Bicycle Dairies is a scattered interpretation of the worlds cities seen by the perspective of a bicycle rider written by David Byrne. Many people know Mr Byrne from his days as the front man of the band Talking Heads. David Byrne has actually never stopped creating whether it be directing the quirky comedy True Stories, creating installation art, or designing a group of bicycle racks around New York City. What the Bicycle Dairies tries to convey is that one of the modes for inspiration and discovery David Byrne has used throughout his life is simple bicycle riding. His ability to create relevant Art has been sometimes based on interpretations of people and cultures by the leveling and friendly stealth of a folding bike. The book has a lot of insightful critique and observations on people, history, political context, and mixing of the for mentioned, to the changing way people live in cities and towns around the world. The sometimes strange and weird places that might get looked over through the window of an automobile get brought to full attention and gives an interesting read. Reading will make you want to take a bike ride around your own neighborhood, town, city, or countryside with a fresh and inquisitive look. Interpretations of Berlin during the Eighties, The Philippine City Manila, London, Sydney, Istanbul and other Cities by bicycle may seem like a stretch but it fits perfectly as a kind of explanation of David Byrne himself. How something that is weird seems so familiar and how something familiar seems so weird has been a theme throughout David Brynes musical and artistic career. It makes sense that a bicycle would be the key to making so many connections. Musings on subjects like the similarities of third world markets throughout cultures and collective unconscious, and the popularity of square metal buildings in conjunction with suburban development and modern self worth, bring a kind of non biased observation into a philosophical space. The Bicycle Dairies is an all round fun book it’s nice to think that it was done by biking.
While modern times seem uncharted with different labels and seemingly more complex descriptions and analysis of what is really happening, classics are always classics. The reasons for this phenomenon is possibly because they use emotions and sentiment that always seem to cycle with the human experience. As the so called economic slow down has effected the global economy Neorealism has again come into vogue. While the block buster hits like Slum Dog millionaire make actual million dollar ticket sales and other popular movies like the Oregon based Wendy and Lucy get critical acclaim the American movie audience has again recycled it’s affection for this type of film. The real heavy hitter in this category is The Bicycle Thief written and directed by Italian Vittorio De Sica. The classic film is considered one of the greatest films of all time. All cyclists should enjoy the scenes of post war Italy with it’s people wandering around in swarms of bicycles. But the true feeling of the film is more about the struggle for something to hold onto. The actual bicycle theft in Ladri Di Biciclette is just a simple protagonist but don’t let that stop you from watching the film. Being a cyclist only makes Ladri Di Biciclette better.
