It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins
Armstrong, Lance, and Sally Jenkins. 2001. It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. New York, NY: Penguin Group (USA). ISBN-13: 9780425179611.
For a story that is solid, brutally honest, and tough, Lance Armstrong partnered with Sally Jenkins to write an autobiography of his youth, battle with advanced testicular cancer as a 25-year-old athlete, and the innumberable changes he endured physically and mentally. Beginning in chapter one, Lance's refreshingly blunt voice sets the tone for the book, "My illness was humbling and starkly revealing, and if forced me to survey my life with an unforgiving eye...I had to ask myself, 'If I live, who is it that I intend to be?'" Plan to come away from this incredible journey of strength, weakness, fear, and insight with a deep appreciation for the roles cycling and cancer played in focusing Lance's often misplaced energies. A strong team of family and associates stand behind him every step of the way, providing support and the tough love that a determined young man often requires. The tenacious Lance Armstrong of the Tour de France reveals the human element that we rarely see in television glimpses. His depth of character and the will to press on are the meat of this unmatched story of perseverance. You will find yourself questioning your own values and determination in light of what Lance proves is humanly possible. Follow the five time Tour de France winner through professional and personal triumphs and failures in Every Second Counts - as Lance again pairs with Sally Jenkins to recount the next phase of his life and career (Bantam Books, 2004).
"Armstrong is a champion American cyclist who was stricken with cancer in his twenties and given little chance to live. However, he not only survived but won the rigorous Tour de France two years later. As the title indicates, this book is much less about Armstrong's triumphs on two wheels than about his successful struggle with cancer and its aftermath. Armstrong sees cancer as part of life that is meant to improve us by making us focus on our difficulties with courage and indominability of spirit. His writing style is vibrant and immediate whether he is detailing events from childhood, racing challenges, the demands of cancer treatment, the in vitro fertilization process, or the joy of becoming a father. This should appeal to more than just cycling fans. Highly recommended."
Library Journal; June 15, 2000, Vol. 125 Issue 11.
"It is such an all-American story. A lanky kid from Plano, Texas, is raised by a feisty, single parent who sacrifices for her son, who becomes one of our country's greatest athletes. Given that background, it is understandable why Armstrong was able to channel his boundless energy toward athletic endeavors. By his senior year in high school, he was already a professional triathlete and was training with the U.S. Olympic cycling developmental team. In 1993, Armstrong secured a position in the ranks of world-class cyclists by winning the World Championship and a Tour de France stage, but in 1996, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Armstrong entered an unknown battlefield and challenged it as if climbing through the Alps: aggressive yet tactical. He beat the cancer and proceeded to stun all the pundits by winning the 1999 Tour de France. In this memoir, Armstrong covers his early years swiftly with a blunt matter-of-factness, but the main focus is on his battle with cancer. Readers will respond to the inspirational recovery story, and they will appreciate the behind-the-scenes cycling information. After he won the Tour, his mother was quoted as saying that her son's whole life has been a fight against the odds; we see here that she was not exaggerating."
--Brenda Barrera
Booklist; May 15, 2000.
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