• Full Tilt

  • Ireland to India with a Bicycle
  • By: Dervla Murphy
  • Narrated by: Emma Lowe
  • Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (81 ratings)

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Full Tilt  By  cover art

Full Tilt

By: Dervla Murphy
Narrated by: Emma Lowe
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Publisher's summary

Full Tilt is the inspiring true story of Dervla Murphy's 1963 journey from Ireland to India on an Armstrong Cadet bicycle, and the trials, landscapes, and cultures she encountered along the way. The route takes her through the valleys and snowy mountain passes of Europe and India to the scorching deserts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the metal of her bicycle, Rozinante (named after Don Quixote's steed), becomes too hot to touch. She travels alone, without luxuries, sleeping on the floors of teahouses or on blankets outdoors, vulnerable to wild animals, insects, and thieves. However, she is often met with generosity and kindness, and shares many meaningful encounters with the locals. Her portrayal here gives a fascinating insight into the unique communities of the Middle East in the early 1960s.

©2019 Naxos Audiobooks (P)2019 Naxos Audiobooks

Featured Article: The Best Biking Audiobooks


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What listeners say about Full Tilt

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Prejudice personified

This is impossible to listen to and should not even be on Audible. There are so many arrogant , prejudiced comments, as well as outright racism. At one point goats are referred to as "nigger brown.." That was the point at which I stopped listening. I put one star ratings only so that this review could be submitted. It deserves no stars.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Racist, classist and not well written

I initially started listening to this for a book club. After a few chapters, I can no longer enjoy it due to many problematic comments referring to poor people who are begging as “pathetic“ as well as people of a variety of countries as having inferiority implied and said in a multitude of ways. I realize the book is a journal and it’s somewhat dated but perhaps some thoughtfulness about the author’s perception is still relevant.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A joyous journey

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It made me so happy to hear that so many people in the world are so kind!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good book overall

An admirable example of adventure, determination, and learning - somewhat tedious story telling, punctuated with interesting and perhaps still current examples on the various countries she visited.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Travels, people, locations and experiences very interesting

Murphy’s experiences, fortitude, intelligence, and sensitivity were remarkable. The hardships she endured and overcame were both miraculous and believable. The ending was abrupt I was expecting a continuation or conclusion. Her bicycle journey was a remarkable and inspiring saga.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Her calm and appreciative viewpoint

It was great but a bit too descriptive at times of the sky and clouds that did not matter.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Adventurous spirit but BORING story

This was the most boring adventure book I’ve ever heard. It just sounded like a list of everything experienced, as if you were listening to an inventory of an adventure. There was no soul here, just “i woke up, i pedaled this far, met this man, stopped here and drank tea..” boring! Where’s the flavor, the uniqueness?! It took me forever to finish this story because I was so bored listening. Props to her though for cycling, that was an amazing feat that shouldn’t be downplayed. But so boring overall…

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

estando en un lugar tbn viajé

que buena aventura, que valiente! dan ganas de preparar la bici y pedalear por esa ruta.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Mispronunciation of Cities

I was prepared to overlook the antiquated and problematic terminology and viewpoints, given when it was written, but the ridiculous mispronunciation of Kabul and Peshawar x 100 sent me over the edge. Anybody who rode a bike through Afghanistan and Pakistan would have learned to pronounce those city names as locals do.

I can’t continue listening to this nonsense - I will have to read it if I want to finish.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

I really really enjoyed this story

What an amazing woman and amazing story

The narration is excellent and through the storyelling I could almost smell the dust and see the mountains

Dervla had a remarkable life and I heard this book recommended to me when I heard of her death and I could hardly wait to listen to it every chance I got

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