Cycling Into Your Soul [Paperback]

Marg Archibald (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

The spirit quest of a fifty-year old woman who took her bicycle around the world looking for answers to life questions. She traveled alone. She rode in Russia, the Czech Republic, Corsica, Turkey, Cyprus, Rhodes, New Zealand and Thailand. She found answers and grew. This is a journey out into the world and down into the soul. It tells of a triumphant return with newfound wisdom.

Editorial Reviews

Review

In the end, her most important lesson was to approach the world with a sense of wonder. She has since changed careers completely and now writes cycling travel books... She says she would encourage anyone to take a page from her book: 'I would say you could plan this in a couple of weeks. Just get your credit cards and Swiss army knife and you're ready.' -- Calgary Sun, Liza Sardi, May 1999.

There are a tonne of experts to tell you what you need,' Archibald says. 'But your body and your soul are the only experts that matter.' -- Toronto Star, Kathryn Korchok, April 30, 1999.

From the Publisher

This is a rare book. It is a fresh twist on the travelogue. It brings irreverent humour and unflagging enthusiasm to a journey that only begins with the traveling. Marg has a delightful way of expressing her discoveries. Her joy and courage inspire readers everywhere.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 285 pages
• Publisher: Monday Group Ltd (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096821004X
• ISBN-13: 978-0968210048
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,000,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exhilarating and moving view of the world and the soul., August 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cycling Into Your Soul (Paperback)

If Cycling Into Your Soul was simply a travelogue, it would be highly entertaining and of interest to anyone with a sense of adventure. If it was a self-help book, it could easily open one's eyes to the sense of wonder and strength within each of us. However, it is both of these and much more as well.

The book details the journies, both external and internal, of a woman who celebrated her 50th birthday on a bike, travelling around the world, alone. The author, Marg Archibald, weaves a rich tapestry of sights and sounds seen through the eyes of a strong, independant person facing the unknown with only her inner conviction that people are inherently good. The travels are unique and definitely out of the way. The people met are the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, in reality, human beings.

It is Marg's journey into the depths of her soul that set this book far apart from any others. Throughout the journey she learned to trust her "spirit guide", what many of us would call intuition. This inner guide grew in stature as well as strength until it allowed her to face any adversity. This discovery is important to all of us in that it shows that we really know what to do in life, if we only let our basic strengths take over.

Cycling Into Your Soul left me jealous of Marg Archibald's accomplishments and, at the same time, exhilarated by the potential which can be found within. I would recommend this book highly to anyone facing a fork in life's road, or simply as great entertainment and insight.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solo cyclists have soul., August 31, 2001

By 

graham simpson (Saskatoon,Saskatchewan,Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cycling Into Your Soul (Paperback)

I read Marg Archibald's book, 'Cycling Into Your Soul' immediately following a solo trip across Canada of 7900 kms. Her book touches deeply on the feelings that emerge when you face a challenge alone and have many hours to contemplate about the meaning of your own life in relation to the environment and people you encounter on the journey. I am seventy years old and was touched, as a man, by the ease with which Marg could convey her feelings (as I think only women can do easily) as they encounter new experiences that allow them to grow in spiritual maturity.There are far too many cycling books that talk only of "gear ratios" and "good food" and what "you" should take along or leave behind. It was a pleasure to read a book that gives a lot of attention to personal feelings and what cycling can do for the mental side of our lives quite aside from the obvious physical benefits. The vignettes that make each chapter cover a number of different countries and as an ex-New Zealander I felt at home with her description from her experience of that country. What stands out strongly in her book is the sincerity and willingness to share her deepest feelings which touched a chord in my own feelings because my experience showed that 98% of a long cycle trip is spent 'thinking' and the serendipitous events encountered
get more attention and have to be placed into a special context, compared to the daily events of a normal life. Congratulations Marg and I hope you continue writing about your experiences and feelings gained from cycling.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Needed a good editor, June 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cycling Into Your Soul (Paperback)

There are already a number of positive reviews of this book, but this is not one of them.

I found this book to be sorely in need of a good editor. As it is, this book is a stream of consciousness that meanders along, dragging the reader through too many unfinished currents.

It doesn't work well as travel writing because she lacks critical detail in many places.

It doesn't work well as a spiritual discussion because she is too shy as a writer and maybe too didactic as a moralist.

It doesn't work well as biycle literature because she doesn't talk much about bikes.

This novel is arranged as a series of vignettes. What it really needed was a strong editor who could see its disparate units and force the writer to come back with a cohesive narrative.

There are portions of the book that are interesting, but a reader might do well to hold back on the credit card information on this one because there are so many other excellent bicycle-travel-spiritual journey books out there.