Sticky Buns Across America: Back-Roads Biking from Sea to Shining Sea

By: Léo Woodland

Narrated by: Nathan William Heller

Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Sticky Buns Across America is the story of one of the four continents and one of the countries Woodland has crossed by bike, this time with patient wife Steph: a tale of riding across small-town America (and occasional bits of Canada, although to Americans that doesn't count).

It's not a tale of heroic battling with storms, riots, poison ivy, Americans, and other problems. Instead, sit back and enjoy an eccentric account of encounters made and experiences lived. Plus, it has to be admitted, a lot of sticky buns eaten.

About the author: Leo Woodland is a tall and balding man who has long annoyed many by not sitting still. Or, indeed, pleased even more by not staying in one place for too long.

So far the tally by bike is 28 countries on four continents.

Mr. Woodland has been writing about cycling since 1965, when he wrote his first reports for the British publication Cycling. Since then he has been a prolific contributor to newspapers, magazines, and radio stations in the U.K, the U.S., and Belgium. Many of his fans know him better as Les Woodland. Sticky Buns Across America is Mr. Woodland's 26th book.

©2012 Les Woodland (P)2014 Les Woodland

America from a European bicyclist's perspective

What did you like best about Sticky Buns Across America: Back-Roads Biking from Sea to Shining Sea? What did you like least?

I found the author's observations about America to be mostly fair, if not always complimentary. The story was at its best when he was describing individuals met along the road.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The story was at its weakest as the author tried to describe the collective culture he encountered, an activity which he spent way too much time at. His girlfriend accompanied him, but barely merited a footnote. More human interaction, especially a recurring character like his only companion, would have made the story more interesting. Occasionally his line of thought jumped around so it was not clear that the discussion was blending stories from a previous trip into the current one.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator spoke with an irregular pace that was hard to understand. After a few hours of listening, it became easier to follow, but really, is there any reason why the narrator needed to sound like Igor from an old Frankenstein movie?

Was Sticky Buns Across America: Back-Roads Biking from Sea to Shining Sea worth the listening time?

Probably more interesting to a European visiting the U.S. for the first time, than to an American.