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Lance Armstrong's War: One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France
by Daniel Coyle

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/110523.Lance_Armstrong_s_War_One_Man_s_Battle_Against_Fate_Fame_Love_Death_Scandal_and_a_Few_Other_Rivals_on_the_Road_to_the_Tour_de_France?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Lance Armstrong's War: One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France" border="0" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/books/1171642058m/110523.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/110523.Lance_Armstrong_s_War_One_Man_s_Battle_Against_Fate_Fame_Love_Death_Scandal_and_a_Few_Other_Rivals_on_the_Road_to_the_Tour_de_France?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">Lance Armstrong's War: One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour de France</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/63972.Daniel_Coyle">Daniel Coyle</a><br/><br/>
  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18525008?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
  rating: 3 of 5 stars<br/>Coyle details one cycling season in the life of this sports icon.  It is not just any season. It starts at the beginning of his attempt to win his sixth consecutive Tour de France. The iron man is off balance a bit.  Divorce behind him, a blasphemous book about to be published accusing him of blood doping, intrigue in the cycling world, teams in shambles, and don't forget his new girlfriend Sheryl Crow.  A great set up for catastrophe if I ever saw one.  But you already know the rest of the story.  This is an easy read, filled with interesting details that pull you along.  Worth the time, especially for me several years and two more Tour wins later.  This would be a wonderful guidebook to fill in the behind the scenes elements to the 2004 Tour DVDs.  Coyle reveals a lot of the unsaid and unseen.  Although, through his own words Coyle suggests Armstrong wouldn't let anyone close who would write something detrimental.  So one must wonder what Coyle left out of the story.  Yet he uncovers so much more the Bob Roll and his associates could say during the OLN coverage.  They didn't want to dull the sheen of our new American hero.
<br/>
<br/>It's clear to anyone reading this that there is a dark side to Mr. Armstrong.  A ruthlessness.  Certainly it serves a purpose that only a champion like him can understand. I'll not venture to say I understand it.  Though it definitely leaves you cold in terms of the charisma Lance projects in the public.  "Just don't get too close,"  it warns lest "the shit that kills them" rubs off on you.
  <br/><br/><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/914580?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Bill's review
rating:
bookshelves: nonfiction
recommended for: Cycling afficianados

Coyle details one cycling season in the life of this sports icon. It is not just any season. It starts at the beginning of his attempt to win his sixth consecutive Tour de France. The iron man is off balance a bit. Divorce behind him, a blasphemous book about to be published accusing him of blood doping, intrigue in the cycling world, teams in shambles, and don't forget his new girlfriend Sheryl Crow. A great set up for catastrophe if I ever saw one. But you already know the rest of the story. This is an easy read, filled with interesting details that pull you along. Worth the time, especially for me several years and two more Tour wins later. This would be a wonderful guidebook to fill in the behind the scenes elements to the 2004 Tour DVDs. Coyle reveals a lot of the unsaid and unseen. Although, through his own words Coyle suggests Armstrong wouldn't let anyone close who would write something detrimental. So one must wonder what Coyle left out of the story. Yet he uncovers...more

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