Coffee First, Then the World
One Woman's Record-Breaking Pedal Around the Planet
Jenny Graham, who broke records when she circumnavigated the globe by bicycle, shares her story of courage and resilience in Coffee First, Then the World.
One of Graham’s strongest childhood memories is of learning to ride a bicycle in Inverness, Scotland. And her fascination with record-breakers fueled her dream of having “a massive cycling adventure” and making Guinness World Records. Though her path was strewn with obstacles, synchronicity and helpful family members, friends, and sponsors finally made her trip possible.
Graham’s challenge took her across 18,000 miles, four continents, and sixteen countries. She carried all that she needed with her. She came to believe that the fifteen-hour rides were the easy part. Her book recalls relentless, face-disfiguring mosquitoes; roadsides dotted with shrines to traffic deaths; bone-jarring pavement and times she had to push her bike; life-threatening storms; freezing cold; blistering heat; an ant infestation in her food supplies; and having to sleep rough or find shelter in filthy restrooms or sheds. She went two months without washing her clothes and suffered a serious case of foot rot. When illness struck, poor food and little rest hindered her recovery. She learned to take “micro-naps” while riding. Graham took her strength and resilience to their absolute limits, then pushed them a little more.
Variously celebrating the generosity of the people whom she met and recalling being turned away from shelter during stormy nights in a well-off country, the book champions the friends who cheered Graham on her way. It includes details of awe-inspiring landscapes and heart-stopping storms and meditates, with conviction, on the importance of simplicity.
Coffee First, Then the World is an inspiring memoir about fulfilling a childhood dream and becoming a record-breaking, round-the-world-cyclist.
Reviewed by
Kristine Morris
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
