LS 5623 Module 5: IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE : MY JOURNEY BACK TO LIFE by Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins

Armstrong, Lance.2001. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE. New York: Berkley Trade. ISBN 0425179613

“Things take place, there is a confluence of events and circumstances, and we can’t always know their purpose, or even if there is one. But we can take responsibility for ourselves and be brave.” ( p. 265)

Tour de France winner and celebrity cyclist Lance Armstrong recounts the days of his youth and describes, in great detail, his uphill battle with testicular cancer. Starting with a brief history of his childhood, Armstrong outlines how he found an interest in sports, became a prize winning tri-athlete before he graduated high school and finally fell in love with cycling. More importantly, the majority of the book focuses on Armstrong’s diagnosis, treatments and eventual survival against heartbreaking odds; a survival that leads him into a love-hate relationship with cycling, a family and a Tour de France win.

With the help of veteran author Sally Jenkins, Armstrong has organized his biography into simple-to-understand chunks of his life. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE is told simply, although the cycling terms and medical vocabulary may require some studying. Because the subject of the book, Lance Armstrong, is so well known by students across the United States, the book may not be too hard of a sell. The reading level is right on target with high school students and the quality of storytelling is good- interesting and well written, but realistic and full of personality.

One warning to readers is that IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE “isn’t a book for the squeamish as it spares few medical details but it isn’t just about cancer. It’s a story of the athlete as a young boy, his relationship with his single mother, his success as a world-class cyclist and his financial backers who supported him emotionally as well as monetarily.” (Fitch, 2001). Anyone who picks up this book learns more than just cycling and sickness. They learn about bravery, overcoming obstacles and the wonders of the human spirit.

Because IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE is autobiographical, the reader can be certain that events and information are accurate (at least to the best of Armstrong’s memory). While Armstrong has become quite the expert in both cycling and cancer, he understands that the audience may not, and does his best to provide details and definitions to help make medical and sports jargon more user friendly. “His clear, detailed look at his disease and its cure will educate and inspire any reader.” (Pearl, 2003). Additionally, a sixteen-page photograph leaflet is included in the middle of the book, helping the reader to visually see the differences in physical demeanor before and after Armstrong’s cancer diagnosis and provide background into his childhood and home life.

References:
Fitch, Katherine. 2001. "It's Not about the Bike (Book review)." School Library Journal 47, no. 1: 161. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed November 21, 2011).

Pearl, Nancy. 2003. "IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE (Book)." Library Journal 128, no. 7: 156. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed November 21, 2011).