Le Tour: A History of the Tour de France
"One of the best books on the subject for non-aficionados." —Times Literary Supplement"A fascinating book."  —Spectator"Admirable and beautifully written."  —Daily Mail"Terrifically entertaining . . . A near masterpiece."  —Independent"The full, foreign strangeness of the tour is mesmerisingly evoked . . . This is a charming, often moving book, bursting with joie de vivre."  —Daily Telegraph“Brings a fresh eye to the Tour and a larger view of its cultural context. Well-read and genial, this self-confessed armchair athlete proves a surprisingly adept historian.”  —Guardian“Written with lordly panache, the book manages to retain its narrative drive while making frequent forays into other areas of French life . . . His research is impressive, he brings characters to life, and he understands the Tour’s mythic qualities and why they matter so much . . . This is a great story, vividly told.”  —Independent on Sunday