in the book by reading USADA’s Reasoned Decision, along with the affadavits. Or you can read “The Secret Race” by Tyler Hamilton and Daniel Coyle, which has far better writing, IMO. About the only thing that was truly news to me was that it certainly appears that Heins Verbruggen was pretty deeply in bed with Thom Weisel, creating at the very least a conflict of interest. Exposing more of the Lance-UCI link would have been better than showing, repeatedly, that Lance was a big meanie.
Spot
agreed. I found it stale. I’d much rather read another book like Tyler’s, where you are living the “experience” of the athlete, the POV of the rider, and how they perceived the system as opposed from someone trying to report “facts” from the outside looking in. Its ok.
Same here. I just started it but the authors make it sound like drafting inside the “Blue Train” was akin to relaxing on a Lazyboy. Then they describe how Lance is beating all these guys but they don’t mention, at least in this part, that all these guys were also doped up. So far, it seems like it’s a hatchet job. Pretty weird to call it a hatchet job when the focus is an admitted cheater but some degree of context would help. I’ll finish it but so far Tyler’s book is way, way more compelling.
Agreed on the “meh+”. No great revelations really and pretty superficial, overall, IMO. The “biggest” moments were more related to -7’s social life. I had not heard that he briefly dated Ty-Ty’s wife after they had broken up. (And I’m not certain I believe it since Haven looks nothing like -7’s mother. HAH!)
A LOT of factual errors, however. Sure they are all pretty minor, but it raises the question of how accurately other facts were presented. For example, they claim Ty-Ty got popped for EPO, when he was busted for transfusions. Also had the wrong dates for Lemond’s contrat w/ Z, the start date of the Motorola team, to name just a few.