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The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman
- A Bone-Shaking Tour Through Cycling’s Flemish Heartlands
- Narrated by: Harry Pearson
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
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The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman
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Summary
Bloomsbury presents The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman by Harry Pearson, read by Harry Pearson.
Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2019.
Every nation shapes sport to test the character traits it most admires.
In The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman, committed Belgophile and road cycling obsessive Harry Pearson takes you on a journey across Flanders - through the lumpy horizontal rain, up the elbow-juddering cobbled inclines, past the fans dressed as chickens and the shop window displays of constipation medicines as he follows races big, small and even smaller, through one glorious, muddy spring.
Ranging over 500 years of Flemish and European history, across windswept polders, along back roads and through an awful lot of beer cafes, Pearson examines the characters, the myths and the rivalries that make Flanders a place where cycling is a religion and the riders its Lycra-clad priests.
Critic reviews
"An enormously entertaining cycling journal." (Times Literary Supplement)
"A joy." (Ned Boulting)
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What listeners say about The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- O'
- 26-10-23
Fantastic Book
I really loved this, so informative, it makes me want to hit my bike and hop on the ferry over to Belgium and cycle around and take the place in.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- TIMOTHY
- 28-08-21
Unsurpassably moving and authentic
I listen to this again and again. The text is brilliant, and only enhanced by Harry Pearson's deadpan delivery. The asides regarding cycling history (esp re Baron Merckx) slip seamlessly into the discussions of the individual races. Beautifully written, and beautifully read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- K. parker
- 02-05-20
A must listen for a fan of the classics.
This is definitely one of those books I will listen to again and again, just to justify the cracking open of another Belgian beer! The narration was excellent and draws you in with its relaxing tone. It was a cultural listen as well as a sporting one and I came away with a much better knowledge of the Belgian people as well as their cycling heroes (and villains!) The only downside is it made me really miss this years cancelled classic season. Here's to 2021. Stay safe everyone..
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Shoshone11
- 05-08-21
HP IN BELGIUM
I have always enjoyed Harry Pearson's books in print. This was good but his delivery I found a little monotonous at times. Still I did enjoy it overall.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Tim Lages
- 30-12-20
Excellent book on a niche topic
Okay I will admit that Flemish cycling might be a bit of a niche topic but I loved it. The style of storytelling was great and it really brought me along for the journey, teaching me a lot about the cycling culture of flanders whilst listening and riding my bike. I thought it was read very well and it was pretty fun in places - reminded me a bit of Ned Boulting (slightly better actually). Definitely recommend giving it a go!
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- craig
- 06-01-21
love it
if you are into the old footage of unknown bike races, with understated commentary, then this is perfect.
The writer narrates his own wonderfully dull experiences of traveling round Belgium to spectate the classics, but also spectating on life and people. His musings are delivered in a perfect northern monotone, that just sets the ambience for me. It's like watching the 1974 world cup with that crackly commentary sent via a telephone line or something worse.
If you are into cycling, and its history, this is a lovely way to pass an afternoon. Harry Pearson is just great; i will look out his other work
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- Geoff Bates
- 04-11-22
Flanders cyclists hardmen and fun
Brilliantly read by the author. Definitely one to listen to even if you have (like me) already read the book. Chapeau Harry !
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 26-01-22
Fascinating wry account of bike racing in Belgium
Harry Pearson's obvious passion for his subject shines through, with both humour and affection.
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- mark Nieuwenhoff
- 24-03-20
Loved it
I've listened to this twice,will listen again and buy the printed edition as the spoken version is hard to cross reference the riders that the author describes so tantalisingly I find myself guessing the spellings of their names to find out more about them on line.
Being a Briton of Flemish descent the authors descriptions of the Flemish ways brought back so many fond memories of my youth and all the trips to St Niklaas visiting relatives in the 60s and 70s. Thank you Mr Pearson.
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- k pius
- 26-02-20
It's all about those flat hoots:-)
I love this little, obscure book. I mean, there's never enough info about Belgian cycling, right? I could bemoan the pronounciation of names and places and maybe the delivery is a little dry but hey, this is a book about Belgian cycling. Love it!
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