It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life
Encyclopedia
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life is a 2000 autobiographical
book by cyclist
Lance Armstrong
with Sally Jenkins
.
The book was written shortly after Armstrong had won the 1999 Tour de France
: he went on to win it six further times in successive years, establishing a record. In 1996, he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer
, which spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain, and was only given a 40 percent chance of living. This disrupted his career, but his success on his return prompted elements in the media to accuse him of doping
.
The book covers his story from childhood to the 1999 Tour, and the subsequent birth of his first child. A subsequent autobiographical instalment, entitled Every Second Counts
and also with Sally Jenkins as co-author, continues the narrative until his 2003 Tour victory.
award in 2000. It was also number one on the New York Times Best Seller list
. This book was also awarded the Christopher Award for Adult Books
in 2001. It also appeared in the Texas Tayshas Reading List from 2001 to 2002.
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life is in the process of being made into a movie to be released in the next few years.
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
book by cyclist
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
with Sally Jenkins
Sally Jenkins
Sally Jenkins is an American sports columnist and feature writer for The Washington Post. Prior employment includes senior writer for Sports Illustrated. She is a graduate of Stanford with degree in English Literature....
.
The book was written shortly after Armstrong had won the 1999 Tour de France
1999 Tour de France
The 1999 Tour de France was the 86th Tour de France, taking place from July 3 to July 25, 1999. It was won by Lance Armstrong, his first of 7 consecutive wins, the most in Tour history. There were no French stage winners for the first time since the 1926 Tour de France.The 1999 edition of Tour de...
: he went on to win it six further times in successive years, establishing a record. In 1996, he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
, which spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain, and was only given a 40 percent chance of living. This disrupted his career, but his success on his return prompted elements in the media to accuse him of doping
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
.
The book covers his story from childhood to the 1999 Tour, and the subsequent birth of his first child. A subsequent autobiographical instalment, entitled Every Second Counts
Every Second Counts (book)
Every Second Counts is a 2003 autobiographical book by cyclist Lance Armstrong written in collaboration with sports writer and columnist Sally Jenkins. It is a follow-up to Armstrong's It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life which as well was written with Sally Jenkins...
and also with Sally Jenkins as co-author, continues the narrative until his 2003 Tour victory.
Awards
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life won the William Hill Sports Book of the YearWilliam Hill Sports Book of the Year
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year is an annual British literary award sponsored by bookmakers William Hill. It claims to be "the world's richest sports book prize" at £22,000...
award in 2000. It was also number one on the New York Times Best Seller list
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
. This book was also awarded the Christopher Award for Adult Books
Christopher Award
The Christopher Award is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, motion pictures and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit"...
in 2001. It also appeared in the Texas Tayshas Reading List from 2001 to 2002.
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life is in the process of being made into a movie to be released in the next few years.