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Cyclogeography - Journeys of a London Bicycle Courier
Cyclogeography is an essay about the bicycle in the cultural imagination and a portrait of London seen from the saddle. The bicycle enables us to feel a landscape, rather than just see it, and in the great tradition of the psychogeographers, Day attempts to depart from the map and reclaim the streets of the city.
Informed by several grinding years spent as a bicycle courier, Day lifts the lid on the solitary life of the courier. Travelling the unmapped byways, short-cuts and edgelands of the city, couriers are the declining, invisible workforce of the city. The parcels they deliver – either commonplace or illicit – keep the city – and capitalism - running.
'This is a street-smart, super-sharp exploration of the "soft city" as seen from the saddle; Jon Day has written a bold and clever book about the zone where capital and cycling collide. It fascinated me from first page to last.’ - Robert Macfarlane
'Magically good. Jon Day conjures the secret city of the cyclist, revealing himself over the course of his swooping journeys as an astonishing writer, capable of dizzyingly elegant and thrilling flights of thought.' - Olivia Laing
Following in the footsteps of the literary walkers, Day explores the connection between cycling and writing, and in the history of the bicycle he reveals also the history of the landscape. The great bicycle road races – the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta a España – are exercises in applied topography. Cyclogeography explores the relationship between bodies, bikes and geography.
• Includes interviews with Iain Sinclair and Richard Long
• Lifts the lid on the underworld of Cycle Couriering – and the strange or illicit contents of the parcels that are delivered.
• Explores the subculture of courier bicycle races including the Cycle Messenger World Championships and the Alleycat races.
• Traces the beginnings of the great bicycle races such as the Tour de France
Jon Day is a writer, academic and cyclist. He worked as a bicycle courier in London for several years, and is now a lecturer in English Literature at King's College London. He writes for the London Review of Books, n+1, the New Statesman and others, and is a regular book critic for the Financial Times and the Telegraph. He is a contributing editor of the Junket, an online quarterly.
Informed by several grinding years spent as a bicycle courier, Day lifts the lid on the solitary life of the courier. Travelling the unmapped byways, short-cuts and edgelands of the city, couriers are the declining, invisible workforce of the city. The parcels they deliver – either commonplace or illicit – keep the city – and capitalism - running.
'This is a street-smart, super-sharp exploration of the "soft city" as seen from the saddle; Jon Day has written a bold and clever book about the zone where capital and cycling collide. It fascinated me from first page to last.’ - Robert Macfarlane
'Magically good. Jon Day conjures the secret city of the cyclist, revealing himself over the course of his swooping journeys as an astonishing writer, capable of dizzyingly elegant and thrilling flights of thought.' - Olivia Laing
Following in the footsteps of the literary walkers, Day explores the connection between cycling and writing, and in the history of the bicycle he reveals also the history of the landscape. The great bicycle road races – the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta a España – are exercises in applied topography. Cyclogeography explores the relationship between bodies, bikes and geography.
• Includes interviews with Iain Sinclair and Richard Long
• Lifts the lid on the underworld of Cycle Couriering – and the strange or illicit contents of the parcels that are delivered.
• Explores the subculture of courier bicycle races including the Cycle Messenger World Championships and the Alleycat races.
• Traces the beginnings of the great bicycle races such as the Tour de France
Jon Day is a writer, academic and cyclist. He worked as a bicycle courier in London for several years, and is now a lecturer in English Literature at King's College London. He writes for the London Review of Books, n+1, the New Statesman and others, and is a regular book critic for the Financial Times and the Telegraph. He is a contributing editor of the Junket, an online quarterly.
