HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Loading...

Uneasy Rider: Travels Through a Mid-Life Crisis

by Mike Carter

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations
382649,847 (2.8)None
High Fidelity meets Jupiter's Travels in this hilarious and urban angst-ridden take on the classic biker memoir genre A broken heart and a moment of drunken bravado inspires middle-aged, and typically rather cautious, journalist Mike Carter to take off on a life-changing six month motorcycle trip around Europe. Never mind that he hadn't been on two wheels since an inglorious three-month teenage chapter involving a Lambretta, four crashes and an 18-month ban for drink-driving, a plan had begun to loosely form...And so, having completed a six day residential motorcycle course and hastily re-mortgaged his flat, Mike sets off alone, resolving to go wherever the road takes him and enjoy the adventure of heading off into the unknown. He ends up travelling almost 20,000 miles and reaching the four extremes of Europe- the Arctic Circle in the north, the Mediterranean coast in the south, the Portuguese Atlantic to the west and the Iraqi border of Turkey in the east.But really it's a journey inwards, as, on the way, Mike finds his post-divorce scars starting to heal and attempts to discover what he, as a man in his forties who hasn't quite found his place in the world, should be doing. Self-deprecating, poetic and utterly engaging, his is a heroic journey taken for the rest of us too scared to leave our 9 to 5 office-bound existence.… (more)
None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

Showing 2 of 2
A divorce and a mid life crisis gives Mike the idea of this journey around Europe on a motorbike.

Just a couple of problems to start. No bike, and no bike licence. Time and money solve this problem, and he sets off. h manages to travel all the way round Europe, from the very north of scandinavia through Bosnia and down through Italy and Spain.

Quite enjoyed it, he was definitely suffering from the divorce and mid life, and does the odd foolish thing. but nothing too stupid.

Like motorcycle travel books, then give it a read. ( )
  PDCRead | Apr 6, 2020 |
In Uneasy Rider, Carter plays a middle aged journo with a middle class newspaper column, tootling around middle of the road Europe. Yes, it is as dull as it sounds. There is no tension or sense of purpose - if it all goes pear shaped a quick call to the Observer and he'll be back home in time for last orders. He might as well be writing about riding down to his local Tescos. There is no underbelly, no originality, no soul and most importantly, no adventure. His ego-flavoured, cod philosophical musings don't help either - a voyage of self-discovery this is not.

If you want to read about some proper motorbike adventures have a look at Mondo Enduro or Jupiter's Travels. ( )
  clivebeale | Aug 23, 2011 |
Showing 2 of 2
no reviews | add a review
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
For Norma
First words
The nadir of a man's life is 42. (Prologue)
The morning after the Observer newspaper Christmas party seemed different from previous years.
Quotations
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

High Fidelity meets Jupiter's Travels in this hilarious and urban angst-ridden take on the classic biker memoir genre A broken heart and a moment of drunken bravado inspires middle-aged, and typically rather cautious, journalist Mike Carter to take off on a life-changing six month motorcycle trip around Europe. Never mind that he hadn't been on two wheels since an inglorious three-month teenage chapter involving a Lambretta, four crashes and an 18-month ban for drink-driving, a plan had begun to loosely form...And so, having completed a six day residential motorcycle course and hastily re-mortgaged his flat, Mike sets off alone, resolving to go wherever the road takes him and enjoy the adventure of heading off into the unknown. He ends up travelling almost 20,000 miles and reaching the four extremes of Europe- the Arctic Circle in the north, the Mediterranean coast in the south, the Portuguese Atlantic to the west and the Iraqi border of Turkey in the east.But really it's a journey inwards, as, on the way, Mike finds his post-divorce scars starting to heal and attempts to discover what he, as a man in his forties who hasn't quite found his place in the world, should be doing. Self-deprecating, poetic and utterly engaging, his is a heroic journey taken for the rest of us too scared to leave our 9 to 5 office-bound existence.

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (2.8)
0.5
1 1
1.5
2 1
2.5
3 1
3.5
4 2
4.5
5

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 204,713,517 books! | Top bar: Always visible