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Falling Uphill
Falling Second Edition. One man's quest for happiness around the world on a bicycle. In one week, Scott Stoll lost his job, his best friend, his girlfriend and his confidence. Disillusioned with society, full of angst, a lost and wandering soul with nothing left to lose, Stoll asked himself a "If I only have one life, one chance, if I could do anything, what would I do?" His answer resulted in a 4 year and 25,742 mile odyssey around the world by bicycle, seeking answers to the great mysteries of life, vowing to find happiness or die trying. The quest wasn't easy. He was imprisoned, held hostage, mugged, run over, suspected of terrorism, accused of espionage, trampled, diseased, heartbroken-he nearly died a dozen times. But more importantly, in the most unlikely places, Scott also discovered the wonders of the world, kindness among strangers, the meaning of life, peace, love and-Yes!-happiness. Re-live and re-imagine an archetypal journey ar
296 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2008
15 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Scott Stoll
13 books15 followersScott Stoll asked himself: “If I could do anything, what would I do?” His answer resulted in a quest for happiness around the world on a bicycle (4 years, 32,344 miles, 59 countries and 6 continents). His adventures are chronicled in his best-selling and award-winning book Falling Uphill, a tale described as having moments from pure survival to pure enlightenment. He was honored to be the Cultural Ambassador to Argentina by the US Department of State. He has received Hosteling International’s Spirit of Adventure Award and is most proud of his honorary diploma from a primary school. Not least of all, Scott is proud to have been blogging since before blogging was even a word.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 7, 2009
I ran into Scott Stoll in Madison, WI, during the summer of 2009, as I was bicycling across the country. He himself was traveling around to special events (by bike, naturally), selling his newly-published book out of his saddlebags. We exchanged some stories, rode together around town for a bit, and I ultimately bought a copy of his book.
My initial temptation was to mail it right home and read it when I was done (I didn't want to carry so much extra weight with me), but ended up thinking better of the idea, and kept it with me. I read it on the road over the course of a week, and am infinitely grateful for its presence on my trip.
Stoll paints a vivid and very real picture of life on the road, and does not attempt to cast himself as a superhero, opting for a more honest (and often painful) portrayal of the inevitable emotional rollercoaster that he found himself on. The result is a touching transformation that unfolds before your eyes, from an inexperienced and overly-cocky boy to a humbled, sincere man, both strong and self-aware.
When I met Stoll, he left a lasting impression on me as a man at peace with himself and the world. There aren't any grandiose "answers" to life to be found in this book, but through his writing, he managed to instill some of that peace in me as well. This is well worth the read, whether you're traveling or not, and regardless of whether you ever have any intention of doing so.
My initial temptation was to mail it right home and read it when I was done (I didn't want to carry so much extra weight with me), but ended up thinking better of the idea, and kept it with me. I read it on the road over the course of a week, and am infinitely grateful for its presence on my trip.
Stoll paints a vivid and very real picture of life on the road, and does not attempt to cast himself as a superhero, opting for a more honest (and often painful) portrayal of the inevitable emotional rollercoaster that he found himself on. The result is a touching transformation that unfolds before your eyes, from an inexperienced and overly-cocky boy to a humbled, sincere man, both strong and self-aware.
When I met Stoll, he left a lasting impression on me as a man at peace with himself and the world. There aren't any grandiose "answers" to life to be found in this book, but through his writing, he managed to instill some of that peace in me as well. This is well worth the read, whether you're traveling or not, and regardless of whether you ever have any intention of doing so.
February 10, 2011
We reviewed this book on our bike touring site, after taking the audio version of it on a bike tour to Spain. It's a deep book that's full of reflections and observations on human nature and the philosophy of life, as well as more conventional stories about the bike tour itself. We love the fact that the book is broken up into questions - this makes it very approachable. It's the kind of book you’ll enjoy if you want to hear not only about the stories of the physical adventure but also consider the deeper emotional and philosophical side of a journey.
