Sprinting Through No Man's Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France
- Downloads：4295
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-07-01 11:30:56
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Adin Dobkin
- ISBN：1713561328
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Sandy Buckley
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Sandy Buckley Again， I guess I am an oddball because everyone else is raving about this book。 Terrific if you are a bicycle racing fan。 Swell if you are a WWI fan。 I found myself skimming pages， and still I cannot get interested in these people。 Sorry。
Jerry D。
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Well researched And written。 If I were more a fan of cycling or WWI I would probably have given this a five
Amy
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If you like cycling and/or the Tour de France you will enjoy the book。 Not the greatest writing， but quite interesting。 Also， to say the early Tour was grueling would be a huge understatement。
Bonnye Reed
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Amazon Prime gift for June 2021received June 28， 2021pub date July 1， 2021Published by Little A
Betty
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I just didn't find the subject matter compelling， and maybe it's because I don't know enough about the history behind the race。 I suppose that I would recommend it to people who do。 I just didn't find the subject matter compelling， and maybe it's because I don't know enough about the history behind the race。 I suppose that I would recommend it to people who do。 。。。more
Marcia
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I really enjoy history books that focus on a single event or series of events， as this one did。 The event was the Tour de France， in 1919， just after the end of World War 1。 The descriptions if the land and the people affected by the war were interesting， and the progress of the race fascinating。 I wish the author would have spent more time developing the characters and personalities of the racers。 There were also several chapters about seemingly unrelated people and events， the purpose of which I really enjoy history books that focus on a single event or series of events， as this one did。 The event was the Tour de France， in 1919， just after the end of World War 1。 The descriptions if the land and the people affected by the war were interesting， and the progress of the race fascinating。 I wish the author would have spent more time developing the characters and personalities of the racers。 There were also several chapters about seemingly unrelated people and events， the purpose of which was never made clear。 。。。more
Jack Graff
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As an avid road cyclist who loves watching The Tour de France， this title was a no brainer to decide on reading。 Was expecting less about WWI and more about cycling。 The Authors use of first names 80% of the time of the cyclists was irritating。 The flow of this book to me was disjointed as well。 It did amaze and shock as to the length of the TDF in 1919， the start times of 2:00 am， the barbarian rules e。g。 no assistance at all， participants having to pay for food and lodging along the route， hor As an avid road cyclist who loves watching The Tour de France， this title was a no brainer to decide on reading。 Was expecting less about WWI and more about cycling。 The Authors use of first names 80% of the time of the cyclists was irritating。 The flow of this book to me was disjointed as well。 It did amaze and shock as to the length of the TDF in 1919， the start times of 2:00 am， the barbarian rules e。g。 no assistance at all， participants having to pay for food and lodging along the route， horrific road conditions， etc。 These were very tough individuals。 。。。more
Barbara V。 Vaughan
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First Tour Dr France after the Great War 1919 This story involves cyclists， and the decimated countryside of France。 The details of each competitor make th race come back to life。 Historical facts regarding the Great War are a bonus。 Hurrah！
Lori
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Lots of information about more than just the race。 France。 The war and its affect on people， towns， roads。 People who were involved in the government， the war， the race。 And of course the racers， their bikes， sponsors， etc。 Interesting read， just a bit slow moving at times。
Susan
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Found myself skimming over much that had nothing to do with the race so I quit。
Leichnitz Leichnitz
