Customer Reviews

Biker: Truth and Myth: How the Original Cowboy of the Road Became the Easy Rider of the Silver Screen

5 star:		(2)
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3 star:		(1)
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More a series of well done pictorial and historical essays and synopses than a book, this is nevertheless a great, quick overview of all things "Biker". This would be a fine addition to anyone's motorcyling collection but perfect for two things: 1) to provide a newbie with a quick, well written and interesting overview of motorcycling, key events, clubs, and social perceptions and 2) to see how many biker movies, or other collectable items you own that are pictured in the book!!!!

The book is written as a breezy account of the origins of motocycles, some of the key brands (H-D and Indian of course, but some others as well), the way groups and clubs developed, different biker "eras", the motorcycling press, Hollywood's use of the biker image for it's exploitation films, and some of the turf battles and results of various motorcycle club wars. It covers a huge amount of ground and doesn't miss too much. AAAA+ for layout, photos and images. Also covers the historical and now much growing interest by women in motorcycling.

The author describes himself as a hardcore biker and he has obviously done a great deal of reasearch and assembled the book's photographs and images (some very rare) in a splendid way. He is also spot on for historical accuracy. If your big slab is covered in snow, this is the book you want to be reading in between your winter projects!!!!

If you ride, this book shows you who and what traveled your road before....

Respects to All - Always in the Wind

The Big Boo

I am a motorcyclist and I found little in there that I didn't already know although for a casual observer of the motorcycle scene or a new motorcyclist this book could be a good resource to describe the history of motorycling from WW II to the present. There is very little about motorcycling prior to WW II. The book tends to focus on the sensationalistic side of cycling with many pictures of old movie posters, paperback books, chopper magazines, etc. There is very little in here about motorcycles as a machine. It's more about the people. About a third of the books is about foreign (out of US) motorcyling which I really didn't want to read about. Good - the pictures of old movie posters. Bad - focuses on the sensational, not the everyday biker.

Think 'biker' and you think of a tough outlaw - but cultural historian Bill Osgerby thinks otherwise, and dispels the common stereotype in his BIKER: TRUTH AND MYTH, a survey of how the original biker became the bad boy of the movies. Biker groups aren't limited to gangs: they can consist of seniors and other groups, especially today. While rebels do exist, BIKER covers both types of groups, packs in plenty of photos, and covers all kinds of details of motorcycle culture, from movies and magazines to stunt riders and beatniks.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch