Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World

So these guys want to have an adventure. Great idea. Then they decide somebody else should pay for the trip, because god forbid they spend their own money. Then they decide a company should give them bikes to do the trip, because god forbid they use their own bikes. Then they take a support crew...

It has interesting parts about people they meet and such that kept me interested. However, I was lost on the whole "adventure" aspect because everything was laid out for them / paid for / provided by somebody else. All they really did was ride the bikes. I don't really see much of an adventure. I've been on greater adventures exploring the unknown within my own state. They rode a long way, but by no means was it an adventure or was it not almost entirely planned out by their assistants. I could have done with a little less of the whining about family or personality clashes and would have liked to see more talk about the actual trip itself.

If you are looking for a story about motorcycles, by real motorcycle guys, or about the challenges of a motorcycle ride around the world---This isn't it! It IS a story about a couple of pampered British Socialists who are riding bikes around the world on somebody else's dime. They have an entourage seeing to their every need--they don't even have to pick up their own bikes if they fall off. You won't be hearing anything much about their bikes (BMW's) or the ride itself, or about the nature of the countryside through which they are riding. What you will hear about is their activities in the evenings and whenever they aren't riding their bikes. From that standpoint their story is mildly interesting but I'm put off by their whining and worrying when, if fact, the major burdens of their trip are carried by others. This book is a more a study of the world as seen through the eyes of Hollywood type actors who just happen to ride motorcycles---a motorcycle adventure it is not.

This book is about a fully planned, fully prepped, fully sponsored long-distance bike trip with a movie star in tow. It is not like `Jupiter's Travels' or `One-Man Caravan', two excellent books about solo motorcycle travel...

I starting reading this book, hoping that by the end, Ewan and I would be 'friends' via his words and I would identify with his journey, as I am a solo motorcylist myself, having done a lot of long-distance touring. I found that his trip relates to me on virtually no levels.

Ewan and crew have local fixer, chase vehicles, and assistance every step of the way. There's no sense of danger or adventure. It's all a money making vehicle for them. All of the risk and spontaneity has been removed from their trip.

In the book, Ewan basically pees himself everytime he sees someone with a gun, as guns offend his narrow English sensibility. There's a lot of whispering and then they decide they need to leave there right away, as peril is imminent! Doesn't he realize in the real world, outside of the U.K., people use guns on a daily basis both as tools AND to defend themselves and their families.

And he does take basically any chance he can to speak down about America and what this country is about. He dedicates hundreds of pages to the rest of the world, but just a few about his 3,000 miles across the U.S. If you take Route 66 across the U.S., you can see things and meet people that would allow you to fill a 1,000 pages. He just dismisses the whole country as one big strip mall.

In short, this book is about a spoiled movie star, on a fully-prepped trip, basically riding a motorcycle with no sense of adventure or spontaneity. This book is for Ewan McGregor fans, not motorcyclists.

No offense to Ewan or Charley Boorman here, just giving my opinion.

Ewan and Charley barely get out of their driveway in England before they start blubbering about missing their wives and kids. Page after page of crying is insufferable and now leaves me with a poor opinion of these two chaps. Had their turned the bikes around right there and ended it, we would have been spared this self-indulgent tour of two spoiled rich kids. First, they take a small army of support crew to help them, then they bitch about them and argue with them the whole way. Second, they literally cry on most pages -- for their kids, their wives, for the kids again, and more for the wives. Both must be extremely whipped. Third, the book is terribly written; grammar is almost nonexistent and you get no sense of the adventure, just of "getting to the next town" as fast as they can because they have a deadline. Fourth, once they hit Alaska, they spend days in lush hotel rooms watching movies and ordering in. Fifth, it's a small point, but the book is misnamed -- they didn't take the "long way around" but effectively drove as quickly from point A to point B so they could get home to the wives.

Don't buy this. Buy a Glen Heggstad or Robert Edison Fulton or Ted Simon motorcycle adventure book instead and be grateful you didn't waste your time here.

Not being into bikes I was concerned with how much I'd get out of this. And admittedly some of the early part of the book where they are talking about the thrill of bikes etc did leave a little bored. But as the book went on the honesty of the way they present the trip and the way they focussed on the people did work its magic.

The book tells the tale of these two guys riding from London to Siberia, thence hopping over the America and finally winding up in New York. As such it is a mighty undertaking we are given the low down on how they funded it and the Faustian deal between getting the cash upfront for their trip and the inevitable downside of then having to do certain things for the camera that they'd rather not have done were it not part of the deal. This theme crops up again and again through the book and that is part of the honesty that I appreciated.

The early part of the book also contains discussion around what sort of bikes to take. This is not onerous for the non biker, jargon is largely avoided. Once preliminaries are taken care of the book then gets into the meat and potatoes of things - the guys hit the road and initially make brilliant time across the highways of western and central Europe. Things get interesting and far more unpredictable as they approach central Asia and in particular Kazakhstan and then Mongolia. Road conditions are abominable and at times it appears they are so bad that the trip will have to detour. The riders and crew - they are at pains to praise aspects of the crews input just as they are happy to bemoan their presence - persevere and get through this most undeveloped of nations. It becomes clear that this is not being played up for the reader, conditions really were pushing men and machine. (As an aside just how much positive press did BMW get from this book and TV show).

There are times when things aren't just about the bikes and the roads and the ride, we get regaled with tales of police corruption, shady mafia contacts, drunken truck drivers and there were inevitably some injuries and accidents along the way. There are a few 'staged for the camera' moments and it is clear that the lads disliked most of them though meeting orphans in Mongolia seems to have been a more genuinely affecting event.

The bulk of the book is taken up with the ride across central Asia given that was the trickiest and most adventurous part. Siberia comes a close second however due to the guys having to get their vehicles across rivers on the backs of passing trucks. The book doesn't make much of the crossing of America - there is some stuff where they muck about with Harleys and there is some family reunion stuff but basically one gets the impression that after the gut wrenching roads and travails of Mongolia and Siberia getting from one side of the American continent to the other was a walk in the park. Which it probably was.

All up this is a motorbike book that the non biker can read. There isn't a lot of discussion of local customs or history, the book is mostly focussed on their experiences and on the people they met and worked with. However the book does have a number of photographs in it that help bring parts of the trip alive in terms of scenery etc. Travel book fans should probably also give this book a look.

What an awesome book, recording an awesome experience. As a biker myself, I was attracted to the book just to read about a trip that is beyond my means and abilities, but the book ended up meaning much more than that to me. It showed me, yet again, that wherever you go in the world (And I've travelled a fair bit of it myself in my work as a seafarer !) people everywhere are just people like you and I, when you get past the religious, political and economic differences that can so often divide us. It also highlights the fact that people who make a living in the film industry are not necessarily unapproachable, self centred and addicted to adulation. They can be warm, human and prone to the same joys, fears and desires as the rest of us. In short, they are human beings who just happen to have a good job. This is not just a good read about a motor bike trip of a lifetime, it is a book that rekindles hope that the world, and its varied people, is a beautiful place after all, and not half as dangerous as some would have us believe. Whether you're a biker, an armchair traveller or just someone looking for an exciting and inspiring read, then this book is for you. I can't praise it highly enough.

What an awesome book, recording an awesome experience. As a biker myself, I was attracted to the book just to read about a trip that is beyond my means and abilities, but the book ended up meaning much more than that to me. It showed me, yet again, that wherever you go in the world (And I've travelled a fair bit of it myself in my work as a seafarer !) people everywhere are just people like you and I, when you get past the religious, political and economic differences that can so often divide us. It also highlights the fact that people who make a living in the film industry are not necessarily unapproachable, self centred and addicted to adulation. They can be warm, human and prone to the same joys, fears and desires as the rest of us. In short, they are human beings who just happen to have a good job. This is not just a good read about a motor bike trip of a lifetime, it is a book that rekindles hope that the world, and its varied people, is a beautiful place after all, and not half as dangerous as some would have us believe. Whether you're a biker, an armchair traveller or just someone looking for an exciting and inspiring read, then this book is for you. I can't praise it highly enough.

This book is a great read...and the movies/documentary regarding their trip was amazing. My family could not stop watching...all ages from 12 years old to 45 years old. My hubby can not wait to read this book, even the teenagers want a turn. The book/movie makes you fall in love with these two fellas and root for them, warts/whinning and all. Who knew traveling thru mud and dust could be so entertaining and funny. The people they met along the way welcome them into their lives. If you have ever traveled to a third world country you know this to be true...the people want a diversion from the normal and would give you the shirt off their back. Charlie and Ewen are great friends and make you want to be a part of their friendship. Seems like Ewen's wife was so jealous of their friendship and making memories that she had to tag along on the next trip but even that turned out to be a good thing/experience. I have and do recommend this book to all my friends and hope you will at least give it a try. Dont have high expectations of classic writing skills, but know that it was heart felt words and just be happy to asked to "come along for the ride" You will not regret it!!

In 2004, actor Ewan McGregor set out with his buddy (also an actor), Charlie Boorman, on two BMW touring bikes with the goal of traveling 19,000 miles, from London to New York, the "long way round." They travel across Europe, through the Russian Federation, across Asia, through the "'stans" and Mongolia, then catch a flight up to Alaska where they cross Canada and the U.S. It's quite an undertaking for two bikers with a moderate level of experience.

Some of their encounters in the former Soviet countries are pretty entertaining, specifically one where they're invited to a man's house for a feast, and after quite a bit of drinking, their host comes down the stairs with a guitar in one hand and an AK-47 in the other. By the time they reach many of the small towns, word of their journey has preceded them, which becomes helpful at times and frustrating at others. But by far, the most interesting part of the trip is eastern Asia, where paved roads give way to wide open land and many of the rivers are too deep to cross on bikes alone. Throughout this part of the journey, they're often forced to place their fate in the hands of locals who don't speak their language and have no stake in their journey, but are nonetheless happy to help.

As a piece of travel writing, this book has a lot going against it. It trades off between McGregor and Boorman in the narration, which gives some differing perspective, but neither is a great writer. As such, it sometimes feels like an amateur journal, and much of of the landscape isn't as vividly described as it probably could be. And because the trip was also covered in a documentary, there's a sizable support crew traveling with the riders, which bogs down the sense of adventure and at times reads more like a behind-the-scenes of a reality show. That and McGregor's celebrity add aspects to the book that aren't necessarily good or bad, just make it different from your typical travelogue. It feels more like a companion piece to the DVD. Frankly, though the book is sometimes enjoyable, I'd recommend the DVD.

This book captures what the show couldn't; the most intimate details, the true feelings of Ewan and Charlie, nothing made for tv. It reflects the experience of two mates riding around the world on their motorcycles in a way that the tv show couldn't. Ewan and Charlie reveal things that were omitted from the show, talk about events that stayed on the cutting room floor, let you see things that the cameras didn't capture. An excellent read.

I've just finished reading Long Way Round and have to say while I enjoyed the book I didn't feel that it added all that much to the DVD series of the same name. If someone felt in the DVDs that on occasion the sometimes snippy or petty comments between Ewan and Charlie were a bit boring then be prepared for a bit more of it in the book.

Don't get me wrong it is interesting and I have no doubt whatsoever the mental toll of a trip like this would be quite large. But I think it was Ewan who said early in the book how he was sick of the production team setting up staged shoots (like getting their portraits drawn on a bridge) and that the show would be more interesting if it focused on the actual trials and tribulations (such as Claudio not getting his license which could have thrown the trip).

In my opinion they should have taken their own advice in this regard - instead of whining about the production crew, or how someone hurt someone's feelings because they said the wrong thing at the wrong time - and focused on what must have been really happening. Such as getting stuck in rivers, thoughts of turning back, bikes breaking down etc. Maybe they thought if you get stuck in 30 rivers you only need to read about it once, and if that was the case I disagree. I want to read about every challenge, every obstacle and every person they met.

Sure there is an element of how the personal relationship is going and it has its place, but I honestly thought it just got a little too much air time in the book when there must have been much more interesting things to read about.

I've just finished reading Long Way Round and have to say while I enjoyed the book I didn't feel that it added all that much to the DVD series of the same name. If someone felt in the DVDs that on occasion the sometimes snippy or petty comments between Ewan and Charlie were a bit boring then be prepared for a bit more of it in the book.

Don't get me wrong it is interesting and I have no doubt whatsoever the mental toll of a trip like this would be quite large. But I think it was Ewan who said early in the book how he was sick of the production team setting up staged shoots (like getting their portraits drawn on a bridge) and that the show would be more interesting if it focused on the actual trials and tribulations (such as Claudio not getting his license which could have thrown the trip).

In my opinion they should have taken their own advice in this regard - instead of whining about the production crew, or how someone hurt someone's feelings because they said the wrong thing at the wrong time - and focused on what must have been really happening. Such as getting stuck in rivers, thoughts of turning back, bikes breaking down etc. Maybe they thought if you get stuck in 30 rivers you only need to read about it once, and if that was the case I disagree. I want to read about every challenge, every obstacle and every person they met.

Sure there is an element of how the personal relationship is going and it has its place, but I honestly thought it just got a little too much air time in the book when there must have been much more interesting things to read about.

I watched the entire series than read the book. So glad I did. You are reading about this amazing adventure that you can clearly picture in your mind but with the book they fill in all these detailed that did not make the series. It's like you are there with them step by step. I highly recommend the book and the documentary series as well as the 2 for Long Way Down.

Yes the adventurers are whining here BUT they are truly adventurers at heart going thru all the emotions that affect travellers in remote 3rd world developing countries. If they don't whine, then they are not human!! Probably cloned.

I felt very invigorated and at the same time experiencing their frustration after reading their journey. I admire their tireless effort in getting their bikes to move across whatever tarmac, stones, mud, water, or any mere semblance of a road to see them through their mission. If you had to do it, chances are most would give up. But, they persevered.

They are so UN-cool as actors, very grounded and very humbled when they meet common folk who generously helped them even without being asked. It simply restores faith in humanity and brotherhood.

Altogether, read it for the sheer pleasure of indulging in the spectacular landscape in Central Asia.

This is word-to-the-wise about compromise wrapped up in the clothes of a motorcycle travelogue. It's a great idea-McGregor gets an itch to ride around the world with his friend and fellow actor, Charley Boorman. Just the two of them on the open road, travelling incognito, meeting the locals, etc.

Unfortunately, like most dreams, this one didn't survive contact with the real world. Financial and professional contraints meant that the trip had to be planned and executed in an unrealistically small amount of time. They decided to pitch the trip as a potential television show in order to get financing and planning resources. This was probably neccesary in order to make the trip happen, but it drastically changed the nature of the journey.

Instead of two blokes on the road together, now the journey was two blokes and a cameraman with a large support crew behind them and fixers at every border to ease the problems with dealing with the locals, not to mention quite a bit of publicity preceding the blokes, so that "meeting the locals" oftentimes meant "media event." What evolves, then is that the book is less the story of this larkish journey than of the tension between the original vision of the trip and the reality of it.

Everyone gets on each other's nerves, of course. It doesn't help that the planning was extremely amateurish. It quickly becomes clear that the fixers and support crew were an blessing-they'd never have made it without them. McGregor and Boorman know quite a bit about riding bikes, but almost nothing about fixing them. Since both actors need to get back to work, they really don't have the time to linger in the places they're visiting. Their cross-continent journey is really more of a race, and a gruelling endurance race at that.

The authors alternate telling the tale, and their voices are distinct and their writing clear. You never really forget that you're reading the words of a couple of celebrities, but then again, most of us wouldn't have picked up the book without the famous names on the cover. Ewan, in particular, mentions his films on many occassions. He's an actor, sure, and that's what he knows, but it does make him seem less a "bloke" and more a "star."

I think it's fascinating and really refreshing that a couple of actors would take the time off for an adventure like this, even if the original vision of it was very little like the reality. It's a huge risk, both physically and career-wise, for these gentlemen, and I respect that enormously. My biggest gripe, I suppose, is that they didn't seem to have very much fun doing it. Between the compromises and the hard work work (often a result of naive planning), they seem to have had a very unpleasant time of it. It's an impressive accomplishment, biking around the world, even with a support crew and fixers and all, but I just wish they're been a little more joy in it.

I bought this book mainly because of the similarities to Michael Palin's travel books (famous Brit travels the world with a film crew), which I love, and also because I am a sucker for anything on adventure travel. I won't say that I was thrilled with the book, but I wasn't exactly dissappointed either. The writing can be cringingly amatuerish, but the scope and interest of the undertaking is almost enough to make up for it. And you certainly can't fault the writers for their hontesty; in spite of their less-than-adept prose talents (or perhaps because of them) you get a definite feel for them as people, the good and the bad. And they did see some pretty awesome stuff. Overall, I wouldn't put this book in the pantheon of great travel writings, but I will say that if you are susceptable to a bit of wanderlust, it will certainly get you in the mood to hit the road.

I normally do not bother writing opinions. You dont know me, my outlook, or how I relate to you.. so what is my opinion worth?

But after reading the slew of negative reviews I was enticed to add my .02. This 'review' will actually be more of a scathing critique of previous feedback than a true review of the book (which I do own and read), but the book review is in there.

If a person does any amount of online research, such as reading the description of this book before buying it, you will realize it is two fairly well known people taking a trip across a vast distance. Just this fact would inform most intelligent people that an A-List actor and a well-to-do buddy (d-list actor?) would not be loading up 2 mopeds and heading into the wilds without some support.

People get hung up on the description of around the world.

They said 'AROUND THE WORLD",

- not 'touching every continent',

- not 'around the world by equator

- not 'around the world by your definition.

They said they went around the world and they did. They took a route across the Northern Hemisphere that allowed them, with the exception of oceans, to travel by land around the world. They even made the choice to arrive farther west to the US than they needed to. They also chose not to stay strictly to the rail system from Eastern Russia through Manchuria.

You also need to accept they will have some sort of support, and accepting they will have some level of support, it was refreshing to see that it was really only 2 Chase vehicles and a Camera-Man also on a bike. The chase vehicles were not super-duper mega prepped uber-vehicles, they were pretty much off the shelf SUVs that also proved their worth in the environment that these travellers undertook. If anyone has watched even one or two episodes of the current crop of reality automotive shows (overhaulin, biker build off, monster garage, american chopper, etc.) on TV, you will notice that those single 1 hour shows have WAY more technical support that these two guys had. They have a bazillion cameras, chase vehicles, and often a helicopter to boot.... all in the US, on pavement, sometimes when it rains, but often they trailer them when it gets to that point.

So give these two guys some props. Amatuers with little true MC experience, 2 chase vehicles, and a camera man.

People complain about sponsored vehicles. Petty.

Sure, they are rich, but rich does not always = willing to throw my own money down when someone else will pay. Otherwise they would = poor. Would any poster here choose to NOT accept corporate sponsorship?

ANYONE, would accept free rides over some they had to pay for themselves. They just had the clout to get it done. And while they wanted KTM, BMW was nice enough to pony up.

People get tired of the whining in the book...

I found it refreshing. they did not excerpt only the glossy, happy go lucky, make me appear loveable to promote my marketability, parts. They presented themselves as they were; uncomfortable, tired, haggard, testy, and a wee-bit irritable at times. They presented themselves as people, not glamour queens.

(an aside.. while I hate the show, I like that Paris Hilton and Nicole Ricthey are willing to try something embarrassing in "The Simple Life"... they certainly dont need the money either)

And I guess lastly in terms of critiques, people keep commenting they thought it was going to be like (insert name of previous marathon adventure MC stories here). Well, it wasn't. I/We appreciate that you did not find it to be like what you thought it might be, but that is not the fault of the book. that is YOUR fault for making an incorrect assumption. Dont reduce your rating on the book because you were wrong.

ok.. so what do I think?

- I think it was a great, fun, read.

- It was not a grass roots book, but as another responder listed there are a number of other resources online and in print that I will chase down now that my adventure interest is piqued.

- It was not perfectly written, but that lends some credibility to the fact that it is 'their' story, not some market media mock-up to enhance their saleability.

- I am looking to get back into local touring and BMW did a good thing in risking their reputation with their bikes. I'll be considering them a lot harder despite their extra cost.

- I can not wait for the American DVD release.. I ALMOST am willing to order the UK version, but not quite.

* If you like reading about people taking on a challenge that 99% of the rest of the riders in the world would never even attempt, let alone accomplish (even with support), then pick up the book and enjoy their adventure.

* If you are a true 1%'r who will scoff at their nice new bikes, their support, and their complaining, then please save your money for your own adventure and come back to link to YOUR adventure so we can all read it as well.

(side note.... RoadRunner Magazine [ [...] ] is running a great storyline in their magazine about a couple who are solo'ing (supportless) around the southern hemisphere. It is also a great story to keep up on.)

This book was pretty good. I enjoyed it because it was about a motorcycle trip around the world. However, beause Ewan and Charlie are so privileged it was dificult to care about some of their problems. For, instance it was hard to sympathize for them when they were having difficulties getting someone to pay for the trip for them. Then after they get a movie deal to pay for the trip, they complain about how the movie production cramps their style. It really seems like they wanted their cake and wanted to eat it too. They could have just maned up and paid for it themselves, then they wouldn't have any problems of the support crew cramping their style. Similarly, when they had to cross a border, they had someone else take care of all the problems for them and were able to sit back and rest.

I did enjoy reading about some of the remote parts of the world and how they had to overcome some of the obstacles on their own. I think this book is worth reading, but I would reccomend getting it from the library.

I really enjoyed this! I liked how they shared the good and the bad of their trip. I was a bit worried that it was going to be about how "everything was wonderful" and I wondered if it was going to seem fake. However, that was not the case. It's amazing what they did and how they shared their concerns and thoughts about stopping/turning around/going home. The book also had good descriptions of places that many of us will never visit - Ukraine, Mongolia, Siberia...

When my husband first brought this book home, I was hooked on the premise. As a motorcyclist and someone who wishes for the time and means to travel around my state, let alone the world, I knew I'd have to read this one.

The book opens in Magadan, Siberia, the culmination of weeks of strenuous riding through some fairly wretched conditions. Ewan and Charley are exhausted, but relieved. As I started reading the book, I was very aware that its authors were celbrities. But in the vain of great buddy adventures, these two (and their support crew including the intrepid Claudio), became a couple of guys on a couple of bikes riding 20,000 miles around the world, give or take a mile here and there.

The stories along the way - even the difficulties in Khazakstan - were the real journey, not the trail itself. While the trail itself was a bit of a story for the sometimes muddy, sometimes gravelly, sometimes "where the heck is it" nature of their path.

But it was the people they met, the places they went and the scenes they saw that were the real journey. As the old biker saying goes, it's not the destination, it's the journey. Perhaps one of my favorites parts of the book included a stop where Ewan had a lengthy conversation with an old eastern european woman, and neither spoke the other's language.

By the time the two reach their final Eurasian destination, you forget that these are two guys of celbrity statues. It's no longer Obi-Wan and (for me) the son of the guy who made Zardoz. These are two blokes I could see myself taking a week long road trip by bike with.

Their adventures are sometimes harrowing, frequently entertaining, and always enlightening. The journey is presented in an easy to read, but still interesting format that left me wanting so much more.

Many people seem to want to attack Charlie and Ewan for being actors and for having money. How about the book?

I saw Long Way Round on Bravo and loved the episodes I saw. I missed about half. This book has been invaluable because it has filled in the blanks. There are many things that are discussed here that weren't filmed. What some people have seen as the writer's whining; I took as a revealing look at the real men behind the image- Warts and all. Charlie and Ewan took a facinating riding adventure from London to New York; and traveled through areas of Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia and The Far East. They were in places new to most Western travelers, after decades of cold war and geographic isolation. Mr. Borman and Mr. McGregor have written of their feelings and frustrations in the moment. An honest, unvarnished view of some facinating places in the world and how They saw them. I think They should be commended for not sugar-coating Their impressions from this journey. The book isn't PC mush, but it is revealing about the places they have been and how they got there. Check it out from Your library first; but keep an open mind. You will want to buy it after all.

having started to read through what appeared to be at first a travelers note-book, I thought that the only thing I would get of it was the fact that Charley boorman was a far better writer to Ewan McGrecor, leave alone the fact that the things he wrote about riding a bike shown a man of deep knowledge-especially the part of cornering in roundabouts in South London.

However after the first 100 pages you get a much clearer picture of the relationship betwin the two men and I have to admit that I had at some points rushed some pages in order to read Ewan's point of view on an incident or the other way around.

One of a kind! Especially because it comes from simple guys and not hardcore biker

Long Way Round chronicles the around-the-world motorcycle adventure of Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor. It's unlikely I'll ever do anything like that in my life, but the book gave me an idea of what it's like. Both of them are entertaining writers and it was a really inspiring book. A great tale of taking an adventure and making it a dream come true; of friendship; and of overcoming obstacles. A great companion to the dvd set.

I picked up this book from the local library with an open mind, not really sure what to expect. I think this is the key in reading a new book - other reviewers here (-ve posters) may have specific expectations, and failed to accept it for what it is.

I did not expect this book to move me in tears, nor do I expect a manual on adventure riding (or how to become a millionaire). I was just curious about what these 2 actors did, how they did it, and some ideas of what they had to endure along the way.

I find this book easy to read, entertaining, and most of all, it has motivated me to ride a motorcycle again after 20+ years. I am enchanted by it, and may just take up long distance touring eventually.

I got what I needed out of it.

This book captures what the show couldn't; the most intimate details, the true feelings of Ewan and Charlie, nothing made for tv. It reflects the experience of two mates riding around the world on their motorcycles in a way that the tv show couldn't. Ewan and Charlie reveal things that were omitted from the show, talk about events that stayed on the cutting room floor, let you see things that the cameras didn't capture. An excellent read.

It was a FABULOUS book to read!!! And having also purchased the DVD of the same experience, made it a FABULOUS combination!!! I hadn't actually intended to purchase the book as well, but it so happened and it made the whole experience, absolutely FABULOUS!!! I'd read the book, so far, then watch the DVD and so on, all the way through, to the EXTREMELY EXCITING end!!!

So I've just LOVED, the whole adventure and feel as though I know those two WONDERFUL guys and their families!!!

THANK YOU the store, for making this possible!!!!

Okay. I liked the BMW Adventure motorcycle and the book was a gift from a cousin who knows I ride long distance on a BMW. Let me put it this way -- was the book an easy read? Yes. Will I recommend that this book be read by others? Yes, but with these warnings.

First I was really sucked into the view of the former east block and the descriptions of the people. Until they reached USA and started describing the American Indian. Two actors living in fantasy seeing what they want to see. They did not research what the reality of situations and circumstances of people are, but rather perpetuated the movie star myths of how certain peoples are more noble than other groups. It made me doubt the authenticity of the entire trip when they got into the movie industry "bad white settlers taking the way of life away from the more noble Native Americans."

Second, I really grew tired of the constant whining of missing family. What did they expect? And the satellite phone made them as close as a call to get their fix. It added nothing to the book. Very self indulging and distracting. Save it for the letters home boys.

Third, the support crew was complained about, but never told to go home. Great security. I guess the biker in me said -- sarcasticly -- either accept there was a support crew there to help or send them home.

Still for someone that is a fan of these two actors, and I frankly am, I was impressed that they chose the right bike for the task, they planned as well as they did and did not give up. That they road those bikes whenever they could and did not weenie out impressed me. They stuck it out.

They had a dream and saw it through to the end. That was admirable. Too bad part of the dream was based in fantasy and not reality, but then again it is only a book.

Quick, easy read, but without much narrative beyond trying to keep a schedule and reflecting on personality clashes. Yes, these two did take time out of their busy acting careers to make the big trip, but it fell short for a number of reasons:

1. Very little reflection/observation about the trip.

2. Ever-present commentary on the group's personality clashes.

3. Spent the whole trip trying to keep a schedule and focusing on when they could get back home; they spent a lot of time missing their wives and kids (hey, that's great, but didn't they think about that before hand? - is there a lesson here?)

4. Two friends wanting to get away from it all but having the luxury of being well funded with a complete support/film crew; this takes much of the 'experience' out of travel.

5. Two friends wanting to see it through the eyes of lone travelers, and in search of 'interesting' experiences, but then begging for their support crew and tagalongs the minute things did get a bit interesting.

6. Limited camping/outdoors experience, mechanical competence, and utter lack of research on the route, history or customs of the places they sped though.

Nothing against these guys - I do a lot of extended traveling by motorcycle and am envious of being able to do such a trip, but it was a sponsored/corporate trip (complete with book and TV shows) made by a couple of actors who haven't seemed to have cut their teeth on much real travel or introspection beyond liking motorcycles. Again, an easy and at times entertaining read, but there are much better motorcycle travel books that will impress, inspire, motivate and captivate other than this one.

This book is amazing, telling such a great story adventure and emotion. Expected a book about motorcycling, ended up with so much more.

The book is written by Ewan and friend Charlie. Ewan is a much better writter, but its interesting to get contrasting views back to back. Makes one believe anything is possible. Well worth the time and money, just need to find where I can buy the DVDs now!

Unfortunately, this book is badly written, that's all there is to it.

It's not about Mr. McGregor's whining or Mr. Boorman's fits, it's just that the whole thing is badly written. And it's difficult to try and finish the whole book because of that. Perhaps their co-writer should have tried to edit this a bit better or at least put some patina of style and syntax to it. Unfortunately, it comes off as rambling and boring. Which I am sure their trip wasn't.

