Customer Reviews

Every Second Counts

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Unequivocally the world's greatest cycling race, the Tour de France is an arduous three-week, 20-stage ride that tests both the physical fitness and the mental toughness of its participants. These two books pay homage to the event in different ways. A beautiful coffee-table work produced in collaboration with the French sports daily, L'Equipe, The Official Tour de France celebrates the race's centenary this year. Interspersed throughout this definitive, year-by-year account are wonderful photographs, 200 in color and 500 in black and white. In an appendix, readers will find information on podium placings, total victories by riders, champions by nation, and winners of the yellow, green, and polka-dot jerseys. With a foreword by Lance Armstrong. Speaking of Armstrong, one quickly runs out of superlatives to describe the four-time Tour de France winner who has survived testicular, brain, and lung cancer. In his previous biography, It's Not About the Bike, also co-written with Washington Post journalist Jenkins, he documented his early life and career and his battle with cancer, culminating with his first Tour victory. Every Second Counts chronicles the challenge an athlete faces living in the aftermath of his experiences, when each day is a precious gift. The work describes his recent cycling achievements, being cancer-free for five years, and dedication to the foundation that bears his name, which helps cancer patients worldwide. An inspirational read that has the makings of another best seller. Both books are worthy additions for all public libraries.

Anyone who loved the first book, and is into cycling or sports in general would love this book. I think it is BETTER than his first one, especially on the behind-the-scenes of the professional cycling world, and The Tour. It starts off where "It's Not About The Bike" ends, and continues from there. In the begining there is a feeling that he is repeating himself, but the book improves with each page you read.
I feel it is more honest, and his thoughts and views are more profound than the first book. It is also a lot more about-the-bike than the first one, which is what I was looking for.
His descriptions of the Tours are honest and revealing, his proffesionalism and ethics are impressive and inspiring.
A highly recommended reading!

If every second counts for you, you should probably skip this book and read something a little more worthwhile. Unlike his previous book "It's not about the Bike" this book lacks the drama and general interest for the common reader. That being said if you are a cycling fan you can probably find some behind the scenes stuff here to be interesting, but basically this is a recap of Lance's racing since the 1999 Tour De France win. Which means if you are a cycling fan you already know everything in this book and if you are not a cycling fan you wont care what's in this book.

Overall it is more less just another puff piece athletic biography that seems more interested in re-enforcing Lance's status as a sports hero than it does delving into one of the most fascinating sports figures of a generation.

Holy cow, some of these reviews are pretty brutal. Don't be turned off by a few obviously bitter people. Lance puts a lot of thought and effort into this awesome book. It's an A+ on my list.

This book is the follow up of the book, it's not about the bike which is about his career up till his second win.

In this book, all his wins (5) in the Tour de France are mentioned. It is mostly about how he felt during the last three and how cancer played a role in it.
It shows us there is more to life than just cycling. Cancer stays with a person for ever.
His relationships with other cancer patients are emotional and gripping and is also shows he was the lucky one.

This book stands out from other books about cycling, it is very personal and not just about baseball but also about life in general.
He also explains some things that had happened in the Tours, his historic ride towards Mt Ventoux with the late Marco Pantani, his fall and Jan Ulrichs' fall. For those he have followed the Tour the last couple of years, this gives a very good insight, also because it is well written.

Actions speak louder than words were my first thoughts before I picked up the book.
This book shows that Lance Armstrong's life story is full flaws, just like any normal person.
The way he lives his life may just be a standard that NO HUMAN can sustain. Nobody is perfect!

"Exhaust the possibility" sticks in my mind as a one of his key concepts to his success. That is what I was left with. Despite the inconsistency between his public image and his written word, it is still a good life story overall. It is a worthwhile read if you are a sports nut or know someone that has had the unpleasant experience of having to battle cancer. If this describes you then I would buy it. However I don't know how it compares to his other earlier books

Lance writes earnestly about his trials and triumphs. He connects with his readers through simple honesty. Lance has a story and his story is interesting.

As a toastmaster, I chuggled when I read that he'd rather climb the alps on his bike than give a speech. As a speaker of English as a second language, I smiled when Lance's teammate insisted that the phrase "less or more" is the same as "more or less". Having lived in Austin for a year, I can imagine Lance and his friend's cycling in the backroads and almost being run over by a truck.

