Customer Reviews

Against the Wind: A Maine to Alaska Bicycling Adventure

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I tend to agree with the reviewer from Chicago - the author could have used a (better) proofreader. This is one of those books where the reader almost begins to look for the next mistake. At one point the last line on one page is repeated in its entirety as the first line of the next page. And, as was noted in the other review, the proper use of apostrophes is very inconsistent.

The adventures the author experienced cannot be discounted, however. There are many interesting stories that, if you're a cyclist, cause you to pause and try to imagine yourself in those situations. One that especially struck me - other than his "bear/human interaction" - was having a mechanical failure with the closest bike shop being 300 miles distant. Also, the number of "it's a small world" incidents Basch experienced on the trip makes for interesting reading.

If you are a cyclist who enjoys touring, and can overlook the typos and such, you will probably find this book a quick, entertaining read.

As a work of literature, this book doesn't quite make it. Sentence structure is poor, and it is riddled with grammatical problems and sloppy typos. However, this could be a very useful book for a cyclist planning a long-distance trip. Some of the author's observations are very interesting (although his way of describing them is often annoying) and he details some of the hardships and adventures involved in such a journey. His description of a temporary riding mate and their undesired reunion later was amusing.

Still, this book could have used a good proofreader, as the author (though he claims to be a journalist) has very little understanding of apostrophe and comma use, and his attempts to be amusing with wordplay end up looking clumsy. His writing style is often confusing and I found myself rereading passages several times to figure out what he was talking about. If you love biking and don't care about grammar, sentence structure or interesting writing, then this is a book for you.

As a work of literature, this book doesn't quite make it. Sentence structure is poor, and it is riddled with grammatical problems and sloppy typos. However, this could be a very useful book for a cyclist planning a long-distance trip. Some of the author's observations are very interesting (although his way of describing them is often annoying) and he details some of the hardships and adventures involved in such a journey. His description of a temporary riding mate and their undesired reunion later was amusing.

Still, this book could have used a good proofreader, as the author (though he claims to be a journalist) has very little understanding of apostrophe and comma use, and his attempts to be amusing with wordplay end up looking clumsy. His writing style is often confusing and I found myself rereading passages several times to figure out what he was talking about. If you love biking and don't care about grammar and sentence structure, this is a good book for you.

This book feels like an accumulation of unedited e-mail. If punctuation and grammar are important to you, this book might get on your nerves.

Surely reading this book is harder than the bicycle tour it describes. The author musters his limited understanding of the English language to present a work of little more than vacuous dribble. Thankfully it is very brief.

The author, Marty Basch, rode his bicycle from Maine to Alaska. He encountered a grizzly bear with an incredible ending, and even had the Mounties find his stolen bicycle helmet. Great stuff

I enjoyed Against the Wind. It was witty, short and a real page-turner.

This book is amazing. It described a wonderful adventure of a man fulfilling his dream despite many risks.The author faced many obstacles including weather, aggressive drivers, bears and yet perservered to the end while managing to have fun, learn many things, and meet a wide variety of people. He wrote about it from a laptop computer which he carried with him. Anyone who noticed any mistakes in grammar doesn't deserve to read this book. I recommend that you get it as soon as you can and pass to anyone who loves to read, travel or ride a bicycle.