Lifestyle, Nostalgia & Memoirs

Bicyclists were among the first to see the possibilities of self-directed, long-distance travel, and some of them (including a fellow named Henry Ford) went on to develop the automobile. Women shed their cumbersome Victorian dresses—as well as their restricted gender roles—so they could ride. And doctors recognized that aerobic exercise actually benefits the body, which helped to modernize medicine. The bicycle’s story is really the story of a more mobile America—one in which physical mobility has opened wider horizons of thought and new opportunities for people in all avenues of life. By Margaret Guroff. Softbound, 8.5”x5.5”, 295 pp., b&w illus.

Motorcycle dispatches from the early twentieth century about of five courageous women who paved the way for women adventurers everywhere by packing their motorcycles with tents, tools and tenacity and setting out on cross-country routes to prove that women are strong, capable and fearless. Incredible stories of daring young women who overcame horrible road conditions, unrelenting weather, hard-to-find fuel, flat tires and roadside repairs on an ultimate quest of discovery and two wheel adventure. By William Murphy. Softbound, 6"×9", 208 pp., b/w illus.

At once an overview of motorcycling’s history and culture as well as riding recollections of the author, The Perfect Vehicle is an engrossing and entertaining book. Poetic, intelligent prose unwinds like a good road. A wonderful, insightful book and difficult to put down. By Melissa Holbrook Pierson. Softbound, 6.25” x 8.5”, 240 pp., 32 b/w illus.