RECOMMENDED READING
Increase Your Knowledge - Or Just Read For Fun!
Bicycling & The Law, Bob Mionske, JD; Velo Press, Boulder, CO, 2007- Subtitled "Your Rights as a Cyclist", Bob Mionske's book is a valuable tool for anyone who takes to the streets and
roads on two wheel. According to statistics, more than 9 million people in the US describe themselves as "active cyclists" — weekend
riders, off-road riders, commuters, and amateur and professional athletes. These 9 million face the daily hazards of commuting in
traffic, overenthusiastic dogs, faulty roads, harassment, road rage, and bicycle theft. This book was written for them.
Bicycling and the Law is designed to be the primary resource for cyclists faced with a legal question. It provides readers with information that can help them avoid many legal problems in the first place, and informs them of their rights, their responsibilities, and what steps to take if they do encounter a legal problem. This useful guide makes the law both entertaining and comprehensible, presenting an accurate and thorough explanation of the laws governing bicycles and the activity of bicycling.
Mr. Mionske gives a very thorough description of a number of cycling issues, supported with relevant legal statutes from a number of states, on such subjects as bicycle accidents, insurance, cyclist harrassment, bicycle theft, liability waivers and the defective products laws as they relate to cyclists.
Especially interesting to me was the subject of liability waivers. We've all signed them before a cycling event but how many of us really know exactly what rights we are signing away, if any. Read this book and find out. 
The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings, Jim Joyce, editor; Satya House Publications,
Hardwick, MA, 2007- Gianna Bellofatto, a friend of a friend, turned me on to Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings,
a collection of cycling stories, articles and cartoons, edited by Jim Joyce. I knew from Gianna that she was
contributing to this book and I was happy to read her articles and discover many new ones.
First, let me say that it is a relatively small book, 149 pages, but it is packed with interesting material. So interesting that, although small in size, I have not yet worked my way through all of it -- preferring instead to parcel it out in small doses to make it last longer!
I recommend this book to all of you, for yourselves or as a gift to a fellow cyclist. It's a celebration of the bicycle by people who love to ride, packed with original stories and illustrations from a talented group of writers and cartoonists. One cartoonist I was already familiar with was Bob Ladrew, whose work has always amused me in the monthly magazine of the Delaware Valley Bicycle Club.
Gianna's essay series, "Life is a Bike," is described in one review as ever clever, pleasantly quirky, and always an American original. I certainly agree and especially enjoyed "Romancing the Bike".
There are articles to satisfy the "gear heads" amongst us and a very interesting interview with Coach Chris Carmichael. There are also a number of articles I look forward to in anticipation, having not yet gotten to because, as I said above, I don't want the fun of reading it to end too soon.
The editor, Jim Joyce, is the founder and editor of the online magazine, The Bicycle Exchange ([...]), and also a contributor of articles to the book. He plans to donate fifteen percent of his royalties from this book, divided equally amongst the League of American Bicyclists, [...] (a program providing cycling tours for wounded soldiers) and the United States Association of Blind Athletes.
To me, this book sounds like an ideal gift. Buy one for yourself and one for a friend.