What We Dig (to Read)
From Issue 90
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“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” — Anna Quindlen
PELOTON
“THE WIND AT MY BACK: A CYCLING LIFE,” BY PAUL MAUNDER
If you are a fan of Peloton you have most likely read at least one of Paul Maunder’s features in our pages. Whatever the subject, he puts his unique take on cycling, history and culture. In this book, which is essentially a poignant reflection of his life spent on two wheels, Paul creates a book about “how landscape can sustain us and how even an hour’s escape can inspire our creative sides.” Bloomsbury.com
“SPEED READ TOUR DE FRANCE: THE HISTORY, STRATEGIES AND INTRIGUE BEHIND THE WORLD’S GREATEST BICYCLE RACE,” BY JOHN WILCOCKSON
After covering 45 Tours and writing more than 15 books on cycling, Peloton’s editor-at-large John Wilcockson put together this informative book on the Tour de France. If you are looking to understand the 115-year history of the Tour and gaining new insight into all the facets of the event, complete with a litany of fun facts and great illustrations, add this one to your library. quartoknows.com
“THE ROUGH-STUFF FELLOWSHIP ARCHIVE: ADVENTURES WITH THE WORLD’S OLDEST OFF-ROAD CYCLING CLUB”
Constantly searching for the origins of the gravel craze, we came across this club and book (and great Instagram feed) and had to pick it up. Filled with amazing images from the club of gravel adventures from the 1950s forward, the Rough-Stuff Fellowship is the oldest off-road cycling club in the world. “Since 1955, its pioneering women and men have explored the high mountain tracks and paths of the UK and beyond.” This book features recently unearthed photos from the club and stories of its members’ adventures. isolapress.com
“MAGIC SPANNER: THE WORLD OF CYCLING ACCORDING TO CARLTON KIRBY”
Here’s a behind-the-scenes book about covering the grand tours; and Carlton has had a front row seat after almost 30 years of commentating on the sport. Bonus: anecdotes of life on the road with Tour legend Sean Kelly. The book begins at 4:00 a.m. at a Paris hotel during the Tour de France: “So there I am, dead of the night, a tubby middle-aged cycling nut locked out of his room…completely bollock naked. I’m waiting for the security guy to let me back into my sanctuary. Considering my predicament, I’m remarkably at peace.” Bloomsbury.com
“THE MEN OF PARIS–ROUBAIX: A SARTORIAL PORTRAIT BOOK 1896–1933”
We are always looking for postcards to send out to cycling friends and this book is a virtual goldmine. The book features pullout postcard images of the first 40 years of Paris–Roubaix with striking black-and-white images and biographies of the protagonists. “There are both champions and nobodies in these portraits, but each man has a story….” Isolapress.com