Book about Cycling

The Best Books section in a recent issue of the The Week was all about bicycles. I've not had time to read the books yet but I have been out on my bike a lot recently and I have often thought about these books as I pedaled along.

Cycling by Viscount Bury was published in 1887 and describes a time when cycling was the 'exclusive pursuit of athletic, wealthy males. It records the bicycle on the brink of a golden age. ' One imagines that those early cyclists were treated with much respect. Now that cycling is open to all, I often feel that I am held in contempt by drivers who are annoyed at having to slow down, even for a few seconds and probably think that I'm only on a bike because I can't afford a car. It must have been much nicer to have been a cyclist in 1887 - even if the gears were not so good! (Viscount Bury was MP for Norwich at one time.)

The Third Policeman is described as 'a satirical tale of unrequited love between a man and a bicycle'. The mind boggles - perhaps all those stroppy car drivers have read this one?

Full Tilt - Ireland to India with a Bicycle - reminds me that years ago I bought the map of the cycle route that runs from Norwich to Felixstowe and I still haven't ridden it yet. Anyone up for it?

The list was composed by Robert Penn who has just written The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels - anyone read it yet? I just put it on my birthday list - hint.