Life is a wheel: love, death, etc., and a bike ride across America

In 1993, at the age of 39, Weber rode from coast to coast on a bicycle. Eighteen years later he decided to repeat the task, and his account of the journey from the Oregon coast to Manhattan is a delightful, insightful saga that combines the genres of travelogue and journal of self-discovery while paying tribute to the joy and value of cycling. Weber readily acknowledges that, at 57, he lacked both the physical and mental stamina he possessed on his first crossing. As he indicates, cycling is hardly the serene activity of romantic lore; it requires intense concentration and an ability to constantly draw upon physical reserves. Yet Weber clearly retained his sharp powers of observation as he describes the changes he saw in the nation, from the ubiquitous use of cell phones to changes in the political climate. What hasn't changed, thankfully, is Weber's ability to be awestruck and inspired by the power and beauty of the landscapes he traverses. This is a thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable road story that will appeal to both cyclists and the more sedentary. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The popularity of Weber's New York Times series chronicling his bike trip will translate into great interest in the book version.--Freeman, Jay Copyright 2010 Booklist

Reprising a similar trip he took from California to New York City in 1993, in 2011 New York Times obituary writer and author Weber (As They See 'Em) bicycled from Oregon to Manhattan. Weber documented the trip for Times Web site, but here he has expanded on those posts to create a lengthier form that allows him to explore deeper themes while still maintaining the conversational style that makes his writing a breeze to read. While Weber introduces readers to people he met, his trip is more about the internal explorations of a 57-year-old man pushing his body to its limits. Weber presents "fruitful cogitation" on a myriad of subjects, such as the passing of a friend during the first week of his trip; his deceased parents; his long distance relationship with a woman named Jan; and the general feeling of loneliness that pervades the excursion. Weber never fails to entertain, and his compulsion to always move forward despite the weight of the past is as inspiring as his astounding cycling achievement. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Weber normally spends his days with the stories of the dead-after all, he is an obituary writer for the New York Times. But when he decided finally to cross something major off his bucket list by riding coast to coast across the United States alone on his bicycle, Weber got the chance to do something that made him feel truly alive. This title is his witty travelog, his reflective road journal, and a vivid testament to the beauty of a journey made on two wheels. Perfect for fans of Bill Bryson's travel writing or books such as Jim Malusa's Into Thick Air: Biking to the Bellybutton of Six Continents and Paul Howard's Eat, Sleep, Ride: How I Braved Bears, Badlands, and Big Breakfasts in My Quest To Cycle the Tour Divide, this title is a cross-country trip every reader can enjoy. VERDICT Weber's journey is sure to inspire readers to roll their old bikes out of the shed and plan an epic trek of their own.-Melissa Culbertson, Homewood, IL (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In 2011, at the age of 57, New York Times reporter Weber (As They See Em: A Fan's Travels in the Land of Umpires, 2009, etc.) embarked on his second cross-country bicycle trip, an adventure as much transcendental as transcontinental. Written mostly in real time, the book reflects the author's philosophy of cycling: Moving forward is the cure for all ills. Woven through this generally engaging chronicle of a west-to-east odyssey are asides on his parents, old friends, loves lost and new, a pivotal journey through North Vietnam and his post-trip "heart event." But the real strength of the book is on the road, where incidents coalesce into chapters. A long bike ride is a good story to tell, however meandering, and Weber admits that he did it again due to his encroaching mortality; his checklist for adventure wasn't keeping pace with his advancing age. Unlike his first cross-country sojourn nearly 20 years before, this time, the author brought a smartphone, a computer and constant feedback from readers following his ongoing blog for the Times. This time, the writing, not self-elevation, would be the defining part of the journey. A Manhattanite keenly aware of his provincialism, Weber regards America's geographic and cultural expanse as exotic: New York is a vertical realm, not so the rest of the country. Measuring miles by the rhythmic pumping of his legs, experiencing the country in topographical segments, Weber lived the quixotic notion that ordeals can be as satisfying as pleasures, and he makes us believe it. "You can't gobble up the nation, mile after mile under your own power, without assimilating a sense of its greatness," he writes, discovering anew how geography helps define the identities of thousands of towns and millions of citizens. Ultimately, Weber sees solo cycling as a metaphor for the solitary experience of being alive. He wonders if every crucible of middle age is about defying impermanence and death. If true, Weber does it with brio.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In 1993, at the age of 39, Weber rode from coast to coast on a bicycle. Eighteen years later he decided to repeat the task, and his account of the journey from the Oregon coast to Manhattan is a delightful, insightful saga that combines the genres of travelogue and journal of self-discovery while paying tribute to the joy and value of cycling. Weber readily acknowledges that, at 57, he lacked both the physical and mental stamina he possessed on his first crossing. As he indicates, cycling is hardly the serene activity of romantic lore; it requires intense concentration and an ability to constantly draw upon physical reserves. Yet Weber clearly retained his sharp powers of observation as he describes the changes he saw in the nation, from the ubiquitous use of cell phones to changes in the political climate. What hasn't changed, thankfully, is Weber's ability to be awestruck and inspired by the power and beauty of the landscapes he traverses. This is a thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable "road" story that will appeal to both cyclists and the more sedentary. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The popularity of Weber's New York Times series chronicling his bike trip will translate into great interest in the book version. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Weber, who has ranged widely at the New York Times, where he has worked since 1986, also ranged widely when he decided on some wish fulfillment at age 57 and bicycled cross-country, from Oregon to New York's George Washington Bridge. Both memoir and travelog; with a five-city tour to Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, New York, and Portland, OR, though perhaps not by bicycle.

Weber normally spends his days with the stories of the dead—after all, he is an obituary writer for the New York Times. But when he decided finally to cross something major off his bucket list by riding coast to coast across the United States alone on his bicycle, Weber got the chance to do something that made him feel truly alive. This title is his witty travelog, his reflective road journal, and a vivid testament to the beauty of a journey made on two wheels. Perfect for fans of Bill Bryson's travel writing or books such as Jim Malusa's Into Thick Air: Biking to the Bellybutton of Six Continents and Paul Howard's Eat, Sleep, Ride: How I Braved Bears, Badlands, and Big Breakfasts in My Quest To Cycle the Tour Divide, this title is a cross-country trip every reader can enjoy. VERDICT Weber's journey is sure to inspire readers to roll their old bikes out of the shed and plan an epic trek of their own.—Melissa Culbertson, Homewood, IL

Reprising a similar trip he took from California to New York City in 1993, in 2011 New York Times obituary writer and author Weber (As They See 'Em) bicycled from Oregon to Manhattan. Weber documented the trip for Times Web site, but here he has expanded on those posts to create a lengthier form that allows him to explore deeper themes while still maintaining the conversational style that makes his writing a breeze to read. While Weber introduces readers to people he met, his trip is more about the internal explorations of a 57-year-old man pushing his body to its limits. Weber presents "fruitful cogitation" on a myriad of subjects, such as the passing of a friend during the first week of his trip; his deceased parents; his long distance relationship with a woman named Jan; and the general feeling of loneliness that pervades the excursion. Weber never fails to entertain, and his compulsion to always move forward despite the weight of the past is as inspiring as his astounding cycling achievement. (Mar.)