Author: Chuck Klosterman File Type: mobi A Book of All-New Pop Culture Pieces by Chuck KlostermanChuck Klosterman has chronicled rock music, film, and sports for almost fifteen years. Hes covered extreme metal, extreme nostalgia, disposable art, disposable heroes, life on the road, life through the television, urban uncertainty and small-town weirdness. Through a variety of mediums and with a multitude of motives, hes written about everything he can think of (and a lot that hes forgotten). The world keeps accelerating, but the pop ideas keep coming. In Eating the Dinosaur, Klosterman is more entertaining and incisive than ever. Whether hes dissecting the boredom of voyeurism, the reason why music fans inevitably hate their favorite bands latest album, or why we love watching cant-miss superstars fail spectacularly, Klosterman remains obsessed with the relationship between expectation, reality, and living history. Its amateur anthropology for the present tense, and sometimes its incredibly funny.Q What is this book about?A Well, thats difficult to say. I havent read it yet - Ive just clicked on it and casually glanced at this webpage. There clearly isnt a plot. Ive heard theres a lot of stuff about time travel in this book, and quite a bit about violence and Garth Brooks and why Germans dont laugh when theyre inside grocery stores. Ralph Nader and Ralph Sampson play significant roles. I think there are several pages about Rear Window and football and Mad Men and why Rivers Cuomo prefers having sex with Asian women. Supposedly theres a chapter outlining all the things the Unabomber was right about, but perhaps Im misinformed.Q Is there a larger theme?A Oh, something about reality. What is reality, maybe? No, thats not it. Not exactly. I get the sense that most of the core questions dwell on the way media perception constructs a fake reality that ends up becoming more meaningful than whatever actually happened.Q Should I read this book?A Probably. Do you see a clear relationship between the Branch Davidian disaster and the recording of Nirvanas In Utero? Does Barack Obama make you want to drink Pepsi? Does ABBA remind you of ACDC? If so, you probably dont need to read this book. You probably wrote this book. But I suspect everybody else will totally love it, except for the ones who absolutely hate it.

Author: David Herlihy File Type: epub In the late 1880s, Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh, a renowned high-wheel racer and long-distance tourist, dreamed of cycling around the world. He finally got his chance by recasting himself as a champion of the downsized safety-bicycle with inflatable tires, the forerunner of the modern road bike that was about to become wildly popular. In the spring of 1892 he quit his accounting job and gamely set out west to cover twenty thousand miles over three continents as a correspondent for Outing magazine. Two years later, after having survived countless near disasters and unimaginable hardships, he approached Europe for the final leg.He never made it. His mysterious disappearance in eastern Turkey sparked an international outcry and compelled Outing to send William Sachtleben, another larger-than-life cyclist, on Lenzs trail. Bringing to light a wealth of information, Herlihys gripping narrative captures the soaring joys and constant dangers accompanying the bicycle adventurer in the days before paved roads and automobiles. This untold story culminates with Sachtlebens heroic effort to bring Lenzs accused murderers to justice, even as troubled Turkey teetered on the edge of collapse. Amazon.com ReviewAmazon Best Books of the Month, June 2010 Frank Lenz was a man driven by his passions. As an accomplished wheelman during the late 19th century, Lenzs dreams were dominated by the emerging sport of cycling and an intense desire to make a name for himself. In May of 1892, he attempted to fuse both by embarking on a quest to circumscribe the globe by bicycle. The journey had already been accomplished in tandem, but Lenz upped the ante--and raised eyebrows--by announcing he would ride his dangerous route alone. The Lost Cyclist is a riveting tale of tragedy, pride, and naivete that is both brilliantly told and meticulously researched. Opinions may differ as to whether Lenz was unaware or unconcerned by the inherent dangers he faced, but the story of his fateful journey belongs on the varied shelves of cycling enthusiasts, mystery fans, and nonfiction devotees alike. --Dave CallananIn the late 1880s, Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh, a renowned high-wheel racer and long-distance tourist, dreamed of cycling around the world. He finally got his chance by recasting himself as a champion of the downsized safety-bicycle with inflatable tires, the forerunner of the modern road bike that was about to become wildly popular. In the spring of 1892 he quit his accounting job and gamely set out west to cover twenty thousand miles over three continents as a correspondent for Outing magazine. Two years later, after having survived countless near disasters and unimaginable hardships, he approached Europe for the final leg. He never made it. His mysterious disappearance in eastern Turkey sparked an international outcry and compelled Outing to send William Sachtleben, another larger-than-life cyclist, on Lenzs trail. Bringing to light a wealth of information, Herlihys gripping narrative captures the soaring joys and constant dangers accompanying the bicycle adventurer in the days before paved roads and automobiles. This untold story culminates with Sachtlebens heroic effort to bring Lenzs accused murderers to justice, even as troubled Turkey teetered on the edge of collapse.hrA Look Inside *The Lost Cyclist*(Click on Images to Enlarge) Lenz (far right) in Glenshaw, with W. T. McClarren and Charles Petticord Lenz (far left) and Petticord (center) on Smithfield bridge, leaving for New Orleans. August 1891From left to right Petticord, McClarren, Lenz, and identified friend near Natrona. Note Lenzs homemade umbrella.Lenz in Washington, PALenz and Petticord meet two safety riders on the National Road in Lewisville, IN, August 1890Lenz tips his cap in Greenfield, IN. August 1890Lenz and Petticord in Effingham, IL, on their way to St. Louis, August 1890 along the National RoadPetticord and Lenz in Collinsville, IL, August 1890.hrFrom Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. When the bicycle first gained popularity in the 1880s, intrepid daredevils were quick to seize upon it as a tool of exploration and an indicator of resourcefulness. Frank Lenz and William Sachtleben were two such enthusiasts. Sachtleben and a partner had gained notoriety for cycling almost across the globe, including through China, a region that was alien to Westerners at the time (they traversed particularly difficult sections by train). But Lenz proposes something truly dangerous he will cycle the entire world alone, and he wont shy away from the hard parts. Lenzs exploits become the talk of the cycling world, but dont reach prominence in America until he disappears in eastern Turkey, a hairsbreadth from reaching his goal. Sachtleben is sent to Turkey to investigate and ends up wading through government corruption, tribal alliances, and a region in the throes of revolution. This meticulously-researched account exposes readers to an unfamiliar world. Readers with a love of cycling or curiosity about this moment in history will appreciate Herlihys knowledge and passion, but the simply curious may feel at times like theyre pedaling uphill.