A tale of split lives fused into one extraordinary story of adventure, laughter, tears and joy

A brilliant book, well-written, gripping, honest and very moving

Andy Cave's compelling autobiography is, like Joe Simpson's Touching the Void, a gripping book on mountaineering that will appeal even to those who didn't know they were interested in climbing ... Fascinating

Enthralling ... Cave's elegant writing draws on the congruence between mining and climbing, the black humour, the danger, the camaraderie ... Excellent

The story of Andy Cave's transition from Yorkshire coal miner into one of Britain's best climbers echoes the heroic tones of Don Whillans or Joe Brown ... Thoughtful and often gripping ... Cave explains what it actually feels like to climb the kind of exceptionally dangerous routes that the rest of us, climbers or not, find unimaginable. There are few other climbers with the writing skills to be able to pull this off. There are fewer still who have led such an interesting and varied life as Cave

The world champion who took a dangerous and inspiring stand for peace during the worst of the Troubles is reminding athletes everywhere what it really means to be a sporting role model ... McGuigan's autobiography is an account of courage and determination which transcends boxing

Just as music and musicians define the times in which we live; just as they give pure expression to significant moments in our individual lives, so too do the great athletes and their fortunes. In victory and in defeat, it requires something more than physical gifts and strength of will, it is a spiritual quality that connects them to us, their followers, and binds those followers to each other. Barry was one such as this; modest and compassionate in victory, courageous almost to his own destruction in defeat. His path led him always forwards and upwards and he carried us with him. The dove on his shorts was a symbol of the man, an exquisite paradox; the warrior and the peacemaker. He was an unlikely figure in the modern era when the mania of self-promotion has all but obliterated the dignity of sportsmanship in these islands, the McGuigan years are years we remember.

This sparky account of a walk from Dorset to Norfolk had this reader nodding about the "strikingly neurotic behaviour… that often lies beneath the English skin" in the characters of Wind in the Willows, applauding the recognition that "Empire didn't suit us. It brought out the bossy, inflexible, hierarchical side" and whooping at Thomson's use of tie and clipboard to enter the officially imposed sanctum sanctorum of Stonehenge.

Gently told, with rich humour and an enjoyable sense of inquiry.

The tale of the spectator Lemond-Hinault rivalry over the roads of the 'greatest ever' Tour de France in 1986 is hardly unknown for most cycling fan - and yet Moore magnificently offers a fresh perspective, bringing alive this supreme tussle by resorting to some vintage toilet humour... His book is a gripping read

[Moore] entertainingly unravels the complexities of the relationships within the peloton

One of Bike Radar’s favourite books of the past 12 months

Moore unearths a dazzling array of detail through interviews and anecdotes, telling a tale that holds suspense even for those who know the ultimate outcome of this epic battle. As racing books go, Moore’s book just might be “the greatest ever"

The measure of a great book is a great start.Richard Moore’s introductory anecdote in Slaying the Badger set a new standard in cycling literature