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Luigi's Freedom Ride
A wholly charming, sweetly funny story of one young good-hearted Italian man. It's about life, bicycles, the joy of the journey and the simple beauty of a life well-lived. It is the small lives, tucked away, that reveal humanity in all its bigness. A charming treat of a novel - as sunny, light and enjoyable as a strawberry gelato eaten in an Italian piazza on a summer's day. Luigi is a young Italian boy growing up in Tuscany in the 1920s, dreaming of cowboys and adventure, when a young Englishman, passing through on his way to Rome, gives him his first bicycle, thus sparking a lifelong passion. When World War II begins, Luigi enlists with the Bersaglieri, the Italian Army Cycling Corps (naturally), before unexpectedly finding himself fighting alongside the Partisans. Despite encountering great sorrow and tragedy, Luigi's zest for life remains undiminished, and his next adventure sees him cycling through the Holy Land, Turkey and Sri Lanka before finding an unexpected home - and an extraordinary surprise - in Australia. An irrepressibly optimistic, sweetly funny story, Luigi's Freedom Ride is about life, bicycles and the joy of the journey - showing how even a small life, lived in the shadow of great events, can be rich in contentment and spirit.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 16, 2015
Luigi’s Freedom Ride is set in a small hillside village in Tuscany, in the 1920’s and the years to follow. When English passer-by leaves a broken down bicycle with Luigi’s uncle, it set things in motion for Luigi’s future. With his uncle’s guidance, 10-year-old Luigi repaired the bicycle fit for riding, which also ignited passion in the little boy that will last a lifetime. Keen on geography, Luigi planned to ride to the furthest part of the globe.
The furthest-away place was called Australia. Luigi, alone, mouthed the word again and again: Ow…straa…leeaah. It was bigger then all of Europe. He wondered what it might be like to cycle to that place at the very end of the world. One day, perhaps, he and Leonardo would go there. What an adventure that would be.
As a young man, Luigi’s plans were put on hold, when he was called up to serve minimum time in the Army, but while in training, WW2 erupted. During this time Luigi’s saw too much bloodshed, discovered family secrets, and formed close friendships and love for the first time - only to have them taken away from him by the destruction of war. By the end of the war, Luigi’s had to get away from his beloved Italy to lessen the heartbreaking memories. And so the adventure begins.
Luigi’s Freedom Ride had the perfect plot layout, and all ingredients for an epic saga; rich in family history and the way of life in the small Tuscan village, it had the knowledge of army life and partisan organisations, and an adventure - on bikes - crossing many continents. But in my opinion writing held it back. It felt too wholesome and jovial for this period in time. And that included the characters; they were flawless, very forgiving people and excelled in everything that was put to them. It seemed to lack emotional depth when it came to tragedies of war, and the psychological effects post wartime. These scenes were written in such a rush and told in matter of fact tone, that I felt somewhat emotionally detached from the characters.
I did enjoy Luigi’s journey, seeing where the bike would take him, the people he met along the way, and some amusing scene when Luigi’s was trying to interpret the Aussie lingo. For most parts it was a pleasurable book to read, humorous and uplifting but I like my books to show a balance - good and the bad side.
The furthest-away place was called Australia. Luigi, alone, mouthed the word again and again: Ow…straa…leeaah. It was bigger then all of Europe. He wondered what it might be like to cycle to that place at the very end of the world. One day, perhaps, he and Leonardo would go there. What an adventure that would be.
As a young man, Luigi’s plans were put on hold, when he was called up to serve minimum time in the Army, but while in training, WW2 erupted. During this time Luigi’s saw too much bloodshed, discovered family secrets, and formed close friendships and love for the first time - only to have them taken away from him by the destruction of war. By the end of the war, Luigi’s had to get away from his beloved Italy to lessen the heartbreaking memories. And so the adventure begins.
Luigi’s Freedom Ride had the perfect plot layout, and all ingredients for an epic saga; rich in family history and the way of life in the small Tuscan village, it had the knowledge of army life and partisan organisations, and an adventure - on bikes - crossing many continents. But in my opinion writing held it back. It felt too wholesome and jovial for this period in time. And that included the characters; they were flawless, very forgiving people and excelled in everything that was put to them. It seemed to lack emotional depth when it came to tragedies of war, and the psychological effects post wartime. These scenes were written in such a rush and told in matter of fact tone, that I felt somewhat emotionally detached from the characters.
I did enjoy Luigi’s journey, seeing where the bike would take him, the people he met along the way, and some amusing scene when Luigi’s was trying to interpret the Aussie lingo. For most parts it was a pleasurable book to read, humorous and uplifting but I like my books to show a balance - good and the bad side.
May 21, 2019
A warmly written story about Luigi, a young Italian boy obsessed by bicycles, who we follow through to old age. Described as a ‘charming treat of a novel’ this was gifted to me some time ago. I’m glad I finally picked it from my shelf! I enjoyed the historical aspect - learning about the Italian Army Cycling Corps - and the love between family & friends made it feel like sunshine.
May 31, 2014
the first 51 pages were topsy turvey and I was eager to 'get the story started'. After page 51 it all happens and though it is fiction, it reads like a non-fiction tale. Would suit males and females alike and if you have a keen interest in cycling you will enjoy the refererences to the cycling men 'of the finest order'. I loved the blend of history, heroics in the face of dictatorships and the work of the partisans. It made me seek out Italian maps and google images of the terrian so it definately takes you on a journey.
February 3, 2015
While this was a pretty easy and enjoyable read, it could have been a lot better. There was lots of great material to work with: WW2 in Italy, resistance fighters, romance, travel and adventure. But for some reason I just didn't really warm to the characters. Luigi is likeable enough, but not particularly compelling. I never felt his experiences and emotions were deep enough. I wanted to feel more when he was in the middle of battling against Fascism in the hills of Tuscany, and I wanted to be as exhilarated as he was by his bicycling and travel, but I just didn't get into it that much.
December 3, 2014
The book started slowly. I felt like the first 120 pages had no meaning and were there for the sake of pages. Finally got interesting in the middle, lasted for a few chapters and then when everything settled down it just stayed there for most of the lasting chapters. So, in my opinion it was a book that stayed in the same line, then quickly came to a climax, quickly dropped to the same line and stayed there for the rest of the story.
December 8, 2015
Our Monday book club enjoyed the light relief of this one. A charming read that roams from the partisans in Italy during WW2 to Surry Hills post war. Delightful characters and a fun read. I even shed a little tear :)
The group gave it:
6.5/7.5/7.5/5/6/7/6/7/8/8/7/8
The group gave it:
6.5/7.5/7.5/5/6/7/6/7/8/8/7/8
October 23, 2022
Good book. Nice read.
Some quotes I enjoyed:
A trumpet player who doesn’t understand pressure just don’t hit the sweet-as-pie notes. It’s like a tyre. The right pressure and she runs cool and easy. Wrong pressure and she’s flat and flabby as Grandma’s chest.
Out of the blue, there was a sound of tearing fabric. The room filled with the aroma of Maestro Marconi Macaroni. Flatulence had gripped Jacob. Without prompting, he made an admission: He had strayed from wine to beer during the evening. The white curtains fluttered and there was one, long, final rasp that ended with a whimpering sound, a rectal ‘last post’.
The bicycle is every bit as much a living and breathing creature as a horse. As a horse has its habits and inclinations and disinclinations, so a bicycle has its very own ways. We learn to listen to the language a bicycle uses to speak to us – the language of the tyre, the poetry of the turning wheel, the sonatas of the spokes.’
“Be brave when bravery is needed and be cautious when caution is necessary. Above all, stand back from hatred. It is a fire that devours all that it touches. Hatred is the great destroyer of good hearts. Avoid anger even when anger seems justified. Show mercy when you can. Do your job when you must. Treat the fallen with dignity and respect.”
There’s birth and there’s death and there’s the bit in the middle you can’t ever really work out. So you just get through the bit in the middle and leave other people to try to work it out. It saves time. Anyhow, you never know how long you have. One morning we run out of afternoons. One afternoon we run out of nights. If you want reflection, look in the mirror.
An empty house dies of loneliness and unused tools are loyal servants without a master.
The comes a time when you look around and all the people you journeyed with are gone. And you know that one day, you’ll be gone too. But it doesn’t matter. Others come along and ride the path and they all have their own adventures. That’s the best part, knowing others are making the journey, having adventures, turning the wheels.
Grief offered choices: Luigi could forever lament afuture without Nunzia or he could treasure the memories of what he had been given, memories of the life he had with her. What we have is the past and the present. The future is something we imagine, something we hope for. Nothing wrong inwith hope, but theirs is no guarantee. Life doesn’t come with a guarantee. Treasure what you have and what you had with the missus; there’s no good and no peace in “what if” and “if only”.
He treasures the memories. He counted his blessings. He reminded himself that there was much worth remembering. From time to time there were tears that could not be blinked away. Mostly, thought, there was gratitude. Really, he had been blessed.
Some quotes I enjoyed:
A trumpet player who doesn’t understand pressure just don’t hit the sweet-as-pie notes. It’s like a tyre. The right pressure and she runs cool and easy. Wrong pressure and she’s flat and flabby as Grandma’s chest.
Out of the blue, there was a sound of tearing fabric. The room filled with the aroma of Maestro Marconi Macaroni. Flatulence had gripped Jacob. Without prompting, he made an admission: He had strayed from wine to beer during the evening. The white curtains fluttered and there was one, long, final rasp that ended with a whimpering sound, a rectal ‘last post’.
The bicycle is every bit as much a living and breathing creature as a horse. As a horse has its habits and inclinations and disinclinations, so a bicycle has its very own ways. We learn to listen to the language a bicycle uses to speak to us – the language of the tyre, the poetry of the turning wheel, the sonatas of the spokes.’
“Be brave when bravery is needed and be cautious when caution is necessary. Above all, stand back from hatred. It is a fire that devours all that it touches. Hatred is the great destroyer of good hearts. Avoid anger even when anger seems justified. Show mercy when you can. Do your job when you must. Treat the fallen with dignity and respect.”
There’s birth and there’s death and there’s the bit in the middle you can’t ever really work out. So you just get through the bit in the middle and leave other people to try to work it out. It saves time. Anyhow, you never know how long you have. One morning we run out of afternoons. One afternoon we run out of nights. If you want reflection, look in the mirror.
An empty house dies of loneliness and unused tools are loyal servants without a master.
The comes a time when you look around and all the people you journeyed with are gone. And you know that one day, you’ll be gone too. But it doesn’t matter. Others come along and ride the path and they all have their own adventures. That’s the best part, knowing others are making the journey, having adventures, turning the wheels.
Grief offered choices: Luigi could forever lament afuture without Nunzia or he could treasure the memories of what he had been given, memories of the life he had with her. What we have is the past and the present. The future is something we imagine, something we hope for. Nothing wrong inwith hope, but theirs is no guarantee. Life doesn’t come with a guarantee. Treasure what you have and what you had with the missus; there’s no good and no peace in “what if” and “if only”.
He treasures the memories. He counted his blessings. He reminded himself that there was much worth remembering. From time to time there were tears that could not be blinked away. Mostly, thought, there was gratitude. Really, he had been blessed.
August 22, 2020
While I enjoyed Luigi's Freedom Ride by Alan Murray on one level, it could have been much better. It is described as a story of curiosity, love, hope, and bicycles. The strongest asset of the book is in the love story between Luigi and Nunzia, who are faced with much adversity before they are able to unite. Murray is able to capture their relationship and to show the power of true love. It is also a book that shows the power of hope in a positive and enlightening way. While I enjoyed the characters and the basic story line, Murray waxes on and on about bicycles and repairing them that sometimes lost my interest. All in all, it is an enjoyable book that does not require much thinking, but does appeal to the emotions. I felt that the last chapters of the book were much better than the first chapters of the book. The characters are well-developed and the parts dealing with the war are good. While I was only able to give this book three stars, I would still recommend the book.
July 9, 2017
This book was a delight to read. It's a light and easy read about a young man's life journey from his childhood village in Tuscany to his final home in Australia. It follows him and his friends through the second world war, where as partisans and part of a bicycle "company" they navigate the ambiguous politics of Italy and its position within the war. There was nothing too challenging about any of the story - it was just a nice adventure about an ordinary group of people. Love of home, family, culture, adventure, travel, cycling, action and romance are all woven into the story. It uplifted me and made me feel good and as the characters encountered the highs and low of their lives, my emotions joined in.
A wonderful book to take away on holiday, or when travelling. Highly recommended.
A wonderful book to take away on holiday, or when travelling. Highly recommended.
August 24, 2020
The characters were quite one dimensional and good at everything. Everyone the main character cared about seemed to die peacefully of old age or uncomplicated heart attacks at the right time (except for one friend who suicided). Sons were happy to take over family businesses. Everyone met up again with great coincidence. All the sergeants and army superiors treated their recruits well. Besides these unrealities, the story seems to be told in at arms length so it was hard to get too engaged. So many criticisms! I still gave it 3 stars because I did enjoy the unusual story and it was just interesting enough to keep me reading.
October 24, 2017
Mainly set in pre WW11 (and wartime) Tuscany. Many humorous touches
April 3, 2019
Some dark themes with very simple language, often poorly expressed. Struggled to finish.
February 27, 2021
Loved this story of a cyclist whose life was spent riding and fixing bikes. A dreamer whose dreams came true.
August 3, 2023
Lovely story of Luigi. Follow him on his adventure with bikes as he navigates war, travels the world, and finds love.
November 24, 2014
Having noticed that I had been reading far too many books about WWII and the awful horrifying things that occurred, I needed something light, uplifting and human to read . And wouldn't you know it. I find it, in a book set in... WWII!
But what a contrast. In the words of the author that he sprinkles numerous times through this lovely book, it is a story 'of the very first order', a wonderful story, brimming over with optimisim, charming, rich in characters, plot and just simply everything. I loved it. But of course being about the war, there is plenty of sadness and pain. But for once, somehow it doesn't leave the reader feeling sad, despondent, and downright glum about the moral compass of the human race.
With a title and book cover like this, somewhere bicycles have to feature and they do - symbols of freedom, the journey that is a life, that you have to turn the pedals to make that life happen, and you have to maintain the machine in good order to keep it going. Every chapter is headed by words of wisdom invoking the bicycle in some way. For example: "There is no space for the freestyle cyclist in our Movement. Ours is the business of acting in concert as one. Each is a spoke in the bigger wheel, a tyre on the track of profound change - Randall Ochiltree, Convener, Glasgow Socialist Cycling Club, 1938, Letter to the Glasgow Herald". Or how about this one - "War is a bit like those silly cycling races where you pedal at about zero miles an hour, and then you go like the clappers for half a minute. Either dead stop or flat out - Jeremy Forsythe, Memoirs of a Partisan, 1961". You could do what I did, and google all these quotes to find out a bit more about some of the writers....
The story opens with Luigi Ferraro, now an elderly man living in a small beachside settlement in Australia. How does he get here you wonder? The life story begins in 1931 when Luigi is ten years old and receives his first bicycle. He comes from the small mountainous village of Tescano in Italy. He lives with his mother Franca, and his Uncle Cesare who is the black smith. His best friend is Leonardo whose parents have the local bakery. His passion in life is bicycles, rebuilding, repairing, maintaining and riding them around the local area. Such a simple life, in a village where everyone knows you, and life continues as it has done for hundreds of years. Until Mussolini and his fascists come onto the scene. Luigi and Leonardo both find themselves in the Italian Army Cycling Corps, and yes it was a real organisation, and then in a rather strange turn of events fighting with the partisans in the mountains around Tescano that he knows like the back of his hand. Love is found, love is lost, friendships found and lost, there is danger, loss, renewal, reconciliation and reunion.
This book is a joy to read, narrated with a sense of wonder and optimism, as if Luigi is an innocent abroad and his very survival to an advanced age is more a matter of good luck than good management. A fabulous read, ideal for the upcoming summer holidays.
But what a contrast. In the words of the author that he sprinkles numerous times through this lovely book, it is a story 'of the very first order', a wonderful story, brimming over with optimisim, charming, rich in characters, plot and just simply everything. I loved it. But of course being about the war, there is plenty of sadness and pain. But for once, somehow it doesn't leave the reader feeling sad, despondent, and downright glum about the moral compass of the human race.
With a title and book cover like this, somewhere bicycles have to feature and they do - symbols of freedom, the journey that is a life, that you have to turn the pedals to make that life happen, and you have to maintain the machine in good order to keep it going. Every chapter is headed by words of wisdom invoking the bicycle in some way. For example: "There is no space for the freestyle cyclist in our Movement. Ours is the business of acting in concert as one. Each is a spoke in the bigger wheel, a tyre on the track of profound change - Randall Ochiltree, Convener, Glasgow Socialist Cycling Club, 1938, Letter to the Glasgow Herald". Or how about this one - "War is a bit like those silly cycling races where you pedal at about zero miles an hour, and then you go like the clappers for half a minute. Either dead stop or flat out - Jeremy Forsythe, Memoirs of a Partisan, 1961". You could do what I did, and google all these quotes to find out a bit more about some of the writers....
The story opens with Luigi Ferraro, now an elderly man living in a small beachside settlement in Australia. How does he get here you wonder? The life story begins in 1931 when Luigi is ten years old and receives his first bicycle. He comes from the small mountainous village of Tescano in Italy. He lives with his mother Franca, and his Uncle Cesare who is the black smith. His best friend is Leonardo whose parents have the local bakery. His passion in life is bicycles, rebuilding, repairing, maintaining and riding them around the local area. Such a simple life, in a village where everyone knows you, and life continues as it has done for hundreds of years. Until Mussolini and his fascists come onto the scene. Luigi and Leonardo both find themselves in the Italian Army Cycling Corps, and yes it was a real organisation, and then in a rather strange turn of events fighting with the partisans in the mountains around Tescano that he knows like the back of his hand. Love is found, love is lost, friendships found and lost, there is danger, loss, renewal, reconciliation and reunion.
This book is a joy to read, narrated with a sense of wonder and optimism, as if Luigi is an innocent abroad and his very survival to an advanced age is more a matter of good luck than good management. A fabulous read, ideal for the upcoming summer holidays.
October 2, 2014
As a young boy in Tescano, Italy, Luigi Ferraro was given a bicycle by Jeremy Forsythe, a man passing through the village on the bike but who has an unfortunate meeting with a truck. The bent, broken bike is repaired and rebuilt by the boy and a lifelong love for bicycles begins.
Luigi lives in Tescano with his mother and uncle Cesare, the village blacksmith. With his best and inseparable friend, Leonardo, the boys ride through the countryside every chance they get and become so expert at bikes that when the war comes to the village, they are drafted into the bicycle corp where their job was to repair and keep ready the needed fleet of bicycles. During the war, Luigi, Leonardo and now Jacob, a young Jew they met on the first day of their enlistment, manage to stay together, are adopted into the resistance and Luigi falls in love. But this isn’t a war story, not really. It’s because of the war that decisions are made and people are met and promises made.
This war makes Luigi dream of leaving Italy and seeing the world, his Freedom Ride. He wants to go as far away on the map as he can and sets his sites on riding to Australia.
This is Luigi’s story. We all have one, as simple as our lives seem to be. Luigi would say so of himself. But it is also a story so full of wonderful characters, some who never speak a word, who at first might appear to the reader to be nothing more than props but oh, they all have a role, they are as much a part of the story as Luigi. This IS a story of curiosity, and love and hope and a jet-black Hercules Popular twenty-one inch Gent’s Roadster.
I absolutely loved this story. Loved, loved, loved it.
Luigi lives in Tescano with his mother and uncle Cesare, the village blacksmith. With his best and inseparable friend, Leonardo, the boys ride through the countryside every chance they get and become so expert at bikes that when the war comes to the village, they are drafted into the bicycle corp where their job was to repair and keep ready the needed fleet of bicycles. During the war, Luigi, Leonardo and now Jacob, a young Jew they met on the first day of their enlistment, manage to stay together, are adopted into the resistance and Luigi falls in love. But this isn’t a war story, not really. It’s because of the war that decisions are made and people are met and promises made.
This war makes Luigi dream of leaving Italy and seeing the world, his Freedom Ride. He wants to go as far away on the map as he can and sets his sites on riding to Australia.
This is Luigi’s story. We all have one, as simple as our lives seem to be. Luigi would say so of himself. But it is also a story so full of wonderful characters, some who never speak a word, who at first might appear to the reader to be nothing more than props but oh, they all have a role, they are as much a part of the story as Luigi. This IS a story of curiosity, and love and hope and a jet-black Hercules Popular twenty-one inch Gent’s Roadster.
I absolutely loved this story. Loved, loved, loved it.
November 25, 2014
The start of this book is a bit of a bumpy ride and it takes about 50 pages to get it's groove on. Then we explore WWII Italy through Luigi's eyes and that of his bicycle and two best friends. Part of this book felt like The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, and parts like The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, but it didn't quite work as well as either of these books. There was occasional humour, and nice enough characters, but I never really connected with them or found myself engaged in the story. I was just an observer and as such, found myself not that keen to keep reading the book as I didn't really care enough about what was going to happen next. There was nothing too 'wrong' with this book, but there isn't anything I can point to that is worth the read either.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2015
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book from a giveaway. The beginning of this book was rough. It was all over the place. It was up and down and it seemed to lose me quite easily. Although, the main events in Luigi's life, and in all the characters lives is what kept me going. I especially enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the fact that each chapter had a theme. Also, the author's writing style was quite refreshing for me. Anyways, Jacob is a character that goes through so much in this book and is very likeable. We see him grow as a character. The same can be said about Luigi of course. Luigi's life was definitely an adventure. It wasn't until I hit the 200's where I started to really enjoy this book. In my opinion, it's a book about life and death. I think it will have a unique effect on different readers depending on how one view's life and death. For me, this book reminded me how we must live in the moment because one day we will die and our life will be just a sad and beautiful memory. And maybe, if we are lucky, we may leave a legacy. Overall, this book leaves you wondering about your own life and makes you want to go on an adventure to experience new things.
January 23, 2015
As an Italian who who has parents who have lived in that period this book was very interesting. Added to that is that I also live in Australia. There is no doubt that this book was thoroughly researched and historically accurate. This is no surprise considering that the author was a non fiction writer and this is his first fiction book. On the other hand this fact I think does influence his writing where the facts get in the way of developing the character a bit more. But it is good that there is a book that talks about the partisans in Italy. Something that many people in Australia are unaware about.
October 10, 2015
I enjoyed this heart-warming story but struggled with the faux-naïve approach, which rendered characters two-dimensional and close to caricature on occasions. Reminiscent of the books of Nino Culotta (They're a Weird Mob, etc.) the book charts the physical and emotional journey Luigi makes from the hills of Tuscany to the east coast of Australia during the period of World War 2 and the years that followed. Slow to start as Murray paints a picture of the place where Luigi's life began, the episodes set during the war felt the most confident and informed to me, while the bicycle theme was sometimes too laboured.
October 12, 2016
I loved this book so much. It is gentle, kind and full of love. The characters are so beautiful that I cried a number of times while reading this story.
It is the story of Luigi who grew up in a small Tuscan village called Tescano. It tells of the adventures of him and his best friend Leonardo, his mum and uncle and the other (mostly) wonderful people in this village. Luigi and Leonardo do their national service together where they meet their other great friend Jacob and they fight together in WWII as Partisans where Luigi meets the love of his life Nunzia.
Luigi travels on his "freedom ride" to Australia where life moves on.
This is a truly beautiful book.
It is the story of Luigi who grew up in a small Tuscan village called Tescano. It tells of the adventures of him and his best friend Leonardo, his mum and uncle and the other (mostly) wonderful people in this village. Luigi and Leonardo do their national service together where they meet their other great friend Jacob and they fight together in WWII as Partisans where Luigi meets the love of his life Nunzia.
Luigi travels on his "freedom ride" to Australia where life moves on.
This is a truly beautiful book.
June 23, 2015
I found the first part of the book hard going (perhaps because I was busy and picking it up and only reading a few pages at a time). It gave me a small insight into WW2 from an Italian perspective. Being an Australian I found the author captured the Australian spirit and larrikin characteristic fairly well. The author's description of ANZAC day was quite poignant as at the time of reading we were celebrating our 100th anniversary of this special day. Overall I enjoyed this book.
March 26, 2015
A WWII novel that is poignant rather than explicit. I enjoyed reading it and finding out about Italy's bicycle warfare. A few parts were laugh out loud funny, a few tears fell as well. Luigi is drafted into the Italian Army, leaving his home in Tescano and eventually bicycles to Australia. Overall, a pleasant read that might be interesting for book clubs because of the less harsh relating of war experiences.
March 23, 2016
A feel good story of Luigi from Tuscany, a bicycle man of the highest order and his journey through WWII and to Australia. Humorous, simply written with a dry wit but does not avoid the brutality of WWII. It also reminds us a life lived fully, where you respect the people around you and have time to dream is a life well lived.
June 12, 2015
This is such a wonderful read. There are so many topics covered, in such a gentle way. Persist and do read past the first 50 pages. They are topsy turvy but you'll be glad you did. Partisans, WWII, immigrants, the Tuscan Hills, family, friends, comradeship, love, bicycle rides, journeys, adventures and hope. Wonderful!
February 27, 2025
'A story of curiosity, love, hope and bicycles' it says on the front cover of the edition I read. It's also a story of family, war, welcome, new starts, adventure, friendships, laughter and tears.
The writing is terrific. The Australian idiom perfectly rendered. Such a good read! And Luigi is right - the north coast is SO much better than the south!
The writing is terrific. The Australian idiom perfectly rendered. Such a good read! And Luigi is right - the north coast is SO much better than the south!
January 29, 2015
This is a really enjoyable story, told with humour and compassion. I found the history of how the war affected Italy interesting and also how he coped with a new life in Australia. This book would be especially enjoyable to anyone with an Italian background.
November 1, 2015
The synopsis sums it up nicely. Finished it in a few days on holiday. I enjoyed following this characters journey, I have been reflecting how simple pleasures are the best & a what constitutes a life well lived so this little story warmed my heart.
August 6, 2014
This has to be one of, if not the, most pleasurable books I have ever read. I laughed lots, I got teary a few times & I put it down mid-sentence once to prolong the enjoyment! A wonderful book!
October 12, 2014
Slow start but stuck with it. Alan really developed the characters in the second half of the book and there were some really memorable pieces in the book that struck a chord with me. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews