She's a Bad Motorcycle: Writers on Riding
The disparate writings gathered here by freelance journalist and motorcycle rider Zanetti include thoughts on the nature of riding, travel narratives, and stories from various segments of motorcycling culture, notably the Hell's Angels. A few are by familiar names, such as Tom Wolfe and Hunter Thompson, and some are a pleasure to read, as is a lyrical piece from Melissa Holbrook Pierson. Aside from the references to motorcycles, however, Zanetti's choice of pieces seems arbitrary in both selection and organization. A large number of them are extracted from much longer works, losing context and perhaps even sense. In the selection from Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, for example, the reader will have no understanding of the references to Phaedrus and why the difference between "classic" and "romantic" is so important. Background notes about the writers and the works from which pieces have been excerpted would have been helpful. Despite some interesting material, the book as a whole contributes little to the history and culture of this compelling machine. David Van de Streek, Pennsylvania State Univ. Libs., YorkCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.