BOOK REVIEWS
Historical
The Race Against The Stasi
Herbie Sykes
We Rate:
BOOK SYNOPSIS
When the Iron Curtain descended across Europe Dieter Wiedemann was a hero of East German sport. A podium finisher at the mythical Peace Race he became a symbol of socialism's superiority over the 'fascist' West.
in 1964 he was delegated to West Germany to ride an Olympic qualifier. Instead, he committed the most treacherous of all crimes against socialism. Dieter Wiedemann, sporting icon and Soviet pawn, defected. He would fulfil his lifetime ambition of riding the Tour de France but with horrific unthinkable consequences for himself and the family he left behind.
Twenty-Five years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, Dieter Wiedemann decided it was time to tell his story. Through his testimony and through the Stasi file which stalked him for half a century, Herbie Sykes uncovers an astonishing tale. It is one of love and betrayal, of the madness at the heart of the Cold War and of the greatest bike race in history.
OUR REVIEW
This story is a great read and a fascinating subject but sadly its flow is one aspect that is a drawback and hot it is structured and told leads to confusion and having to go over parts to understand where the story is heading.
Once you can do all of that, the subject matter is really interesting and a story that arcs back to the communist regimes and allows you to understand both why it was seen as oppressive but also why so much success came to these countries that lived under communist rule with an iron fist firmly pressed on athletes.
The book has been written very much like an academic process with lots of really good research and excellent primary and secondary sources. As always in any book of this nature, the personal and family element always adds to the story and knowing what sacrifices had to be made, makes the story that little bit more personal.
Its success as a book will know doubt come from the interest the story will generate, particularly to cycling fans but also to those that like their history. Had the book been structured better to allow for the story to flow, it would no doubt have ranked higher.
However, don't just take our word for it, give it a read and let us know what you think too!
