Major: A Black Athlete, a White Era, and the Fight to Be the World's Fastest Human Being

Balf presents this fascinating story of cyclist Major Taylor, Americas first African-American sports mega-celebrity and his quest to beat out his white, racist rival for the title of Fastest Man in the World. 18 b&w photos.

Review :
"Balf revels in the bicycle's bone-shaking evolution and the top-gun fraternity of daredevils who literally risked life and limb to race." --"Entertainment Weekly" "With "Major, "Todd Balf has given us an astonishing book about race and racing in Gilded Age America. This is literary sports writing at its finest. In the tradition of David Halberstam and Frank DeFord, Balf painst intimate portraits of young athletes at the top of their game- and takes us on an epic ride to a nearly forgotten world of sport." -Hampton Sides, author of "Blood and Thunder" and "Ghost Soldiers" "If a literary magician could somehow combine the longshot thrill of "Seabiscuit," the groundbreaking nobility of Jackie Robinson, and the dramatic flair of Babe Ruth, the result would be something close to this book. Major Taylor is perhaps the greatest American underdog story ever told; I couldn't put it down." -- Daniel Coyle, author of" Lance Armstrong's War" and "Hardball ""In "Major," Todd Balf has given us the true story of a fascinating, vanished sports world, and one of America's first, great black champions. It reads as fast and as beautifully as its heroes spin." -- Kevin Baker, author of "Paradise Alley" and "Dreamland" "With "Major, "Todd Balf has given us an astonishing book about race and racing in Gilded Age America. This is literary sports writing at its finest. In the tradition of David Halberstam and Frank DeFord, Balf painst intimate portraits of young athletes at the top of their game- and takes us on an epic ride to a nearly forgotten world of sport." -Hampton Sides, author of "Blood and Thunder" and "Ghost Soldiers" "If a literary magician could somehow combine the longshot thrill of "Seabiscuit," the groundbreaking nobility of Jackie Robinson, and the dramatic flair of Babe Ruth, the result would be something close to this book. Major Taylor is perhaps the greatest American underdog story ever told; I couldn't put it down." -- Daniel Coyle, author of" Lance Armstrong's War" and "Hardball ""In "Major," Todd Balf has given us the true story of a fascinating, vanished sports world, and one of America's first, great black champions. It reads as fast and as beautifully as its heroes spin." -- Kevin Baker, author of "Paradise Alley" and "Dreamland" "If a literary magician could somehow combine the longshot thrill of "Seabiscuit", the groundbreaking nobility of Jackie Robinson, and the dramatic flair of Babe Ruth, the result would be something close to this book. Major Taylor is perhaps the greatest American underdog story ever told; I couldn't put it down." -- Daniel Coyle, author of" Lance Armstrong's War" and "Hardball ""In "Major", Todd Balf has given us the true story of a fascinating, vanished sports world, and one of America's first, great black champions. It reads as fast and as beautifully as its heroes spin." -- Kevin Baker, author of "Paradise Alley" and "Dreamland"