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Ride
In this collection of short stories about bicycles, a grocery store worker finds more than he bargained for when he wangles his way into a gated community with a perfect hill for climbing…an ancient Constantinoplean invents a two-wheeled contraption to impress a girl…a bicycle reflects on its life while chained outside in New York City…an eerie rider exacts gruesome revenge on automobile drivers…
These and more in eight stories of gears, pedals, and the need to RIDE.
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NY VELOCITY
"The theme of “bike” is an obvious thread that runs throughout these nine short stories, but more importantly, identity is at the heart of many of these…perhaps most obviously in the chilling “I’m Bob Deerman.” I found the contribution by the editor of the book, Keith Snyder, to be especially poignant and his story, as well as the shop talk in Christopher Ryan’s, are the most seamless examples of bicycles serving the story effortlessly. There is a nice bit of cathartic revenge fantasizing done by Simon Wood. Kent Peterson’s contribution is an unabashed love letter to biking…and Taliah Lampert’s illustrations are wonderful…"
—William Carey, NY VELOCITY
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BICYCLING MAGAZINE
"This is one of those books that was put together for love, outside of the mainstream publishing scene…original illustrations by Taliah Lempert appear on the cover and with each story. My favorite, I Red Dot, by Barbara Jaye Wilson."
—Bill Strickland, BICYCLING
These and more in eight stories of gears, pedals, and the need to RIDE.
———
NY VELOCITY
"The theme of “bike” is an obvious thread that runs throughout these nine short stories, but more importantly, identity is at the heart of many of these…perhaps most obviously in the chilling “I’m Bob Deerman.” I found the contribution by the editor of the book, Keith Snyder, to be especially poignant and his story, as well as the shop talk in Christopher Ryan’s, are the most seamless examples of bicycles serving the story effortlessly. There is a nice bit of cathartic revenge fantasizing done by Simon Wood. Kent Peterson’s contribution is an unabashed love letter to biking…and Taliah Lampert’s illustrations are wonderful…"
—William Carey, NY VELOCITY
———
BICYCLING MAGAZINE
"This is one of those books that was put together for love, outside of the mainstream publishing scene…original illustrations by Taliah Lempert appear on the cover and with each story. My favorite, I Red Dot, by Barbara Jaye Wilson."
—Bill Strickland, BICYCLING
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 9, 2012
Various authors bring a range of reading beyond that of most bicycle related readings. Good romp.
March 3, 2018
This is a very neat collection of little stories by relatively unknown writers about the intersections of life and bicycles.
Bicycles so often take on a character of their own, derived from the struggles, triumphs, and defeats they take a role in with their owners. Two good examples here are the last two stories of the book, “Night Ride” by Keith Snyder and “Red Dot” by Barbara Jaye Wilson.
“Night Ride” paints a story of two generations of difficult father-son relationships. If you are a boy born into a bicycling family, your bikes and how you ride with your father are poignant expressions of maturity — riding with your dad, trying to keep up with him, outdoing your dad, showing your dad how strong or courageous you are, coming to realize that your dad isn’t really bigger than life after all. Keith Snyder brought all those tensions and comings of age into a single, probably ill-conceived ride that ties and unties all the knots. Really a good story.
“Red Dot” literally makes the bicycle a character. It’s a story told by an aging bicycle that remembers its glory days — “the ride of my life” — while waiting for the scrap heap.
All the stories are neatly told, small stories. No expansive, over-ambitious themes. Down to earth bits of life with bicycles.
Bicycles so often take on a character of their own, derived from the struggles, triumphs, and defeats they take a role in with their owners. Two good examples here are the last two stories of the book, “Night Ride” by Keith Snyder and “Red Dot” by Barbara Jaye Wilson.
“Night Ride” paints a story of two generations of difficult father-son relationships. If you are a boy born into a bicycling family, your bikes and how you ride with your father are poignant expressions of maturity — riding with your dad, trying to keep up with him, outdoing your dad, showing your dad how strong or courageous you are, coming to realize that your dad isn’t really bigger than life after all. Keith Snyder brought all those tensions and comings of age into a single, probably ill-conceived ride that ties and unties all the knots. Really a good story.
“Red Dot” literally makes the bicycle a character. It’s a story told by an aging bicycle that remembers its glory days — “the ride of my life” — while waiting for the scrap heap.
All the stories are neatly told, small stories. No expansive, over-ambitious themes. Down to earth bits of life with bicycles.
February 5, 2012
Excellent collection of stories about bicycles and bicycle life. It's well-written and a book I recommend for anyone that loves bicycles.
February 5, 2015
I liked the variation of stories. I was expecting more stories about bikers and their adventures. I was pleasantly surprised.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews