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Bicycle Diaries

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Booklist, 1 August 2009

Byrne has been bike riding in New York City since his early days as front man for the Talking Heads. Not only did he find it exhilarating to cruise the city streets but also it was fast and efficient. Once he discovered folding bikes, however, a new world opened for him as he took them on tour across the U.S. and internationally. As he traveled around different cities of the world by bicycle, he felt the same sense of freedom he felt in New York. Aside from the relaxation, the view from atop his bike gave Byrne insight into how cities as diverse as Istanbul, Berlin, Manila, and his hometown of Baltimore mirror the collective brain of their inhabitants: their thoughts and beliefs viewable in everything from storefronts to office buildings. Byrne touches on the arts, naturally, but also takes on globalization and politics, calling out General Motors and city planning for the destruction of small towns and neighborhoods. Rounded out with tales of his world tours that are sure to please fans of his music and personal photographs from his journeys, this is a loving tribute to the bicycle and world travel.

— Carlos Orellana