168 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2015
13 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Jon Day
1 book2 followersWriter and academic born in London in 1984. He was educated at St John's College, Oxford, and is now a lecturer in English and the Medical Humanities at King's College London. At King’s he teaches courses on modernist fiction and the philosophy of mind, literature and psychiatry, and the twentieth century city. His essays and reviews have appeared in the London Review of Books, the Times Literary Supplement, n+1, and the Guardian. He writes about art for Apollo, and is a regular fiction critic for the Telegraph and the Financial Times, and a contributing editor of the Junket. His book, Cyclogeography, a philosophical memoir about the three years he spent as a London bicycle courier, was published by Notting Hill Editions earlier this year. He is currently writing a book about fishing.
He is one of the judges for the 2016 Man Booker Prize.
From http://themanbookerprize.com/people/j...
He is one of the judges for the 2016 Man Booker Prize.
From http://themanbookerprize.com/people/j...
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 5, 2015
The term Cyclogeography had already done its fair share of spins in my head by the time I read about Jon Day's book, and as someone similarly interested in filling in that curiously gaping gap of the writing cyclist, it seemed obvious that I had to read it.
The book is, to a large extent, how I expected it. I am slightly disappointed by how Day, even in such a short essay, strayed from what I personally thought to be the point of the book, namely how the bicycle can involuntarily lead you into new territory while traversing places you thought you knew intimately. I therefore liked Day's observations on how the bicycle always follows the ancient rivers downwards and how it can fill in the gaps between the continuous discovery within a small radius that walking provides on the one hand, and the discontinuous isolated pockets of terrain you get from public transport. But his digressions into the Tour de France, and more in general his whole chapter on racing, I found rather besides the point, as were the passages on walking that did not directly serve a comparison between the two modes of travel.
Numerous times in the book Day deplores how the bike has changed from a force liberating the lower classes into a luxurious tool used for leisure. I find it rather bizarre that Day is so adamantly opposed to the use of the bicycle as leisure, while at the same time rhapsodizing on alleycat races and the emulations he himself did of artists' rides. In a sense the publication of this book lets Day off the hook: he can now say that all of these rides of his were not leisure at all, but simply research into his book. All of that even apart from the fact that this construction of history, of the bike as slipping into a superfluous fashion statement to show off in the weekends, doesn't even ring true, or at least it certainly doesn't for my country (The Netherlands), where bicycling has been a popular mode of transport for all sorts of purposes from the git-go.
This pertains to a more general problem I had with this book: it is extremely Anglo-centered; but perhaps worse than that, it feels extremely London-centered. "I wanted to get out of London," Day writes at a certain point, "to the edge of things." It's perhaps a bit of a cheap shot (because of course I see what he means by it), but that line is nevertheless telling: everything outside of London is "the edge of things." I think the book is best read with this in mind, the idea that it tries to eke out the specifics of cycling in London and London alone. And anyone who's even ever been in London can quite easily see how cycling there might be vastly different from cycling anywhere else. (Or, as a friend living in London once answered me when I asked if she cycled there: "Do I look like I want to die?") As such, all of the grand statements on both the history and future of cycling in this book are best taken with a pinch of salt.
For all Jon Day's obvious credentials and well-paid dues as a courier cyclist, this book is more rewarding as a crash course in the literature on cycling (Day not only discusses much of the relevant literature, but also visits some of its living propagators) than for its original observations. I sincerely hope it is the beginning of a genre, though, because I certainly still see interesting possibilities in the fusion of bike and word, wheels rattling over the asphalted roads in anticipation of the similarly rhythmed rattling of fingers on typewriter.
The book is, to a large extent, how I expected it. I am slightly disappointed by how Day, even in such a short essay, strayed from what I personally thought to be the point of the book, namely how the bicycle can involuntarily lead you into new territory while traversing places you thought you knew intimately. I therefore liked Day's observations on how the bicycle always follows the ancient rivers downwards and how it can fill in the gaps between the continuous discovery within a small radius that walking provides on the one hand, and the discontinuous isolated pockets of terrain you get from public transport. But his digressions into the Tour de France, and more in general his whole chapter on racing, I found rather besides the point, as were the passages on walking that did not directly serve a comparison between the two modes of travel.
