It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life

This memoir by cyclist Lance Armstrong is a must read for all cancer survivors, but is particularly relevant for younger people with cancer. It gave me comfort, some laughs and a huge dose of inspiration. It helped boost my positive thinking in dealing with my own cancer and made me think “if he can overcome this, I can too!” The book also illustrates that although getting cancer is not something anyone would want, the results are that the experience often gives people a unique and beautiful perspective and appreciation for what life is all about. Although the book is very well written, the story does have a bit of a speed bump that is the background chapters. Chapters two and three are a documentation of the story of Armstrong's life up to the point when he finds out that he has testicular cancer. They took a bit of work for me to get through, especially since I knew nothing about cycling. But the background information is essential in understanding who Armstrong is and what obstacles he had overcome to get to that point in his life. The following chapters, which chronicle Armstrong's journey through diagnosis and treatment are poignant, especially for those of us who have been through it. I felt a certain connection with Armstrong as he described the difficulties of treatment, and his interactions with caregivers who play a crucial role for any cancer patient. Armstrong makes it a point to leave the moments of humor that he experiences in the story –something we all can use to help us cope. The rest of the book deals with Armstrong's physical and emotional journey back into cycling, a journey that was aided by the support of Armstrong's new wife, Kristin. These chapters are very detailed, and I didn't mind learning about cycling because it was worth it to get to the very exciting conclusion of the story. I found myself cheering for Armstrong as he proved to all those who said he couldn't do it that he is the best cyclist of our lifetime! And through all he has accomplished, Armstrong insists that the most important title he holds is that of “Cancer Survivor”. - Planet Cancer