July 19, 2010
Reading this book was like being trapped watching an endless slideshow of pictures from someone else's vacation. Like those pictures, the events may have been meaningful to the author, but he fails to convey to the reader any sense of the wonder he experienced along the way. My freshman English teacher was the first person to explain to me a basic tenet of good storytelling: Show, don't tell. If you show the reader what you're experiencing, they can experience it along with you. If you just tell them what you're experiencing, the best you can hope for is that they'll form a rich image of what you're doing.
Stoll wants us to be caught up in his experience, but all he does is tell us about it. HE is the focus of the story, not the experience he's having. This emphasis on the individual, rather than the adventure, may have been okay if he had grown or changed from chapter to chapter. Instead, I was bored with him and his apparent search for ... something. I was never quite sure what he was looking for, but I was pretty sure by the end of the story that he never found it. He's very proud of himself for the trip - and maybe he should be. (Logistically, it is a big undertaking.) Unfortunately, he's so intent on dazzling us with this grand trip that he misses the chance to help us learn about the world in the way he experienced it.
Finally, this book rated a 1 because the entire project is in need of more editing. The writing is simplistic, the overall construction needs tightening, and someone needs to help him resist the urge to dabble in metaphysics at the end of the book. I really wanted to get on board Stoll, but I ended up feeling bored and disappointed by the limited scope of his retelling.
The author advised me that "sharing some pros, helps create paint [sic:] a broader more useful critique..." I am part of a book club that rated a book we all hated a "1" rather than a "0" simply because it got published. In keeping with that tradition, hats off to Mr. Stoll for getting this book in print, and undertaking the Herculean effort of promoting it all on his own. Other pros with the book? From his saddle he sees things on an intimate scale which, at times, provides insight into corners of the world I'd someday like to visit. Unfortunately, you need to wade through a lot of other material to find those nuggets. An additional pro? "Falling Uphill" provides inspiration to anyone who may want to undertake this kind of trip. Stoll makes it seem very accessible to just about anyone, and I put down the book thinking, "If he could do this, so could I."
Stoll wants us to be caught up in his experience, but all he does is tell us about it. HE is the focus of the story, not the experience he's having. This emphasis on the individual, rather than the adventure, may have been okay if he had grown or changed from chapter to chapter. Instead, I was bored with him and his apparent search for ... something. I was never quite sure what he was looking for, but I was pretty sure by the end of the story that he never found it. He's very proud of himself for the trip - and maybe he should be. (Logistically, it is a big undertaking.) Unfortunately, he's so intent on dazzling us with this grand trip that he misses the chance to help us learn about the world in the way he experienced it.
Finally, this book rated a 1 because the entire project is in need of more editing. The writing is simplistic, the overall construction needs tightening, and someone needs to help him resist the urge to dabble in metaphysics at the end of the book. I really wanted to get on board Stoll, but I ended up feeling bored and disappointed by the limited scope of his retelling.
The author advised me that "sharing some pros, helps create paint [sic:] a broader more useful critique..." I am part of a book club that rated a book we all hated a "1" rather than a "0" simply because it got published. In keeping with that tradition, hats off to Mr. Stoll for getting this book in print, and undertaking the Herculean effort of promoting it all on his own. Other pros with the book? From his saddle he sees things on an intimate scale which, at times, provides insight into corners of the world I'd someday like to visit. Unfortunately, you need to wade through a lot of other material to find those nuggets. An additional pro? "Falling Uphill" provides inspiration to anyone who may want to undertake this kind of trip. Stoll makes it seem very accessible to just about anyone, and I put down the book thinking, "If he could do this, so could I."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2011
A fellow travel companion gave this book to me in Ghana and insisted that I read it. She told me it would change the way I think about life -- and she was right -- it is rare to find an author so honest and so open with their emotions -- someone who helps you understand you are not alone questioning life -- especially someone who I thought was just some angst-ridden gung-ho male writing a travelogue about himself -- and it was so much more!!! I thought the author organized this book brilliantly. Full of humorous and heart-warming and heart wrenching stories that flowed in the order of personal development, somewhat like Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I read the book once just for the adventure and went back and read it a second time for the spiritual journey. And, I have to say that the last few chapters about the culture shock of returning home are what make this book an essential read to any would-be traveler; actually, I think this shock of returning home and seeing yourself as you really are is essential to anyone interested in personal development. I have to say that I don't think Stoll has traveled very far down the spiritual path, but he has taken the first steps and looked deep into his soul and discovered a lot of universal truths about what it means to be human. Kudos for not quitting and making all this hard-earned wisdom available to everyone. This kind of coming-of-age spirit quest is what's missing in our culture.