Numerous times in the book Day deplores how the bike has changed from a force liberating the lower classes into a luxurious tool used for leisure. I find it rather bizarre that Day is so adamantly opposed to the use of the bicycle as leisure, while at the same time rhapsodizing on alleycat races and the emulations he himself did of artists' rides. In a sense the publication of this book lets Day off the hook: he can now say that all of these rides of his were not leisure at all, but simply research into his book. All of that even apart from the fact that this construction of history, of the bike as slipping into a superfluous fashion statement to show off in the weekends, doesn't even ring true, or at least it certainly doesn't for my country (The Netherlands), where bicycling has been a popular mode of transport for all sorts of purposes from the git-go.
This pertains to a more general problem I had with this book: it is extremely Anglo-centered; but perhaps worse than that, it feels extremely London-centered. "I wanted to get out of London," Day writes at a certain point, "to the edge of things." It's perhaps a bit of a cheap shot (because of course I see what he means by it), but that line is nevertheless telling: everything outside of London is "the edge of things." I think the book is best read with this in mind, the idea that it tries to eke out the specifics of cycling in London and London alone. And anyone who's even ever been in London can quite easily see how cycling there might be vastly different from cycling anywhere else. (Or, as a friend living in London once answered me when I asked if she cycled there: "Do I look like I want to die?") As such, all of the grand statements on both the history and future of cycling in this book are best taken with a pinch of salt.
For all Jon Day's obvious credentials and well-paid dues as a courier cyclist, this book is more rewarding as a crash course in the literature on cycling (Day not only discusses much of the relevant literature, but also visits some of its living propagators) than for its original observations. I sincerely hope it is the beginning of a genre, though, because I certainly still see interesting possibilities in the fusion of bike and word, wheels rattling over the asphalted roads in anticipation of the similarly rhythmed rattling of fingers on typewriter.
January 8, 2017
This was a Christmas present from brother, and I absolutely loved it.
It's a fascinating insight into a very particular world. It's beautifully and thoughtfully written, and this edition is a physical joy.
Well worth a read. At times, I found some of the rhapsodies very familiar from books about the many joys of running. As a runner who enjoys cycling, I think that many of the joys that Jon Day ascribes only to cycling can be found in other activities - after all, it's not a competition. But that's a minor gripe.
This is a great read.
It's a fascinating insight into a very particular world. It's beautifully and thoughtfully written, and this edition is a physical joy.
Well worth a read. At times, I found some of the rhapsodies very familiar from books about the many joys of running. As a runner who enjoys cycling, I think that many of the joys that Jon Day ascribes only to cycling can be found in other activities - after all, it's not a competition. But that's a minor gripe.
This is a great read.
March 10, 2018
I did not choose this book. It found me by accident. Not a book I knew about. Not something you would normally find on a typical cycling book list. So I had no expectations. And oh boy did it surprise me. Sure there are some stories of London bike courier scene. But this book is much more. It is a manifesto of sorts. A philosophy. Very dense. But also very easy. It made me rethink my cycling in London. Cycling in general. I can’t wait for warmer weather to go wondering around London on my bike, my son at the back. We will be a couple of urban cyclers.
July 9, 2023
well written, somewhat compelling & discusses exactly the kind of weirdo art I like, but too pretentious even for me.
December 31, 2020
I did pick up this one last week and completed it in a day. A journey about the bicycle couriers running in London over a decade. The author has described nooks and corners of London, and a distinct smell that every city beholds in itself. It is a really interesting read about a profession which lets you travel, but yet you miss out on a lot of moments. A distinctive culture running in the courier community about race day has been described in the book. It has been mentioned in the book that “Cycle couriers live as parasites on the city.” It has shaped in bringing a sense of happiness in poverty, well it is quite a personal opinion while I was reading this beauty. The book is a small read which would help you learn about London and professions that have died down the lane. I have been mesmerized reading these books by Notting Hill Editions.
