As you may have noticed, Le Grand Tour on a Bike Called Wanda will be published on May 1st. It’s always a slightly worrying moment as your baby is let loose into the at-times-unforgiving world of literary criticism. I can only hope there are more reviews similar to the one that has just been published on Brian Palmer’s Washing Machine Post website. Brian’s full review can be read by following link below. Here is an extract.

“This sixty three day bike ride… is eloquently described in a manner that convinces the reader that they too, are along for the ride… The book rarely, if ever, descends into repetition. How easy it would have been to simply record “got up, rode 100km, setup camp, slept. repeat.” Mr Sykes is, however, a great deal more erudite than that… I believe at least a part of my enjoyment of Le Grand Tour [on] a Bike Called Wanda… is the literary nature of its narrative. I cannot deny that I delighted every bit as much from the description of the journey as of the journey itself… That, I believe, not only marks the quality of a good book, but has become a defining part of the genre. Anybody… can ride a bike through a variety of different countries, but if it is not related in language of impressive quality, it didn’t happen… Two months’ worth of daily cycling through several european countries post Brexit, covering 5,500km, is no small undertaking. Add in the knowledge that [this] teacher has to be back at school by Monday 5 September, and there is both intrigue and expectation added to the mix. We know that he made it back to his starting point, but did Andrew return to the staff room in time to say “bonjour” at the beginning of term? For a well-spent £15, you can find out on 1 May 2024.“

(Read the full review by fiollowing the link below.)

Brian Palmer, The Washing Machine Post

The book will be published on May 1st and the paperback via Amazon will cost £12.99. The eBook will be available on Amazon and Apple Books. It can be pre-ordered and is priced at just £5.99. The ‘well-spent £15’ that Brian refers to will get you a copy signed by the author. You can get one of those by following the PayPal link below:

Le Grand Tour on a Bike called Wanda (signed copy)

£15.00