Into Thick Air: Biking to the Bellybutton of Six Continents (Paperback)

~ (Author) "MY MOTHER could not bear to see me off at the Tucson airport..." (more)
Key Phrases: into thick air, handlebar bag, thorny devil, Death Valley, Dead Sea, Djibouti Town (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Delightful debut travelogue by botanist Malusa, who cycled to the lowest point on each of six continents. This peculiar quest sent him along routes connecting areas as diverse as Cairo and the Dead Sea, the Australian outback and Lake Eyre. Though Malusa personally devised each of his six expeditions (he traversed every continent except Antarctica), the Discovery Channel Online paid him to carry a satellite telephone and transmit blogs of his travels. Rather than simply a collection of these blogs, his book tells the full story behind them. Riding a bicycle made Malusa much more vulnerable to his surroundings than the average traveler; it lowered his expectations for food and lodging, thereby connecting him with each region's least privileged residents. Locals from Darwin to Djibouti constantly approached him, offering tea or pastries or just respite from the elements. They were probably responding to the same likable quality that comes across in Malusa's text. Whether describing a visit with a Bedouin family in the Egyptian desert, a hitchhiking journey with road-kill gourmands in the remotest parts of Australia or a chat with gauchos while trying to escape the brutal Patagonian wind, he always seems well-informed and outgoing. Russia's icy autumn sent him scurrying into lofty but empty old hotels along the route from Moscow to the Caspian Sea, a remarkably untouristed region in which he marveled at the vestiges of communism and joined two lively wedding parties. Malusa wears his expertise as a botanist lightly here, mentioning flora and fauna but detailing the full panoply of his impressions. This dense yet desultory account moves quickly, never lingering on any encounter for more than a few sentences, no matter how juicy. It's not as informative as the works of Bill Bryson, but easily as funny. Steeped in sarcasm and alive to the irony of any situation, observant and wry, omnivorous in the scope of its details and utterly subjective. -- Kirkus Reviews

Review

“[H]is descriptions of desert landscapes can be extraordinary. You can almost feel the dry gusts turning Malusa’s lips into cracked leather.” —NY Times Book Review

“Malusa’s intrepid curiosity enlivens his over-the-road tales.” —Booklist

“It's unlikely that biking to the lowest places on Earth will earn him a mention in history books. But he is a great storyteller.” —Globe and Mail

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Sierra Club/Counterpoint (April 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157805141X
• ISBN-13: 978-1578051410
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #123,746 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #24 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Cycling > Excursion Guides

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unforgettable Adventures, May 4, 2008

By	Terry W. Sprouse "Investor and Author" (Tucson, Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

On the surface, "Into Thick Air" appears to be an interesting book about a guy who rides his bike to the lowest points on earth, writing descriptions of what he observes along the way. But, only a few pages into the book you suddenly realize that this book mines much deeper ore. This is a book where you can glean keen insights into the human condition and learn things that could completely change your view of the world.

As Jim Malusa rides through some of the most isolated areas of earth, and we meet the people he encounters along the way, he sheds remarkable insight and light on their lives and their culture. Frankly, it made me care about people in remote areas of the world that previously I had never given a second thought to. Malusa made them real people, sometimes amazingly caring people, who I came to care about as I learned how they lived normal lives under uniquely difficult living conditions.

I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras and I appreciate Malusa's ability to ingratiate himself into the culture. Living on the edge of life and at the mercy of the elements necessitates that you rely on local people for help. Camping in the wrong place can result in uncomfortable meetings with alligators, venomous snakes, or worse! Getting information on where to camp, and where not to camp, is more than a passing concern, it is a matter of life and death. On several occasions, Malusa was rescued from a thorny situation through the kindness of strangers.

Beyond the cultural insights and description of landscape and wildlife, Malusa's thrilling experiences and narrow escapes from disaster makes the book read like an adventure story. I often found myself thinking, "Jim, don't camp there, there might be alligators," or "don't try to outrace that storm on your bike, just look for cover." I flipped back and forth between the text and the map for each trip, so I could follow his progress from town to town. I always felt a sense of unease and impending doom as he doggedly rode on to his final destination. Often, I wanted him to hurry up and finish his quest, before some disaster could befall him.

Add to this, the font of witty, sometimes hilarious, and always thoughtful observations on the human foibles and unique situations that the author encounters, and you have a book that hits a home run.

Malusa rides, he camps, he runs into obstacles. For each of his six odysseys to the lowest places on earth, the sights, sounds, and people of each trip present an entirely different challenge than the last. As he camps one night on the way to Death Valley, he reflects that he is "master of a minor universe."

Jim Malusa's universe is one of being stoned by kids at refugee camps, attacked by dogs, following the path of Moses to the Red Sea, welcomed into the homes of complete strangers, and many other incidents that force you to keep reading until he is safely home again. Yet, again and again, Malusa proves that he is truly master of his universe by his reflective response to all that befalls him.

Grab some sunscreen and a cold beer and join Jim Malusa on some unforgettable adventures.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book!, June 18, 2008

By	Stephen Vivona (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a very enjoyable and well-written book about bicycling and culture. If you enjoy cycling this is a must read. If you know nothing about cycling this is still a great book to enjoy. Malusa's wit and perspective are unique and very readable. He has a open personality and shows that by dropping expectations one can remain fully open to the pleasures and lessons available from traveling to unexpected places. I cannot recommend it enough. Pull up a chair and enjoy this excellent book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining and educational adventure bicycling tale., July 14, 2008

By	JK (Dairyland) - See all my reviews

This is a well-written and warm account of several bicycle adventure tours into the lowest points on Earth. It is saved from being just another bike adventure book by Jim Malusa's humor and his deftly woven interplay between his misadventures and his deep knowledge of the geology and ecology of the areas he travels through.