I am not a cyclist nor a cancer survivor but I know what it feels to be a friend, to lose a friend, to work as a team, to have fun, to be in love, to be misunderstood, to feel betrayed and to feel helpless. That's what makes the book great.

If you're looking for great literature, this is not the book for you but if you would like to feel connected with another human being through his writings, give this book a try. Along the way, you might learn, as I did, things that you wouldn't have known otherwise, about Tour de France, Drug testing, etc.

Every Second Counts is an autobiography about Lance Armstrong after recovering from cancer. It involves getting his life back on track and cancer making him realize how precious ever second is to his life. Prior to his sickness Lance was a cocky, arrogant, American cyclist who was out to conquer the world of cycling. After being diagnosed with testicular and brain cancer he learned what life was worth to him through the struggles and hardships during his treatments. After his bout with cancer, Lance finds himself to be a new man with a new outlook on life, a new sense of motivation for living, and determination for fulfilling his cycling career. He goes onto win his 1st tour de France only two years after his diagnosis of cancer and has completed a miracle no person thought possible. Many suspected he was victorious solely because of the drugs he had taken for his cancer treatment. He realized the only way to prove to the public that he wasn't "doping" was to take the tour de France for a second time, then a third, fourth and finally a fifth time while coming up clean on every drug test. While the book talks much on his cycling experiences it also focuses on he pushed himself to lead his life to the fullest. How to find motivation for some thing you might consider a lost cause, or to endure massive amounts of pain and keep telling yourself, "pain is temporary," and also how to live a well-balanced life of work and family.

Every Second Counts is by far the best book I have ever read. Although I haven't picked up, never mind finished many books this one pulled me in and I would find myself reading for hours. It was so interesting to read about human struggle and how they possibly overcame the burden and living to talk about it. Along with the countless tips on how to lead a well-balanced life it kept me tuned in.

After reading this book it makes me feel like a born again reader. I am really pleased with the way it was written and all the points that were discussed. There is no way the book could have been written better and nothing seemed to be missing. I am hoping for a third book to be written soon so I can keep reading about Lance Armstrong.

A lot of great things in this book, but it doesn't pull things together as well as in his first book. Ignore the negative reviews, but I would classify this as a good book versus a great book (which I think his first book was).

Every Second Counts brings us up-to-date on what happened to Lance Armstrong after he survived testicular cancer and went back to competitive cycling to win the Tour de France. If you have been away in another galaxy, he has fathered three children (a son and twin daughters) using sperm saved from before his cancer treatments, won four more Tour de France races, become a world-renowned celebrity, been investigated for and cleared of "doping" his body, stayed clean from cancer, become a noted cancer advocate and developed a rocky patch in his marriage.

Every Second Counts is a rambling account of all this that sometimes comes across as having been dictated into a tape recorder during a long descent on a bicycle.

The book will be of most interest to those who want to know what it's like to recover from a potentially fatal cancer, live as a celebrity, try to balance a personal life with a demanding career and how Mr. Armstrong won all those Tour de France races.

Both his natural personality and his escape from death make Mr. Armstrong treasure every minute . . . and he likes to take life at full speed in demanding conditions. If he's not training endlessly, he's driving his car too fast or taking dangerous leaps into a rocky pool. At the same time, he's trying to temper that instinct with a desire to see his children grow up and have a good marriage. The book candidly explains how his retirement from racing will be required to help bring his life into a more helpful balance for his family. But he's not ready to do that just yet.

I enjoyed understanding more about why he likes helping those who have cancer, how he trains in ways that give him an edge over mere mortals (including sleeping in an "altitude" tent that simulates the thin air in the mountains), and the strategy he has used in the Tour de France. From watching the races on television, I couldn't figure out what was going on most of the time. These explanations were very interesting to me about his sports career.

I gave him one-star credit for candor in explaining his spiritual beliefs and how he relates them to his recovery from cancer. Most people would not be willing to share a set of beliefs that will not be popular with those who have a lot of religious faith.

I hope Mr. Armstrong finds peace to balance his life journey as he careens up and down the trying mountains ahead.

As I finished the book, I found myself wondering how hard I would try to save my own life if I had had his illness. I hope I have learned from both of his books that you must apply maximum determination (no matter what the pain and toil) and that . . . every second counts!