Customer Reviews

The Podium Girl Gone Bad - Behind the Podium Tales From the Tour de France

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

I having been purchasing books from Amazon since 1997. When I read reviews I usually avoid the apathetic reviews because I figure they are off base with an agenda. Ironically , I am here to write my first review and it is unfortunately pessimistic.

Sammarye Lewis is a first rate photographer and does a wonderful job posting her VeloGal Race blogs for cycling enthusiasts like myself.I have the utmost respect for her professionalism with her reporting.

I understand this book is to poke fun at the behind the scenes of The Tour De France. First, the book is only 45 pages and very small.The editor and publisher should be fired for selling a book like this for $14.95. I finished the book in 15 minutes. Your first thought, I was taken.


There is no story to the book, just a few rambling attempts at humor under the photo on each page.For example, there is a picture of trash in a clear plastic bag. Underneath an attempt at French humor about some item in the bag.

A picture of a pro cyclist kissing a podium girl was a good idea(a big no/no in cycling). But the photograph is modified to look like a comic strip cartoon. The effect, you have no idea who are the two people! I could give you another twenty examples of wasted material but I hate people who rant on these reviews. The guy who posted the above review must be married to the publisher.

Sammarye, you and your publisher need to review what your charging for this "book"....$3.95 would be more appropriate. You can do better, I have seen your work cycling websites!

I'm a big fan of the Tour, without taking it too seriously, but I don't find this book to be clever, funny or interesting. And the production quality looks like it was thrown together in someone's basement. Based on all of the hype, I was expecting much more.

Of all the thousands of books, not to mention the millions of words, written about the Tour de France, none come as close as this little gem to deserving the Yellow Jersey of comedy. This is like 'Mrs Monty Python does the Tour de France'!
Written with wit and invention, this hilarious little gem gives us a wonderfully funny sideways look at the world's greatst bicycle race, the great race seen through the eyes of a Podium Girl who is, shall we say, no quite still at her youthful elegant best.
With style, elegance and wit, Ms Lewis has created a character we can all sympathise with. True, we all laugh, it's impossible not to, but we laugh with and not at the character.
Lavishly illustrated with photographs taken by the author while following the Tour de France and other major bicycle races in Europe and North America, this book, quite simply is an absolute must for anyone who loves and follows pro-cycling in general and the Tour de France in particular. It will be a wonderful stocking filler come Christmas!