What goes around.... Emily Chappell's book about cycle couriering

[deptfordmarmoset]

I was vaguely watching BBC News when Nick Higham had his ''Meet the Author'' spot this evening. Pretty soon the talk moved onto explaining what a ''fixie'' was and various other bits of cycling and courier paraphernalia. I'd come across Chappell's name last summer when she took part in the Transcontinental 2015 but I didn't make the connection. She was on the programme to talk about her book, What Goes Around - A London Cycle Courier's Story, and she'll be doing a bit of a publicity round. The dates copied from her blog are as follows:

• Pro Women’s Cycling – podcast interview.
• Robert Elms. BBC Radio London, 10.00, Wednesday 6th January. (Also available on iPlayer. Starts 36 minutes in.)
• Meet The Author with Nick Higham. BBC News Channel, 19.45, Thursday 7th January and Sunday 10th January. (Also available on iPlayer.)
• Guardian Books Podcast. (Details to come.)
• Woman’s Hour. BBC Radio 4, 10.00, Monday 11th January. (Also available on iPlayer.)

I'll be back to post iPlayer links in a while. Meanwhile, well worth listening to if you get a chance. Blog address: http://thatemilychappell.com/

EDIT: Higham interview - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06vrkqf

 

[glenn forger]

The blog's a great read:

Marion had posted a picture of me, sitting in the van with my malt loaf, and I was surprised, as I sometimes am after a difficult period on the bike, to see that I looked very much like the self I’ve always been; that there’s little external evidence of the extremities to which I’ve dived on the inside.

All of a sudden, sitting in that sunny cafe, surrounded by chattering French families and old men in lycra, I found I was back on the mountain in the dark. Except that now the whole experience was revolutionised, because all around me in the darkness, floating just out of sight, were dozens of people watching me, willing me on, wishing me well – just like Sarah’s invisible peleton; just like the imaginary cyclist whose hand (in the form of a tailwind) occasionally rested against the small of my back, boosting me gently upwards. I had attempted to haul my exhausted self up the mountain by calling on the strength and support of stronger people and, although I was unaware of it at the time, it had been there all along.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The blog's a great read:

It is, isn't it? The Radio London interview with Elms is well worth listening too. The Higham interview on BBC News made him look very uncomfortable having to talk to a reckless cylclist while Chappell did very well and didn't cast a despairing look towards the skies once on camera.

 

[robgul]

Some years ago Emily was a very regular poster over on yacf - taking part in a number of the Forum rides.

Rob

 

[united4ever]

really enjoyed the radio london one especially. I am interested in this, not as a serious prospect for me, but in a general sense.....can see it would be a very interesting life for a while. In the 'Meet the author' interview she says she could crack 250 miles in a day - that's hardcore. Anyway, anyone read the book? spare copy going? might have to get on amazon and buy it.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

really enjoyed the radio london one especially. I am interested in this, not as a serious prospect for me, but in a general sense.....can see it would be a very interesting life for a while. In the 'Meet the author' interview she says she could crack 250 miles in a day - that's hardcore. Anyway, anyone read the book? spare copy going? might have to get on amazon and buy it.

I'm tempted to buy it, despite having developed a strange aversion to reading books. Try via Guardian Bookshop - her blog says they're offering a 30% discount on it (£4 off) at the moment.

 

[robjh]

Emily Chappell is giving a talk in Cambridge on Monday 8th February - might be interesting if you're in the area

on FB at https://www.facebook.com/CambridgeUniversityExpeditionsSociety/

 

[Fab Foodie]

It's a great book, especially for those like me that enjoy the London cycling experience. It's also a homage to the city and those who work in it.