Bicycle Diaries
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
David Byrne offers much of interest but meanders a little,
By
This review is from: Bicycle Diaries (Hardcover)
Byrne is a committed cycling campaigner who takes bikes with him as he travels the world, mainly to the cities where his musical and artistic work takes him. When he has time off, he uses his bike - usually a full-size folding mountain bike he puts in a suitcase to travel on planes - to wander about and explore. It is this aspect of the book which most interested me, because he seems to be a practitioner of the derive, the engaged but directionless wander first proposed by the situationists as a suitable way to move through cities.
As the title suggests, the material for the book evolved in diary form over time, and the structure of the book reflects this. It is right, and true to the material, that this should be so, but it does mean that the various entries are of variable quality. Nevertheless, books of this kind, where an intelligent and engaged observer with a liberal agenda but no particular end in mind takes a close look at localities, are scarce indeed. In the hands of a travel writer, or a journalist, a totally different book would have emerged, but actually, this is the book I wanted.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting view from a different perspective,
By GreyBrother (Cambridge) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bicycle Diaries (Paperback)
This book has a dual identity, part travelogue, and part common-sense examination of what makes a pleasant, liveable city, and what doesn't. I found this to be a refreshingly straightforward approach, and far more interesting than the average travel memoir.
Byrne is particularly good when examining U.S. cities, from the horrific but fascinating decline of Detroit, to the hopeful reinvention of New York. One excellent passage in particular sticks in the mind: "Since the onslaught of the automobile in the middle of the last century, and the efforts of its enablers, like Robert Moses in New York, the accepted response to congestion has been to build more roads, especially roads that are high speed and with limited access. Eventually it became clear that building more roads doesn't actually relieve congestion - ever. More cars simply appear to fill these new roads and more folks imagine that their errands and commutes might be accomplished more easily on these new expressways. Yeah, right. People end up driving more, so instead of the existing traffic levels remaining constant and becoming dispersed on the new ribbons of concrete, the traffic simply increases until those too are filled. That's what New York and a lot of other cities are realizing now. The old paradigm is finally being abandoned." Thank goodness for that.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This book inspired me to cycle to work too.,
By Hutch (uk) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bicycle Diaries (Hardcover)
While most of the media's favourite darlings worry about their media image, David Byrne has once again showed everyone how it should be done. Like he did in the 80's with his incredibly innovative songs and melodies, here he is paving the way towards a healthier, happier and more environmentally friendly lifestyle. It was very interesting reading this book to see how cyclists cope in other countries. I remember being shocked after a visit to The Netherlands. Cycling seemed the norm. Everyone gave way to cyclists. 8am in the morning and the cycle paths were full of cyclists. Here in the UK everyone seems to drive everywhere. This book inspired me to buy a folding bike and cycle to work. I'm sure if Elvis had read this he would have sold his Cadillac collection and cycled to the recording studio too.
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