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This book takes you back to 1919， as the title suggests。 It does so wonderfully and artfully， with incredible detail and deft writing。 Although the race is dramatic， and provides a structure and narrative tension， the race really becomes almost a metaphor for the terror and misery that the French were emerging from。 And the hopes of the French， after emerging from the greatest trauma the world had （yet） experienced， were placed in these riders in charming and moving ways。 Also， as someone who ha This book takes you back to 1919， as the title suggests。 It does so wonderfully and artfully， with incredible detail and deft writing。 Although the race is dramatic， and provides a structure and narrative tension， the race really becomes almost a metaphor for the terror and misery that the French were emerging from。 And the hopes of the French， after emerging from the greatest trauma the world had （yet） experienced， were placed in these riders in charming and moving ways。 Also， as someone who has casually followed the Tour de France from the comfort of my couch -- seeing the support vehicles， spare bikes， air chambers to sleep in， and teammates who block the wind for you -- the brutality of the 1919 tour has to be read about to be believed。 It was less a race and more something that the riders were simply trying to survive。 。。。more
Karen M
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Breathless！ It was a hard start for me; I so wanted to get onto the actual race， but you really must become part of the scenery and learn each participant's history。 The book moved faster and faster， until I found myself holding my breath during the last 20 percent of the book。 Highly recommended！ Breathless！ It was a hard start for me; I so wanted to get onto the actual race， but you really must become part of the scenery and learn each participant's history。 The book moved faster and faster， until I found myself holding my breath during the last 20 percent of the book。 Highly recommended！ 。。。more
Nancy Ekstrum
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Limited audienceI think this is the type of content that is specifically interesting to a limited readership。 It did not catch my interest but was thoroughly researched。
Roxy
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True Endurance Unbelievable physical stamina， resilience， and perseverance set against the backdrop of a countryside and people nearly obliterated by the war。
Paul
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As Simon Schama famously said， "[Historians] are doomed to be forever hailing someone who has just gone around the corner and out of earshot。” The best writers of what today is called "creative non-fiction" about the First World War never loose sight of this: Barbara Tuchman uses eyewitnesses to show us Von Kluck， leaning on a rifle as a prop while he fatefully （and to us， the reader， silently） decides to turn the German right wing away from Paris， Stephen O'Shea repeats the elementary school mn As Simon Schama famously said， "[Historians] are doomed to be forever hailing someone who has just gone around the corner and out of earshot。” The best writers of what today is called "creative non-fiction" about the First World War never loose sight of this: Barbara Tuchman uses eyewitnesses to show us Von Kluck， leaning on a rifle as a prop while he fatefully （and to us， the reader， silently） decides to turn the German right wing away from Paris， Stephen O'Shea repeats the elementary school mnemonic （"Austria was Hungary， so it took a piece of Turkey"） of his father to kick off his own transversing of the remains of the Western Front， Shane MacGowan covers "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" in his own distinct voice。 All are examples of non-historians （O'Shea calls himself an "accidental historian"） being true to the historian's task: to thoughtfully make the hail， but understand the speaker will always be out of earshot。 To his credit， Dobkin resists the temptation to recreate actual dialog， but in his notes on methodology， he states his goal of recreating perspectives of individual riders。 In doing so he creates some lovely writing-- I'll be curious to read his next book-- but fails to interrogate the past， and， ultimately， his thesis is already given up in his title: after the calamity of the First World War， Henri Desgrange created a calamitous Tour de France。 Whether we should celebrate the "Endurance" and "Rebirth" or condemn the "Tragedy" is never really answered。 I am confident in this writer's ability to do so: I wish that， rather than a recreation of an ultimately unknowable perspective of the riders he had created his own argument about what he thinks OUR perspective should be。 。。。more
Anne
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Enjoyed butOverall enjoyed the book but was disappointed when additional research of something mentioned in the book contradicted what the book said。
Greg Kerr
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Well Documented Look at France in Early 20th CenturyThis book is more than about the drama of the 1919 le Tour de France， because the Tour became a metaphorIcal extension of all that France had lived through leading up to the "race"; Survive today and live to fight tomorrow。 It was interesting to understand the historical and political significance of what became the Western Front。 What I found even more interesting is Zone Rouge。 There are five side stories that add to the flavor of overall tal Well Documented Look at France in Early 20th CenturyThis book is more than about the drama of the 1919 le Tour de France， because the Tour became a metaphorIcal extension of all that France had lived through leading up to the "race"; Survive today and live to fight tomorrow。 It was interesting to understand the historical and political significance of what became the Western Front。 What I found even more interesting is Zone Rouge。 There are five side stories that add to the flavor of overall tale， though I'm not sure why Marguerita Ailbert was included。 Knocked off a star for this inclusion。There is a similar type of story that gives some additional understanding to WW1 that I highly recommend: A Hobbit， a Wardrobe， and a Great War: How J。 R。 R。 Tolkien and C。 S。 Lewis Rediscovered Faith， Friendship， and Heroism in t h e Cataclysm Of 1914-18。 。。。more