PS. I think controversy is always the sign of a good book -- good books push the boundaries.
PS. I think controversy is always the sign of a good book -- good books push the boundaries.
January 15, 2016
A memoir about bicycle touring....how could I not like it?
Well, it was BORING, that's why.
I can't quite put my finger on exactly why, the writing was tolerable enough I guess, and I pretty much always enjoy travelogues, especially if they are by cyclists, but this book was just...b-o-r-i-n-g. You would think that an entire chapter about getting arrested in Zimbabwe for illegal money-changing would be interesting, but I found myself skimming more and more over pointless dialog. Who cares? I just couldn't connect with the author, the story, or whatever life-lessons he was trying to share. Really disappointed with this one.
Well, it was BORING, that's why.
I can't quite put my finger on exactly why, the writing was tolerable enough I guess, and I pretty much always enjoy travelogues, especially if they are by cyclists, but this book was just...b-o-r-i-n-g. You would think that an entire chapter about getting arrested in Zimbabwe for illegal money-changing would be interesting, but I found myself skimming more and more over pointless dialog. Who cares? I just couldn't connect with the author, the story, or whatever life-lessons he was trying to share. Really disappointed with this one.
August 12, 2009
Great book! I loved reading about all of the places that the author visited and his impressions of other cultures and personal happiness.
January 25, 2018
possibly the worst book I've ever read. basically a litany of complaints about 3rd world countries; bad food, lodging, water, police, border guards. it will convince you to never travel to a 3rd world country. you will drown in his self pity. I keep hoping for something positive to happen, but it's all negative. I guess if you liked The Road, you might like this book.
September 27, 2017
I have a friend named Scott Stoll, but not the author.
May 7, 2020
Scott was not very happy for much of his trip around the world. It wasn't fun! But he kept at it, and shared some of his new philosophy. Glad I got to read his story!
October 6, 2021
4.5 stars.
October 2, 2024
Scott's honest account of his journey gave me a real glimpse into the ups and downs of life on the road, and his writing style, a mix of humor, emotion, and philosophy, completely drew me in.
September 7, 2012
Most people wouldn’t consider leaving the comfort and familiarity of family, a job and home and cycling around the world the way to find the answers to happiness and life. When Scott Stoll’s ‘ideal’ life in the United States falls apart this is the seemingly impossible challenge he sets himself.
Falling Uphill is not another blow by blow travelogue. Rather than being chronological each of the 50 chapters is based on the many questions people asked him along the way. As I was cycle touring at the time I first read Falling Uphill, and dealing with many of the same questions myself, this format resonated for me. Even my relatively short eight month journey was not about the ultimate destination but about the constant encounters and challenges I experienced each day. Each of his answers is a story in itself making this a book you can open and read in any order, but for those who prefer to go from A to B a map and key is provided.
