Promotional Information

The story of how Lance Armstrong came back from a fight against cancer to resume his career as a professional cyclist.

About the Author

Lance Armstrong is a cancer fighter and was a professional cyclist. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Reviews

If you read one sports book this year, this is the one
*Express on Sunday*

This is a gripping story
*Guardian*

So darn riveting that it simply cannot be put down
*Time Out*

Having nearly lost his life Lance Armstrong serves up his story for the rest of the world to wonder at, shudder at and learn from
*Guardian*

Armstrong’s tale of his recovery from cancer remains compelling and inspirational. It has already brought comfort to millions of sufferers and their families, and will continue to do so
*Outdoor Fitness*

In 1996, young cycling phenom Armstrong discovered he had testicular cancer. In 1999, he won the Tour de France. Now he's a grateful husband, a new fatherÄand a memoirist: with pluck, humility and verve, this volume covers his early life, his rise through the endurance sport world and his medical difficulties. Cancer "was like being run off the road by a truck, and I've got the scars to prove it," Armstrong declares. Earlier scars, he explains, came from a stepfather he casts as unworthy; early rewards, from his hardworking mother and from the triathlons and national bike races Armstrong won as a Texas teen. "The real racing action was over in Europe": after covering that, Armstrong and Jenkins (Men Will Be Boys, with Pat Summit, etc.) ascend to the scarier challenges of diagnoses and surgeries. As he gets worse, then better, Armstrong describes the affections of his racing friends and of the professionals who cared for him. Armstrong is honest and delightful on his relationship to wife Kristin (Kik), and goes into surprising detail about the technology that let them have a child. The memoir concludes with Armstrong's French victory and the birth of their son. The book features a disarming and spotless prose style, one far above par for sports memoirs. Bicycle-racing fans will enjoy the troves of inside information and the accounts of competitions, but Armstrong has set his sights on a wider meaning and readership: "When I was sick I saw more beauty and triumph and truth in a single day than I ever did in a bike race." Agent, Esther Newberg. First serial to Vanity Fair; BOMC main selection; foreign rights sold in the U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Holland and Japan. (May 22) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Adult/High School-When Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer, the prognosis was not encouraging. When it spread to his lungs and brain, most medical professionals gave up hope for his recovery. But not Lance. He studied his disease, interviewed doctors, chose a treatment, and fought for his life. This isn't a book for the squeamish as it spares few medical details but it isn't just about cancer. It's the story of the athlete as a young boy and his relationship with his single mother, his success as a world-class cyclist and his friends in that world, and his financial backers who supported him emotionally as well as monetarily. It records his winning the Tour de France, courting his future wife, and the birth of his son. This fabulous tribute to the strength of the human spirit is an inspiration to everyone.-Katherine Fitch, Rachel Carson Middle School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

If you read one sports book this year, this is the one * Express on Sunday *
This is a gripping story * Guardian *
So darn riveting that it simply cannot be put down * Time Out *
Having nearly lost his life Lance Armstrong serves up his story for the rest of the world to wonder at, shudder at and learn from * Guardian *
Armstrong's tale of his recovery from cancer remains compelling and inspirational. It has already brought comfort to millions of sufferers and their families, and will continue to do so -- Daniel Friebe * Outdoor Fitness *