Paul Newbery
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DisappointingWas looking forward to reading this as it combines 2 interests， but it fell short in so many ways。 It was just too plain and uninteresting， when it could have been so much more。
Bob Stenberg
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Great history of WWI and the Tour De France。
Carolyn Garris
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Brought to life a terrible and hopeful period immediately after WWI。 Highly recommendBy combining the terrible damage done history of the First World War and the hope of a traditional sporting event the author brings that world and its people to life once again。 Loved it！
Kevin Wallior
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Solid， not spectacular。This was a fascinating subject， but not as in depth as I would have liked。 The narrative and prose flowed well， though。 I appreciated the shifting viewpoint and background provided for each rider。 I would have appreciated the author providing even more about who the participants were。
David Richardson
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50% history lesson， 50% cycling story， 75% boring。 Unless you are a fan of WWI or cycling， you might want to let this one ride
EDWARD E AUSTIN
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More than just a story about a bicycle raceI am a fan of the modern Tour De France and British mysteries set in or after the Great War。 This book adds a high dose of realism to those stories。 I found it to be quite heavy， but what else could I expect in a book that clearly and factually related the suffering of the tour riders and the total devastation through which they rode while traversing the entire perimeter of war-torn France just 8 months after the Armistice。 This is a book I won't forget More than just a story about a bicycle raceI am a fan of the modern Tour De France and British mysteries set in or after the Great War。 This book adds a high dose of realism to those stories。 I found it to be quite heavy， but what else could I expect in a book that clearly and factually related the suffering of the tour riders and the total devastation through which they rode while traversing the entire perimeter of war-torn France just 8 months after the Armistice。 This is a book I won't forget。 Thanks to the author。 。。。more
Steve Blackburn
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Sprinting Through No Man's Land by Adin Dobkin is an excellent story， unevenly told。 Dobkin's topic is the Tour de France of 1919。 The Great War - World War I - had only been over for seven months。 Many of the participants， and the race organizer， had all served during the war， leaving little time to train or prepare。 Organizers scrambled to find a route around France that would enable the race to go on， even though the course would inevitably take riders through war ravaged areas。 Further， lack Sprinting Through No Man's Land by Adin Dobkin is an excellent story， unevenly told。 Dobkin's topic is the Tour de France of 1919。 The Great War - World War I - had only been over for seven months。 Many of the participants， and the race organizer， had all served during the war， leaving little time to train or prepare。 Organizers scrambled to find a route around France that would enable the race to go on， even though the course would inevitably take riders through war ravaged areas。 Further， lack of conversion of industry from a war footing back to peace time production meant that bike tubes and tires were in short supply， leaving riders to supply their own。 Given the wartime damage to the roads they traveled this was a serious issue。 Because of these factors， 67 racers started the race， but only 11 finished。I think Dobkin did a pretty good job providing the war context around which the race happened and balancing that with the race events themselves。 The story moves quickly through the first few chapters， and then again as the race continues。 Unfortunately Dobkin chose to insert five chapters of material unrelated to the race at intervals in the book。 To the extent that they offer additional context around France and World War I these chapters work， but they disrupted the flow of the story and made the overall book seem more disjointed than it needed to be。I give Sprinting Through No Man's Land 3 Stars ⭐⭐⭐ - I liked this book。 Anyone who is a fan of endurance sports， and the Tour de France in particular， would like it too， as would those interested in the history of the Great War。 However， I recommend if you pick this book up， that you read the numbered chapters straight through， and then， if you want more context， go back and read the five named chapters。 I think that will make for a better reading experience， and frankly I wish I'd done it that way。Note: This review is for Amazon Prime First Reads Early Access ebook。 These early edition First Reads are provided free to Amazon Prime members， with no obligation to review。 The book is generally available July 1st。 。。。more
Patricia
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I read this book as one of my Amazon First Reads for June。Before all the doping scandals ruined it for me， I was a big Tour de France fan， so I loved learning about Tour history。 This book did have moments that had me on the edge of my seat， much like I was when I was watching the race， but unfortunately those moments were few and far between。 For the most part this was a slow， plodding read。 I did a fair amount of skimming。I was surprised at the lack of photos of the actual Tour and its riders; I read this book as one of my Amazon First Reads for June。Before all the doping scandals ruined it for me， I was a big Tour de France fan， so I loved learning about Tour history。 This book did have moments that had me on the edge of my seat， much like I was when I was watching the race， but unfortunately those moments were few and far between。 For the most part this was a slow， plodding read。 I did a fair amount of skimming。I was surprised at the lack of photos of the actual Tour and its riders; I would have really liked to see more of that。I loved the subject of the book， but the presentation was lacking。 。。。more
Denise
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I couldn't invest more time in trying to follow this story。 Some chapters I read were really interesting。 But most of it was difficult to follow -- couldn't keep all the characters straight， some chapters seemed completely disjointed。 I decided it was too much work。 I couldn't invest more time in trying to follow this story。 Some chapters I read were really interesting。 But most of it was difficult to follow -- couldn't keep all the characters straight， some chapters seemed completely disjointed。 I decided it was too much work。 。。。more
Barbara Cooper
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ChaosThe forwards and backwards were very confusing。 When you thought the race was finished recriminations from years past were relived。 The storyline was very difficult to follow。
James W。
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Disjointed Disappointment Undisciplined writing supposedly about the first post-WWI Tour de France， the author provided but a disjointed description of the race providing no detail on the nature of bicycles at the time， standings from stage to stage and similar matters one would have expected from a book of this nature。 Frustratingingly the author regularly launched into chapters and sub chapters unrelated to the race and breaking any sense of the sequence of the race。 He failed to even identify Disjointed Disappointment Undisciplined writing supposedly about the first post-WWI Tour de France， the author provided but a disjointed description of the race providing no detail on the nature of bicycles at the time， standings from stage to stage and similar matters one would have expected from a book of this nature。 Frustratingingly the author regularly launched into chapters and sub chapters unrelated to the race and breaking any sense of the sequence of the race。 He failed to even identify the stage by number much less provide a listing of the top five and later the entire group once the numbers dropped to 11 and time behind the leader at the end of the stage。 The author also generally lapses into passive writing。 Glad I didn’t pay to read this book。 。。。more
Robyn
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Free Prime Reading | Well， this was a slog。 | I was very interested in the story， I just really didn't care for how it was told。 So many people introduced so quickly， with little to differentiate them， then sometimes they'd be referred to by first name， sometimes by last， nearly all French （or Belgian French） names， so that they ran together in my mind。 One person would be mentioned once and then seem to disappear。 Another would have gone so long unmentioned that when he popped back up by first Free Prime Reading | Well， this was a slog。 | I was very interested in the story， I just really didn't care for how it was told。 So many people introduced so quickly， with little to differentiate them， then sometimes they'd be referred to by first name， sometimes by last， nearly all French （or Belgian French） names， so that they ran together in my mind。 One person would be mentioned once and then seem to disappear。 Another would have gone so long unmentioned that when he popped back up by first name， I would have to use the kindle search function to find out who he was。 Slow， slow， slow， you'd never know this was telling the tale of an exciting event， especially since we'd suddenly get chapters in a different font， telling basically unrelated stories， with no explanation of why they were there。 The 813th Pioneers deserve more attention， but the fact that they were near the race and might have tried to glance out and see the riders go by does not justify adding the chapter。Thank god this was free。 。。。more
Olive Fellows （abookolive）
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