May 4, 2020
I love how this book takes you through the streets of London as part of a secret biking society --chronicling the long days of couriers at work and play. It's a meditative read that addresses the connection between art, literature, and bicycles. Jon Day thoughtfully observes that “bikes, like water, want to flow downhill and cycling tends to uncover, almost unconsciously, the old waterways and trade routes of a landscape. Ride a bike in London and you often find yourself following the ancient ley lines of the city’s subterranean rivers. The pull feels curiously elemental – your bicycle becomes a dowsing rod.” It leaves you itching to pedal and get way out on the road.
January 26, 2020
interesting and informative about bicycles and courier work. the final chapters where Day goes on 'quests' over London could have been expanded like the earlier themes where. I would have enjoyed reading that. My father, in the '30s, road all over southern England with a bicycle club. I wish I knew more about that and his experiences.
October 7, 2017
For someone that is fascinated by all the interesting aspects of cycling and couriering in London, but get bored by Tour de France and has no interest at all in cycling on the countryside, this book gives little satisfaction.
May 7, 2020
Do not underestimate this book. At first sight, it might appear just a kind of “diary of a London bike courier “, that would already be quite enough to get my attention. But “Cyclogeography” is far more than this. There’s a philosophy behind what Jon Day writes and there’s a study about what cycling and exploring mean in these pages. Cycling is a beautiful addiction and seeing London - and generally, the whole world - from a saddle is something special no one should miss. As you should not miss this wonderful ride through “Cyclogeography”.
December 7, 2020
A great insight into an unusual job, with moments of humour and also splashes of beautiful prose where you think "I get exactly what you're thinking", but also quite pretentious and self-absorbed in parts.
March 22, 2018
Wonderful insight into a hidden London and surrounding counties.. couriers on bikes, not for the faint hearted..
February 20, 2021
A quick read, covering a bit of cycling, a bit of related social writing, a bit of London (which I was hoping for more of) - somewhere between a travel diary and a long essay.
September 29, 2023
Brilliant, lyrical, fascinating!
October 18, 2023
Loved this book. I could have written it but definitely not as well. The bibliography is brilliant.
November 25, 2018
A great read for someone looking for something short, mentally stimulating, but relatively low stakes. TW there are some mentions of death and despair, otherwise it’s a very safe read despite being mature.
Ultimately this is a look at a courier lifestyle through a literary lense, so if you’re not interested in cycling and not interested in literature on the human experience you may not find this appealing. Luckily I am interested in both and found this invigorating.
Ultimately this is a look at a courier lifestyle through a literary lense, so if you’re not interested in cycling and not interested in literature on the human experience you may not find this appealing. Luckily I am interested in both and found this invigorating.
December 4, 2018
Rich on detailed and atmospheric descriptions of being a messenger in London. Reading the book felt like going through someone´s photo album or diary; too intimate since I was not involved and I don´t know the person. Three stars because, I felt that the book did not give me much. If you are a messenger or planning to become one, the book probably is a perfect match to bond over life as a messenger.
August 8, 2016
Ostensibly about a bike courier in London, this is a wide ranging anecdotal book about cycling, bicycles, road races, geography and writer who wrote about cycling. I loved it for its easy style, for the wealth of information it offered and because I also love bicycles. If any of these are your bag, this books is for you.
October 7, 2017
It varies from interesting to annoying, although overall I did enjoy it. It has fascinating detail about London, and about the courier work, and even some unusual stuff about the history of the Tour de France.
September 1, 2016
An ambitious attempt to intellectualize cycling that is let down by an author whose ambition exceeds his abilities. A good try, but it could have been so much better.
May 29, 2021
Recommended by 5books.com
Editor
Editor
April 1, 2017
I must confess that I skimmed this but did enjoy many parts. He comments on interesting books about cycling and has great quotes. And I do enjoy memoirs in which people are choosing their paths in life. He was a courier for three years - too much wear and tear on the body to keep going after that.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews