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Racing Through The Dark (2011)

by David Millar(Favorite Author)

4.16 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1409114945 (ISBN13: 9781409114949)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Orion

review 1: Millar is unusual; he is an intelligent and cosmopolitan cyclist . Personally I was very disappointed when he was caught doping but I now have a better understanding of the reasons. I hope Millar and his book helps the cycle sport along the road to a drug free future, for the sake of the sport and the health of the participants. The book is well written but could not be described as quality literature.
review 2: This is a disappointingly limp autobiography. Millar gives the impression from afar of someone who might be quirky, intelligent and amusing, and I was hoping his book would reflect those qualities. Unfortunately he comes across as petulant, immature, spoiled and incredibly self-absorbed. Having been caught cheating (and avoiding tax, and blowing a fort... moreune living a high-rolling, partying lifestyle) he becomes a born-again desperate-to-be-heard preacher of clean living. There is no real soul searching; he isn't to blame for anything really, it is the system and all those bad people out there (he tries to shoulder some responsibility but it deosn't seem genuine).There is no hint of quirkiness or humour in his writing, and instead I felt I was reading the work of a vain and not particularly bright poser anxious to appear intellectual (he often comments on how much he likes books). There is a lot of 'poor me' and 'it's not fair' type of childish bleating. Millar is also hypocritical and blind to his own shortcomings; he dumps a team because he wasn't happy and sees a better opportunity elsewhere then savages Bradley Wiggins for doing the same thing; the difference being, Wiggins did it to MIllar's new team. He also infamously slates Wiggins' talent, claiming it was he (Millar) and his team that was solely responsible for Wiggins' good showing in the Tour, and Wiggins was certain to fail with any other team (Wiggins won the Tour de France with Team Sky soon after this book was published). If you're new to the sport it is worth reading purely as a background piece, and it does give you an insight into MIllar. It is also written quite breezily and is easy to get through. Read Tyler Hamilton's brilliant book The Secret Race for far more honest insights into professional cycling and this depraved period of doping. less

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