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From Booklist ( /gp/feature.html/?docId=1000027801 ) ---------------------------------------------------- In 1993, at the age of 39, Weber rode from coast to coast on a bicycle. Eighteen years later he decided to repeat the task, and his account of the journey from the Oregon coast to Manhattan is a delightful, inful saga that combines the genres of travelogue and journal of self-discovery while paying tribute to the joy and value of cycling. Weber readily acknowledges that, at 57, he lacked both the physical and mental stamina he possessed on his first crossing. As he indicates, cycling is hardly the serene activity of romantic lore; it requires intense concentration and an ability to constantly draw upon physical reserves. Yet Weber clearly retained his sharp powers of observation as he describes the changes he saw in the nation, from the ubiquitous use of cell phones to changes in the political climate. What hasn’t changed, thankfully, is Weber’s ability to be awestruck and inspired by the power and beauty of the landscapes he traverses. This is a thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable “road” story that will appeal to both cyclists and the more sedentary. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The popularity of Weber’s New York Times series chronicling his bike trip will translate into great interest in the book version. --Jay Freeman Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) Review ------ “Life Is a Wheel is a book for cyclists, certainly, and for anyone who has ever dreamed of such transcontinental travels. But it also should prove enlightening, soul-stirring, even, to those who don't care a whit about bikes but who care about the way people connect - strangers, friends, parents and children, lovers.” Source: Philadelphia Inquirer “Mr. Weber’s writing style, straightforward, unexaggerated and conversational, has an understated tone that recalls Hemingway more than Beckett: He rations his emotions, which makes the impact strong when he reveals grief, loneliness or fear… [He] manages to be both expressive and enigmatic, inclusive and solitary — a rider in the world, coasting through the landscape, sometimes participating, always observing.” Source: New York Times “This delightful book is sure to appeal to cyclists who may harbor dreams of pedaling from coast to coast. But any reader simply looking for a well-written and entertaining travel story filled with inful thoughts about life, family and aging will not be disappointed.” Source: The Associated Press “Riding a bike across the country is hard work; doing it at age 57 when, as Bruce Weber writes, his body was “both perfectly y and falling apart,” sounds either foolish or heroic. In this lovely account, Weber manages to avoid both, focusing instead on the beauty of the country he passed through…the kindness of the people he met, and his own musings on life, love, and death... Readers will enjoy going there with him.” Source: The Boston Globe "This title is his witty travelogue, his reflective road journal, and a vivid testament to the beauty of a journey made on two wheels. Perfect for fans of Billy Bryson’s travel writing or books such as Jim Malusa’s Into Thick Air: Biking to the Bellybutton of Six Continents and Paul Howard’s Eat, , Ride: How I Braved Bears, Badlands, and Big Breakfasts in My Quest to Cycle the Tour Divide, this title is a cross-country trip every reader can enjoy. VERDICT: Weber’s journey is sure to inspire readers to roll their old bikes out of the shed and plan an epic trek of their own." Source: Library Journal “Weber's trip – and his thoughts – are distilled into a read that is both entertaining and thoughtful.” Source: Christian Science Monitor, 10 Best Books of March “Weber’s memoir has an air to it that reminds me of Richard Ford’s novel “The Sportswriter”… Looking back, looking forward, making sense of what we face now. Or as he says as he pedals a stationary bike back in his gym after his trip, ‘the present is where you want to be. Never wish away distance. Never wish away time.’” Source: The Minneapolis Star-Tribune "Weber never fails to entertain, and his compulsion to always move forward despite the weight of the past is as inspiring as his astounding cycling achievement." Source: Publisher's Weekly “Weber’s pedalogue is a one-word case study of highs and lows: Gulp. Damn. Yikes! So... Whew! Ommmmmm. Arrrrgh. Ha! Sigh. Cool! Yikes! Arrgh. Whoa!” Source: The Charlotte Observer “Cover to cover this book is a great ride. Bruce Weber is an entertaining and absorbing travel companion and in Life is a Wheel he pulls off a master storyteller’s trick. He gives us a very personal journey that resonates on every page as part of the universal journey we’re all on. It’s great writing and reading.” Author: Michael Connelly Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) See all Editorial Reviews ( /dp/product-description/1451695012/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&isInIframe=0 )