If you want a travel book with an accompanying t.v. series written by a famous person, with a huge support crew, buy Michael Palin's books instead.

I started to read this but the constant whining in the first few chapters really put me off. I love riding long distance and would love to ride around the world some day. I was hoping to live this fantasy out through this book but I never once felt connected to them. They even started out the book by pretending that they were just normal family men trying to make ends meet when they are anything but that.

I would loved to hear more about their riding experiences or the bikes but we only heard snippets of it between them complaining about missing their families or the camera crew.

Having enjoyed the show on television I was a little apprehensive about getting the book. I assumed that these two thespians, as talented as they are in their field, were most likely going to be terrible writers. As you can see by my rating on the book, I was very pleasantly surprised.

adventure travel to expctic places has always facinated me. This book is a diary written by two men wh took an adventure tour. The descriptions of the landscape and the people they meet are intriguing. The expression of the feelings they experienced gives some idea of what it might be like to take on such an adventure. I highly reccommend this book it is entertaining and facinating.

An excellent tale about a long motorcycle trip. Must read for bikers and those who wish they were. If you ever wanted to take a long trip off the beaten path, this book will either push in the right direction, or keep you on the sofa.

If you're impressed by adventure, this book is fabulous. It's a great read because it's incredibly honest.
Charley and Ewan fulfill a dream with this trip and they are aware of it through out, even when it seemed impossible to continue.
It's a great ride.

This was an excellent book and a great companion to the DVD series. The book gives great insight to the scenes shown on the DVD and the DVD helps the reader picture the experiences described in the book. You will go from book to DVD back to book over and over!

With the Bravo show premiering last week, I just had to go and get this book. I mean, c'mon, it's Ewan!! And Charley seems like a real sweetheart as well. The book is interesting and has made me want to go out and do something exciting (don't think I can really ride a bike for that long of a trip, though). I am in the middle of the book and it's so nice to see two Hollywood folk dive into other cultures and experience the things I only dream about. This is a must have if you ever dream of traveling and living a nomad's life.

So you two guys want to ride motorcycles around the world to find Real Adventure and Deep Inner Satisfaction. You're successful movie actors -- presumably with a lot of money. So what's the first thing you do? That's right, you find someone else to pay for the whole thing. You get BMW to give you the bikes and you finance it all by lining up producers to make a television documentary of the journey. You bravely set out on this True Adventure with an entourage of several people and two support vehicles.

Then you spend the whole trip bitching and moaning about the documentary staff being along, while simultaneously throwing Hollywood-style temper tantrums, having nervous hissy fits, screaming at the help and generally acting like spoiled three year olds. You cry a few crocodile tears at your set-up visit with Chernobyl orphans and reflect to yourself about how all this has further ennobled you and made you even more gosh darn sensitive and caring and all that stuff.

You have somebody called Robert Uhlig put together a book for you, but you use enough of your own words so that your preening, self-indulgent, paranoid personalities come out -- or maybe Mr. Uhlig just knows you well enough to write what you really think and could afford to be honest about it, knowing neither of you would ever sit still long enough actually to read the book.

You probably end the trip fighting over how to share out the money from the book and the documentary. If that's in the book, though, I didn't see it, because I chucked it across the room into the wastebasket at Page 137.

That's what you do if you are Ewan McGregor and Carley Borman.

Most of the words are spelled right and the grammar is pretty good. There are some color photographs, but they aren't particularly interesting.

This was a complete dissapointment! i am addicted to travel, i love bikes and i even liked ewen mcgregor before this. i had easy rider aspirations set aside for this book, but gave up on page 105, after not being able to tolerate any more of these two moaning gits whingeing and their unadventurous outlook towards travel.

The fact that they employed an office load of people to look after them, had state of the art gear, GPS, had contact with officials along their route as well as an accompanying team of doctor, mechanic, cameraman and producers, kind of detracts slightly from any form of real experience. This would not be the case if they had set out to make a documentary about the cultures and people of the countries they visit, however they are too consumed with themselves and their petty quarrels to really engage the reader in any sense of travel.

This was one of the worst books i have ever read! just dont bother with it. ultimately it is just a banal account of two actors on bikes, written without creativity or flair, and ewen mcgregor just keeps goin on about his stupid i-pod!

As an englishman, i would appreciate it if any foreigners would refrain from judging me and my fellow countrymen by these pampered, self obsessed, drab faux-adventurers.