THE YELLOW JERSEY by Ralph Hurne
Today I finished reading THE YELLOW JERSEY by Ralph Hurne. It had crossed my path long ago, and I had wanted to read it because I am fond of The Tour de France. It is also billed as, "The greatest cycling novel ever written." As a cycling story it ends with a rousing sequence of events on the Tour. But as a novel, I found it to be preoccupied with one man's love life, or rather, his inability to find love despite rolling in the hay with hundereds of "birds." I am a little worse for wear after completing this book. I do not recommend it. OPTCS 45334
posted by Doug Eigsti at Monday, April 07, 2008
2 Comments:
Hi, Doug. I agree that it was bizarrely preoccupied with his love life, but the cycling in the book was absolutely phenomenal. It gave a wonderful insight into professional cycling and particuarly the Tour. I just finished the book last night. When my husband asked me if he should read it, I said, well, the main character is a bit of a cad, but the bike riding is fantastic.
Delighted to see a woman's basically positive review of this novel because it is so sexist. But at the same time, it's so reverential of womanhood! Oxymoronic, I know.
Just finished reading it again (TDF time) for the third time. For me it is incredibly inspiring - perhaps it's my age (44). Last night I set about planning a 5-day ride (Milwaukee - Minneapolis) on my unicycle because, what the hell - may as well give it a whirl!
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