Recommended Cycling Books

There was a time in my life (during college and just after) that I read veraciously. I was an English major and read everything ever assigned to me, and then some.

Someone would compile a list of the "100 Greatest Classics" or "Books you must read before you die" and I would attack. Post college, I would pick an author and read every title I could for one year (Wolfe, Hemingway, Poe, Dickens to name a few). I even collected books for a few years and built up a nice little collection. I have first editions Conroy, Steinbeck, Clancy, Faulkner, Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye,' and even a signed copy of Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'

Now, all I read are triathlon/running magazines and cycling books. I don't know what that says about me, but it is what it is.

If you like cycling, or if you're looking for an easy, inexpensive gift for someone who happens to be a cyclist, or Tour de France fan, here are a few recommended titles:

• From Lance to Landis, by David Walsh
• Teach your kid to ride a bike, by Mark Riedy
• Inside the Postal Bus, by Michael Barry
• Chasing Lance, by Martin Dugard
• Tour Fever, by J.P. Partland
• The Death of Marco Pantani, by Matt Rendell
• Bike Racing 101
• The Tour de France Quiz Book

Notice I didn't include Lance Armstrong's 'Every Second Counts' and 'It's Not about the Bike.' Both are great, even if you're not a Lance Davidian. Lots of great insight about racing, the Tour, and other cyclists. But, if you're buying for a cyclist, I'm sure he's read these. It would be like buying Bob Marley's Legend album for a relative because you heard he likes reggae music. Just assume he's read these and select from the above titles.