Beryl - Winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2022: In Search by Jeremy Wilson

Beryl by Jeremy Wilson

£10.99

Bookseller review by Diane:

What a woman! Although I have a passing interest in modern road racing I’m sad to say I’d never heard of Beryl Burton and her phenomenal cycling achievements. She wasn’t always nice… but in the modern world of arguably overpaid, sometimes drug enhanced, celebrity sportspeople, whose every performance is aided by the latest scientific research, she is an absolute breath of fresh air. She beat the top men at a time when women’s cycle racing was barely tolerated, whilst also working on a rhubarb farm and being a traditional housewife. Even though sport isn’t really my thing this is fascinating account of a woman who because of the time she was in had to be so much tougher and more determined than men had to be.

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ISBN: 9781788162937 Category: Tags: , , ,

Description

Winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2022THE TIMES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST SPORTS BOOK OF 2022A WATERSTONES BEST SPORTS BOOK OF 2022’A marvellous book’ Maxine PeakeCyclist Beryl Burton dominated her sport much as her male contemporary Eddy Merckx, with a longevity that surpasses sporting legends like Muhammad Ali and Serena Williams. Practically invincible in time trials, Burton – also known as BB – finished as Best All-Rounder for 25 years and broke the record for the ’12-hour’ endurance race; an achievement unrivalled to this day. She won multiple world titles, but her achievements were limited by discrimination from the cycling authorities.

Yet she carried on winning, beating men and – infamously – competing against her own daughter, whilst working full-time on a Yorkshire farm and running a household. With previously unseen material and through extensive interviews with family, friends, rivals and fellow sporting giants, Jeremy Wilson peels back the layers to reveal one of the most overlooked, yet compelling characters in cycling history.

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