Riding with Giants

By: Peter Holmes à Court

Narrated by: Peter Holmes à Court

Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

International businessman Peter Holmes à Court left the executive world and found himself living deep in rural France with only his seven-year-old twin girls for company.

Peter was struggling as a single father in a foreign country, unsettled by the sudden move away from a traditional job, and completely baffled by the society around him. His only plan: to ride L 'Etape du Tour, the challenging amateur leg of the Tour de France. In an effort to find some new friends in the community - and a bike for the race - he discovered the region's small bicycle factory.

He was soon spending his days there: photographing his custom bike being built, meeting the locals, and learning about the rich traditions of artisan craftsmanship. Trying to enjoy the simple things and become a better father, Peter slowed down and started to reflect seriously on history, industry and the structure of our modern economy. He and his daughters finally began to put down roots and understand the beauty and calm of a small-scale existence and a very different approach to excellence and the well-lived life.

This is one man's compelling, informative and funny story about the wisdom of children, the nature of work today and the science of bicycles.

©2019 Peter Holmes à Court (P)2020 Penguin Random House Australia

Insightful, touching, funny

Really loved this book. Peter is a smart, and indeed sensitive, guy. I loved the way the book follows what, on the face of it, is a simple story of his journey to a new and unknown country. But along the way tells a story of learning and discovery of the way we live and interact with each other.

Sad when the book came to an end..

I kept waiting for the something big and dramatic to happen but it never really did...because this turned out to be a book not about the dramatic but the meaningful... about the most important things there are: fatherhood, daughters, taking risks, meeting teachers, appreciating craftsmanship, drinking wine, valuing fraternity, embracing challenge, national pride...

A pleasant speaking voice combined with a relaxed, thoughtful writing voice, this book was a gentle, warm journey that made me proud to be a man and father. I grieved when the book ended.

Beautiful story, wonderfully narrated by the author himself!

You've heard this before - "It's not about the bike" - and that holds true here. It's more about the man, and his realization about what is important in life.
Peter has amazing observational skills, no doubt directly related to his vision for photography, and he is just as skillful and descriptive in his storytelling. He is honest about his feelings, foibles and shortcomings, making it easy to relate to the often comical situations that he finds himself in. His descriptions of the places and people are enchanting, making me wish I could go back with him some day to visit the Loire area where he spent this time with his daughters. I want see that custom bike that he had made, and ride alongside him as he recounts more memories of his life-changing time in France...