Odysseus' Last Stand: The Chronicles of a Bicycle Nomad [Paperback]

Dave Stamboulis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2005

Comprised largely of the detailed journals kept throughout his travels, this narrative of a bicyclist's seven-year, 40,000 kilometer odyssey around the world documents the richness of the planet's sights, sounds, and teeming life as experienced from the saddle of a bicycle. During his journey, the author experiences firsthand the effect of international politics on media-invisible cultures while mingling with an endless array of unusual and wonderful characters. As he immerses himself in the culture of every country he visits, learning the languages and customs as he travels, he witnesses the clash of values between developed and developing worlds and the inherent tensions between tradition and progress. Throughout, he comes to a deep understanding of the role that the bicycle plays not only in his life but also in the lives of the world's citizens.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dave Stamboulis is a freelance travel writer, photographer, and adventure traveler whose work primarily focuses on Asia and the developing world. His articles have appeared in Farang, Selamta, Tom Yum Magazine, and Transitions Abroad. He lives in Bellingham, Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 355 pages
• Publisher: Sanuk Press; First Edition, First Printing edition (September 28, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976013452
• ISBN-13: 978-0976013457
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #543,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the genre, May 10, 2006

By 

David B. Masopust "reader" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Odysseus' Last Stand: The Chronicles of a Bicycle Nomad (Paperback)

I've read a fair number of cycling oddessy books because I like the topic. Admittedly, within this genre, it can be rare to find a book that is well written, and even rarer to find one with a compelling narrative. However, this gem scores well on both accounts. The author has a lot of material to draw from, as he describes a 7 year adventure around the globe that takes him to some pretty rough but exciting places. More importantly, the events the author faces have a deep impact on him. He conveys this with thoughtfulness and intelligence, but the text is never preachy. This book does offer a unique and honest perspective on world travel however. The events described really stuck with me after I had turned the last page, and I was sad to see the adventure end. For me, "Odysseus' Last Stand : The Chronicles of a Bicycle Nomad," represents the best of the genre. For a more humorous collection of cycle travel anecdotes, Kurmaskie's Metal Cowboy is quite good.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful journey!, May 7, 2007

By 

Vivek Chatrath "vivekchatrath" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Odysseus' Last Stand: The Chronicles of a Bicycle Nomad (Paperback)

I take my hat off to Dave for pulling this off. He travels 40,000 kms across some of the most inhospitable, yet sometimes beautiful terrain in Japan, China, Nepal, India, Australia, South East Asia, Turkey, across many countries in Europe and finally, through his homeland, the US. He lives in some of these countries for varying periods of time and his entire journey takes 8 years to complete. It is an amazing story of the man and his diverse experiences with humankind. A must read for those who love adventure.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seven years and 40,000 kilometers around the world, May 18, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Odysseus' Last Stand: The Chronicles of a Bicycle Nomad (Paperback)

In 1992, Dave Stamboulis began a bicycle trip that was to last seven years and 40,000 kilometers around the world. Odysseus' Last Stand: The Chronicles Of A Bicycle Nomad his his account of his adventures as he bicycled through obscure countries and foreign cultures, taking in all the sights, sounds, and teeming life that can be viewed from the slower and more intimate pace of a bicycle. What motivated Stamboulis to his epic odyssey was the need to slow down in a world that was moving every faster, and to explore the role that the bicycle plays in peoples' lives around the world. Odysseus' Last Stand is also a candid and informative study of an attempt to find his place in a world that is a complex web of tensions between ancient traditions and technological/industrial progress, value differences between the developed and the developing countries. Along the way we are treated with insights, compassion, and a great deal of humor. Enhanced with eight pages of color photographs, Odysseus' Last Stand: The Chronicles Of A Bicycle Nomad is especially recommended reading for armchair travelers, as well as anyone who has thought about traveling the world along the lesser known paths.