Bicycle Diaries

Reading David Byrne's "Bicycle Diaries" is a lot like taking a bike ride through a new city. You don't know what to expect next. You will encounter some stuff that makes you want to get off, stop and think, other parts you can't wait to rush through. You are never told what to think and are always allowed to proceed at your own speed. You could even take the ride in reverse, beginning with the Appendix and Epilogue where you will learn a range of things - why raccoon tails present problems on helmets, what New York can learn from Bogota, why "sidewalk ballet" is essential, and a lot more. There is something for everyone here, unless you are not interested in any of the following: art, politics, music, food, Brazil, modernism, David Byrne himself. At his formidable website you will find, among many other things, many more professional book reviews.