Sprinting Through No Man's Land

Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France

By: Adin Dobkin

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

The inspiring, heart-pumping true story of soldiers turned cyclists and the historic 1919 Tour de France that helped to restore a war-torn country and its people.

On June 29, 1919, one day after the Treaty of Versailles brought about the end of World War I, nearly seventy cyclists embarked on the thirteenth Tour de France. From Paris, the war-weary men rode down the western coast on a race that would trace the country’s border, through seaside towns and mountains to the ghostly western front. Traversing a cratered postwar landscape, the cyclists faced near-impossible odds and the psychological scars of war. Most of the athletes had arrived straight from the front, where so many fellow countrymen had suffered or died. The cyclists’ perseverance and tolerance for pain would be tested in a grueling, monthlong competition.

An inspiring true story of human endurance, Sprinting Through No Man’s Land explores how the cyclists united a country that had been torn apart by unprecedented desolation and tragedy. It shows how devastated countrymen and women can come together to celebrate the adventure of a lifetime and discover renewed fortitude, purpose, and national identity in the streets of their towns.

©2021 by Adin Dobkin. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Excellent account of the race.

I found the blending of the race with the local history of WW1 informative and entertaining.
Excellent reading of the book.

Inspiring

i enjoyed the audio version of this book. The print version , although the same book, seemed full of superfluous detail, something not noticable in the audio format.

Emotional and Inspiring

These were truly hard men (and women) in hard times. Well written and performed and worth listening to more than once. If you are a WW1 and Cycling enthusiast you will not be disappointed.

A Story of Hope, Perseverance, and Resilience

Dobkin draws the reader into the race and the land by describing the events of the race and the land it traversed in detail. He included stories of the war, the devastation of the land, and the riders troubles as the raced through the countryside.

As I read I pictured what the land must have looked like compared to what I see when I view the Tour every year. I also saw the devastation created by a war that had filled the land traversed.

If you like history or you like sport, this book is for you.

Compelling Story of Post WWI Tour de France

The author skillfully provides a narrative of the first post WWI Tour and how the Tour mirrors the struggles and enduring qualities that faced France, Europe and its people and land.

Well Worth It

Although the initial chapter dragged a bit as he introduced everyone, the pace picked up quickly and stayed pretty intense through the end. He went off on a few tangents here and there where I could not figure out how it tied into the actual story, but the tangents were quite interesting on their own. So I am calling “no harm, no foul.“ Even if you don’t like bicycling, the history, The drive, and the sacrifice of those cyclists is absolutely amazing.

A great ride thru history!

As an avid cyclist and TdF fan — as well as a lover of history — this looked like a can’t miss listen! Great, vivid storytelling throughout - I finished the book in two days and it would have been one if my schedule would have allowed. Loved the way the author linked the Tour route with war stories - just fantastic. Also - the narration by Shapiro was perfect! I’ve already recommended this book to several cycling friends - and they’ve already purchased!

Not much of a story

Reads like a bad documentary, no character development, disjointed story. Needs more background to help hold the story together.

So much mangled French

As this book takes place in France and many of its characters are French, there are a large number of French words in the text. It is jarring and distracting to hear so many of them mispronounced (even very common words such as "Marseille" and "Prince" are pronounced incorrectly). Selecting a narrator with some knowledge of French would have raised the quality of the title immeasurably.

Gladiators on wheels!

An incredible saga weaving the brutality of the first world war with the brutality of the conditions, rules and stage lengths of the 1919 TDF. Makes today’s tours look like a piece of cake!