This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Carine Engelbrecht for Readers' Favorite
Nigel Sainsbury's love affair with two-wheelers began at an early age. Long before he was street legal, he was already tinkering around with a motorized bicycle - learning to make it work and also testing its capabilities on the road with a mate as ballast. Soon he moved on to obtaining a riding license and owning his first store-bought vehicle. Over a period of roughly four decades, he would come to own 24 motorbikes, representing around ten different brands. One Down Four Up - My Bikes, My Life chronicles the ups and downs of this journey. It includes a few hair-raising moments on the road, two serious accidents, but also the exhilarating adventure of traveling along the iconic Route 66 and riding from Land's End to John O'Groats in aid of charity. With each bike, he discusses the motivation for ownership as well as the varying merits and mechanical quirks of each.
I feared that this book might be jargon rich and incomprehensible, but was pleasantly surprised when the author proved to be a good and patient explainer. I also found the brand histories filled with fascinating detail. One Down Four Up - My Bikes, My Life by Nigel Sainsbury is probably not for everyone, but for the right sort of reader - a motorcycle enthusiast with fork oil flowing through his veins, for instance - it will be a treat. New and would-be bikers might learn valuable lessons from his tips and caveats, many earned through bitter experience and spiced with humor to make it more palatable. It also offers an insightful glimpse into the logistics behind planning a long-distance trip or moving motorcycles across borders, and the overall impression balances inspiration with a reality check.
