Spokesongs: Bicycle Adventures on Three Continents [Hardcover]

Willie Weir (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000

Reading Willie Weir is like bouncing along on the back of his bike, hanging tight to this poet/guide who knows just which potholes offer the most travel thrills and hits them expertly. In Spokesongs, his bite-sized stories of biking through remote corners of the world not only entertain, but also inspire travelers to get out there and meet people.-Rick Steves, author of Europe Through the Back Door

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ever been bit by the travel bug? Spokesongs is the cure." -- Sally Edwards, author, Hall of Fame biathlete

"Reading Willie Weir is like bouncing along on the back of his bike, hanging tight to this poet/guide who knows just which potholes offer the most travel thrills and hits them expertly. In Spokesongs, his bite-sized stories of biking through remote corners of the world not only entertain, but also inspire travelers to get out there and meet the people." -- Rick Steves, author of Europe Through the Back Door

"Spokesongs manages to evoke the joy and pain of traveling with honesty, compassion, humor and simple eloquence." -- Jim Molnar, travel writer, The Seattle Times

"Willie Weir is a great travel companion: optimistic, goodhumored, ready for anything. Reading his tales of joy, simplicity, and inspiration, you can't help but want to saddle up alongside him." -- Larry Habegger, Series Editor, Travelers' Tales Books

About the Author

Willie Weir is an actor and a commentator for Washington Public Radio. He is a columnist for the Adventure Cyclist magazine. His writings have appeared in newspapers across the country, and earned him a gold lowell Thomas Award, given by the American Society of Travel Writers. He lives in Seattle.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Breakaway Books; Second Edition edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891369172
• ISBN-13: 978-1891369179
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,097,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After being bitten repeatedly by the travel bug, Willie Weir left a career as a stage actor, hopped on a bike and pedaled into a life of travel, adventure and discovery.

His two-wheeled adventures have taken him all over the globe -- from the horse tracks of the highlands of Lesotho, to the war-torn roads of Bosnia, to the back roads of Colombia.

He is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine, a bicycle correspondent for public radio station KUOW in Seattle and the author of Travels with Willie and Spokesongs. He is the recipient of gold and bronze Lowell Thomas Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers.

He lives on Beacon Hill in Seattle with his dream travel partner, Kat Marriner.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!!--Each story whisks you away on a new adventure., June 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Spokesongs: Bicycle Adventures on Three Continents (Paperback)

Reading Spokesongs was like a wonderful journey into places I have only dreamed about. Willie writes on such an absorbing and personal level that after reading each chapter, I found myself looking up and almost blinking when I realized I was still in Seattle. He takes us with him as he travels the world and what a wonderful adventure we are invited to share!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Innocents Abroad" on a bike, May 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Spokesongs: Bicycle Adventures on Three Continents (Paperback)

Willie Weir is a wonderful story-teller. His lighthearted accounts of daily adventure in unfamiliar lands have an "Innocents,Abroad-like" quality that is very engaging. Read this book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A riveting account of biking in places I only dream about, May 20, 1998

By 

Greta Bryan (Yakima, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spokesongs: Bicycle Adventures on Three Continents (Paperback)

This book not only appeals to recreational bikers who dream of biking in "other worlds", but gives an arm-chair traveler a glimpse into the backroads of countries, into the lives of real people living real lives. In a wonderful easy reading, humouous manner, Willie Weir has made us all believe that if we can dream it, we can do it..if we're willing to go for a week without clean underwear or everyday predictability.