Scott’s total honesty in recounting his personal journey allows the reader a genuine insight into the experiences, good and bad, of both life on the road and of his quest for the meaning of life. Excellent storytelling combining a mix of humour, emotion and philosophy totally absorbed me, and made it hard to put my Kindle down at night. Sometimes I read a chapter I wish I’d read before starting my trip so I could have avoided similar situations. Other chapters I read gave me preconceptions I’d rather not have had – for example Scott’s multiple experiences of being knocked off his bike, which fortunately never happened to me! His writing made me think more deeply about my own reasons for traveling and reading it a second time makes me want to get back on my bike and do more!
During his four years living life in the slow lane Scott’s knowledge of himself and the world increases in ways not possible sitting behind a desk. He not only sees the world but also learns the true value friendship and of possessions and that being lost leads to adventure, becomes indebted to the kindness of many many strangers, struggles with loneliness and depression, falls in love, fights illness, injury, bureaucracy and a broken heart, and seriously considers catching a plane home. Eventually he realises that there is no answer – that being in the moment is what life is about.
I’d recommend this book to travelers and non-travelers alike, especially those have ever asked: Why? How? Where do you sleep?
Falling Uphill is not another blow by blow travelogue. Rather than being chronological each of the 50 chapters is based on the many questions people asked him along the way. As I was cycle touring at the time I first read Falling Uphill, and dealing with many of the same questions myself, this format resonated for me. Even my relatively short eight month journey was not about the ultimate destination but about the constant encounters and challenges I experienced each day. Each of his answers is a story in itself making this a book you can open and read in any order, but for those who prefer to go from A to B a map and key is provided.
Scott’s total honesty in recounting his personal journey allows the reader a genuine insight into the experiences, good and bad, of both life on the road and of his quest for the meaning of life. Excellent storytelling combining a mix of humour, emotion and philosophy totally absorbed me, and made it hard to put my Kindle down at night. Sometimes I read a chapter I wish I’d read before starting my trip so I could have avoided similar situations. Other chapters I read gave me preconceptions I’d rather not have had – for example Scott’s multiple experiences of being knocked off his bike, which fortunately never happened to me! His writing made me think more deeply about my own reasons for traveling and reading it a second time makes me want to get back on my bike and do more!
During his four years living life in the slow lane Scott’s knowledge of himself and the world increases in ways not possible sitting behind a desk. He not only sees the world but also learns the true value friendship and of possessions and that being lost leads to adventure, becomes indebted to the kindness of many many strangers, struggles with loneliness and depression, falls in love, fights illness, injury, bureaucracy and a broken heart, and seriously considers catching a plane home. Eventually he realises that there is no answer – that being in the moment is what life is about.
I’d recommend this book to travelers and non-travelers alike, especially those have ever asked: Why? How? Where do you sleep?
February 17, 2013
Falling Uphill captivates, enthralls, inspires, motivates, charms, fascinates and rivets you to your own bicycle seat. When Scott Stoll sweats, you sweat. When his heart races from being chased by an elephant, your heart races. When he camps with the demonic bush flies of Australia, they seem to fly off the page and irritate you. On each of six continents, when a character steps into Scott’s life on this magnificent bicycle journey around the world, that same character steps into your life. He learned from each culture he visited and you learn along with him. No small task for a writer! At any moment when you least expect it, Scott sucker punches you with belly laughing humor. So funny, in fact, that you will relate the episode with friends at the office when you get to work.
What Scott learns on this adventure, you learn. He won’t take you on a dull point A to point B bicycle ride. He features the very best of the best. Crème de la crème!
At the same time, his inner journey and struggles within himself may be your path of doubt and hesitation as to how best to live your own life. He shows you a clear way to discover the best in your own journey. Exceptionally unique!
“If you advance confidently toward your dreams, and endeavor to live the life which you have imagined, you will meet with success unexpected in common hours. You will pass through invisible boundaries. And you will live with the license of a higher order of beings.” Henry David Thoreau
Scott Stoll rivets you to his bicycle seat and takes you for one heck of a ride. He may be your Thoreau of the 21st century. Enjoy it, laugh with him, cry and pedal on! Frosty Wooldridge, 6 continent world bicycle traveler
April 4, 2014
Falling Uphill is about Scott Stoll's physical and spiritual journey around the world on his bicycle.
For someone planning such a trip Scott provides great insight into and information about pain, water, food, injuries, camping, cooking, meeting the locals, clothes, ablutions, near death experiences, what to do if confronted by a lion while in Africa! and attaining consciousness.
The book's presentation is based around questions that Scott was asked everywhere he went e.g. "why are you doing this?", "how much does it cost?", "what do you eat?", "what tribe are you from?"
Scott has an iron stomach, this bloke is a true Ironman - the stuff he ate while he was on his travels is amazing and very entertaining to read about. He definitely should do a cookbook about his famous stews made from almost off meat and vegetables, just terrific.
Three near death experiences that Scott described were graphic and extraordinary. 1. Scott almost died of oxygen deprivation while cycling to Everest Base Camp. This is something I will definitely be including in my itinerary. 2. Scott almost died of lack of water while traversing a desert in Mexico - this is a common theme for round the world cyclists. The endless search for water continues. 3. While climbing a mountain on his bicycle! in Lesotho - Scott was almost frozen in - there was no water, food, transport - he got out - it was an amazing part of the story.
Scott's search for spiritual meaning to his trip and quest to attain consciousness is well explained and relatable to us all.
Thank you Scott for sharing this great insight into and extensive information about your adventures.
I enjoyed the book very much and read it quickly.
For someone planning such a trip Scott provides great insight into and information about pain, water, food, injuries, camping, cooking, meeting the locals, clothes, ablutions, near death experiences, what to do if confronted by a lion while in Africa! and attaining consciousness.
The book's presentation is based around questions that Scott was asked everywhere he went e.g. "why are you doing this?", "how much does it cost?", "what do you eat?", "what tribe are you from?"
Scott has an iron stomach, this bloke is a true Ironman - the stuff he ate while he was on his travels is amazing and very entertaining to read about. He definitely should do a cookbook about his famous stews made from almost off meat and vegetables, just terrific.
Three near death experiences that Scott described were graphic and extraordinary. 1. Scott almost died of oxygen deprivation while cycling to Everest Base Camp. This is something I will definitely be including in my itinerary. 2. Scott almost died of lack of water while traversing a desert in Mexico - this is a common theme for round the world cyclists. The endless search for water continues. 3. While climbing a mountain on his bicycle! in Lesotho - Scott was almost frozen in - there was no water, food, transport - he got out - it was an amazing part of the story.
Scott's search for spiritual meaning to his trip and quest to attain consciousness is well explained and relatable to us all.
Thank you Scott for sharing this great insight into and extensive information about your adventures.
I enjoyed the book very much and read it quickly.
June 15, 2011
I had the good fortune of crossing paths with Scott Stoll at a rest stop while I was biking with my family on the Glacial Drumlin trail about 11 months ago. He had set up his station with his book and information and was willing to answer questions about this amazing journey he took on his bike (and with his soul) around the world. This book is full of inspirational events and stories as he discovered what "the meaning of life" meant to himself...and to people around the world. His writings of his personal soul-searching is touching and is sure to touch your own life too....and continues to touch mine. This is one of those books that is worth re-reading - and if you are reading this review now - consider this a sign that you are meant to read this outstanding book (and share!). You will not regret it.
October 2, 2009
I don't read much but I like to read travel books. This is a great book!!! It makes me feel like I am myself travel through those places. It is very real and honest. I learn more a bout the different cultures and places as I read through the book. Great book for my own knowledge.
August 15, 2011
Awful book. Read about half of it, but was so disgusted that I threw it down. I always intended to finish it, but when I moved I tried to sell it to a used book store and they wouldn't even let me leave it there to be recycled.
September 21, 2011
The best travel and adventure book ever!
August 1, 2010
I enjoyed this book. Very interesting. Opened my eyes to everyday things that are around me.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews