Until 1894 there were no female sport stars, no product endorsement deals, and no young mothers with the chutzpah to circle the globe on a bicycle. Annie Kopchovsky changed all of that.
Annie was a Jewish immigrant and working mother of three living in a Boston tenement with her husband, a peddler. This was as close to the American dream as she was likely to get—until she became part of what one newspaper called "one of the most novel wagers ever made": a high-stakes bet between two wealthy merchants that a woman could not ride around the world on a bicycle, as Thomas Stevens had a few years before. Annie rose to the challenge, pledging to finish her fifteen-month trip with a staggering $5,000 earned by selling advertising space on her bike and her clothing, making personal appearances in stores and at bicycle races, and lecturing about her adventures along the way. When the Londonderry Lithia Springs Water Company of New Hampshire offered to become the first of her many sponsors, Annie Kopchovsky became Annie Londonderry, and a legend was born. So began one of the greatest escapades—and publicity stunts—of the Victorian Age.
In this marvelously written book, author Peter Zheutlin vividly recounts the story of the audacious woman who turned every Victorian notion of female propriety on its ear. When Annie left Boston in June 1894, she was a brash young lady with a 42-pound bicycle, a revolver, a change of underwear, and a dream of freedom. The epic journey that followed—from a frigid ride through France to an encounter with outlaw John Wesley Hardin in El Paso—took the connection between athletics and commercialism to dizzying new heights and turned Annie into a symbol of sexual equality.
A beguiling true story of a bold spirit who reinvented herself against all odds, Around the World on Two Wheels blends social history and high adventure into an unforgettable portrait of courage, imagination, and tenacity.
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"Admirable oman and I love how much information the biographer had upon his subject. I wanted to go too. But there were times I was right beside her. Thanks to the thorough writing."
— Carolyn (5 out of 5 stars)
“Peter Zheutlin’s thoroughly researched account will make you wish you’d been around to catch a glimpse of the extraordinary woman as she went wheeling by.”
— Bill Littlefield, NPR“A pleasant, affectionate portrait of a free spirit who pedaled her way out of Victorian constraints.”
— Kirkus Reviews“A wonderful telling of one of the most intriguing, offbeat, and until now, lost chapters in the history of cycling.”
— David Herlihy, author of Bicycle: The History" I am clearly on a bicycle kick. This entertaining family memoir is about "Annie Londonderry" who left a husband and three children in Boston and "rode" around the world on a bicycle in 1894. This enterprising young woman managed, alone and quite unaided, to make it around the world and begin advertising promotion of women's sports. The afterword is not to be missed, as it is a family history in itself. "
— Jacqueline, 2/16/2014" This book was not an easy read with detailed descriptions and some repetition of the same events. However, I learned a lot about women's lives and social mores during the 1890's and a little about the history of bicycling to boot! I came to admire Annie for her independent and strong spirit in spite of her tendency to tell tall tales about her so-called trip around the world on a bicycle. Amusing. Thought provoking. It will make you grateful that you didn't live in the 1890's! "
— Cindy, 2/15/2014" This book is a true story about a young woman in the late 1800's. Her goal was to make it around the world on bicycle in only 15 months. She was a strong woman and persevered. I liked the book, but it was a little slow to read. "
— Clara, 2/6/2014" interesting to a point -- the basic idea of a woman riding her bike around the world way back at the turn of the century was intriguing. But the author writes like he is writing a dissertation -- way too caught up in documentation--the point is that we know Annie *exaggerated* (a lot) and that it is impossible to know much of what actually happened--but it's still a great story, and should have been told as such. It would have been a better read if the author simply said once or twice, hey, we don't know what really happened, but... "
— Theresa, 2/2/2014" I thought this was a great read. The book was well-researched and fascinating. "
— Gail, 1/12/2014" Tells about Annie Londonderry's bike ride around the world in 1894-95. Had some interesting thoughts about women's rights but didn't draw me in completely and it was hard to completely like Annie since she was a bit of a fraud "
— Karen, 12/11/2013" Awful book, repetitive and chopping writing. The whole thing was fake and she was a fraud and a terrible mother. Couldn't finish. Enough said? "
— Jill, 11/16/2013" Very interesting read. It was wonderful to read about a woman who apparently was world-famous in the mid-1890s but is virtually unknown today. What a tragedy. "
— Sophie, 9/5/2013" Wonderful story, but very poorly written and not interesting enough to hold my attention. Boring. "
— Shari, 7/15/2013" Interesting person. Good audio about women's rights and the bicycle. "
— Karen, 5/23/2013" The amount of research done was amazing. "
— Michael, 1/31/2013" A great bicycle story of the early days (1894) She was a clever, self promoter who rode around the world her way. This is a true story...or as much as her decendent could research from the press in the mutiple cities and countries where she visited n her incredible journey. "
— Patricia, 12/5/2012" I wish there was a 2.5. Ok book, interesting. "
— Natalie, 10/15/2012" I had an opportunity to hear the author talk about this book, at our library. His story was fascinating and the book very interesting. Great lesson in how important family is! "
— Maryellen, 8/7/2012" Interesting story. Great to read about a pioneering woman and a bicycle trip. The writing was good but not one of those stories that had me not wanting to put the book down. Glad to know about this gutsy dame! "
— Margaret, 12/25/2011" I wanted to like this book, but the writer spends to much time reminding us that Annie Londonderry was a compulsive lair that it just ruins the story. "
— Jeffrey, 12/3/2011" Interesting true account of a Victorian woman who rides her bike around the world "
— Lolly, 9/3/2011" Rather disjointed book "
— Donna, 2/16/2011" This was a fun book to read, indeed! I do recommend it if you're into bicycling, women's liberation and history. "
— Jodi, 1/20/2011" I wish there was a 2.5. Ok book, interesting. "
— Natalie, 1/12/2011" Wonderful story, but very poorly written and not interesting enough to hold my attention. Boring. "
— Shari, 11/10/2010" The amount of research done was amazing. "
— Michael, 9/8/2010" Interesting person. Good audio about women's rights and the bicycle. "
— Karen, 7/10/2010" A true story about a young married woman who in 1894 took up the challenge to ride a bike round the world in 1 year. The first half of the book is engrossing but it begins to wear thin after that. "
— Tinytextiles, 1/19/2009" What a hoot! I would love to have as much chutzpah as Annie did. An account by Annie Lodonderry's great grandnephew of her around the world trip from 1894-95. A must read. "
— Cindy, 8/5/2008" Tells about Annie Londonderry's bike ride around the world in 1894-95. Had some interesting thoughts about women's rights but didn't draw me in completely and it was hard to completely like Annie since she was a bit of a fraud <br/> "
— Karen, 8/4/2008" Interesting true account of a Victorian woman who rides her bike around the world "
— Lolly, 5/24/2008" I thought this was a great read. The book was well-researched and fascinating. "
— Gail, 5/20/2008" This book is a true story about a young woman in the late 1800's. Her goal was to make it around the world on bicycle in only 15 months. She was a strong woman and persevered. I liked the book, but it was a little slow to read. "
— Clara, 4/5/2008Peter Zheutlin has been chasing the story of his great-grandaunt Annie Londonderry for more than four years. He is an avid cyclist and a freelance journalist whose work appears regularly in the Boston Globe and the Christian Science Monitor. He has also written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, AARP: The Magazine, Bicycling, the New England Quarterly, and other publications. He lives in Needham, Massachusetts.
Barrett Whitener has been narrating audiobooks since 1992. His recordings have won several awards, including the prestigious Audie Award and numerous Earphones Awards. AudioFile magazine has named him one of the Best Voices of the Century.