The Ridiculous Race | 
 enlarge | Authors: Steve Hely, Vali Chandrasekaran
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy New: $6.99
You Save: $8.01 (53%)
New (32) from $6.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 3119
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0805087400
Dewey Decimal Number: 910.41
EAN: 9780805087406
ASIN: 0805087400
Publication Date: July 8, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Perfect!!!
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Product Description
The most absurd, hilarious, and ridiculous travelogue ever told, by two hit-TV comedy writers who raced each other around the world—for bragging rights and a very expensive bottle of Scotch It started as a friendly wager: two old friends from The Harvard Lampoon, now hotshot Hollywood scribes, challenged each other to a race around the globe in opposite directions. There was only one rule: no airplanes. The first man to cross every line of longitude and arrive back in L.A. would win Scotch and infamy. But little did one racer know that the other planned to cheat him out of the big prize by way of a ride on a quarter-million-dollar jet pack. What follows is a pair of hilarious, hazardous, and eye-opening journeys into the farthest corners of the world. From the West Bank to the Aleutian Islands, the slums of Rio to the steppes of Mongolia, traveling by ocean freighter and the Trans-Siberian Railway (pranking each other mercilessly along the way), Vali and Steve plunge eagerly and ill-prepared into global adventure. The Ridiculous Race is a comic travelogue unlike any other, an outrageous tale of two gentlemen travelers who can’t wait to don baggy cardigan sweaters, clench corncob pipes between their teeth, and yell at their sons, “You lazy bums! When we were your age, we raced around the world without airplanes!”
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Funny but....... July 21, 2008
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
This review contains spoilers-you have been warned. I gave this book three stars because I was entertained by it, and did laugh out loud. But I also feel cheated because co-author Vali elected to use airplanes for most all of his travels- a violation of the gentlemen's agreement he with his "friend" Steve. I was really looking forward to an actual race around the world, and when I realized this wasn't to be, I felt cheated out of my hard earned money-didn't they teach ethics at Harvard Vali? I have nothing but respect and admiration of co-author Steve who did obey the rules, and clearly had a more rewarding experience. I only wish there was a way the the publishers royalties could only be given to Steve, and not that cheater Vali! Again shame on you Vali!
Cockeyed optimism + international intrigue = stimulating, entertaining, and thought-provoking work July 14, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a story about love, deception, greed, lust, and unbridled enthusiasm. Steve and Vali were simple country boys - you might say cockeyed optimists - who got themselves mixed up in the high stakes game of world diplomacy and international intrigue. In the end, trust me when I say that it is a book well worth reading.
I was skeptical... July 14, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
When I first purchased this ensemble I thought, "This is supposed to be the African Finnegan's Wake?" but soon I realized it's more of a Dilbert than a Mary Worth, if you know what I mean. Cut to three years later and I couldn't be happier. I thought the ending would be longer. There was a typo on page 12 but they corrected it on page 11. To quote this book, "You and whose army?" Which, in retrospect, is gross. Cut to three years later and I couldn't be happier. This was my least favorite Indiana Jones movie but my worst favorite Star Wars trilogy. Sincerely, Michael Phelps
The best alliterative titled world race book ever scribed by sitcom writers. July 13, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Much like the authors, I, too, have harbored fantasies about circumventing this vast, amazing planet we live on. However, I have realized that to do so would involve a huge amount of logistical planning, an intimate knowledge with countless cultures, fluency in multiple languages, large amounts of money, and a calm, courageous, travel-savvy demeanor.
Apparently, this is not the case.
There are two perks to reading this book. First, you will laugh loud and often, while also learning interesting facts about the world. (I found this book in the "Edutainment" section of my local bookstore.) Second, if these two clowns can race around the world and somehow come out unscathed, anyone can! Highly recommended.
 Pretty ridiculously good July 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I liked this book. I really did. Not quite ridiculously good, but it was more than pretty good. A nice idea, well executed and there are genuinely touching, insightful moments. But one gets the sense that they just didn't try all that hard when it came to writing the book. So it comes off as a really fun read when I really think it could have been a much deeper more insightful travel book without losing all the funny bits.
I suggest you buy it in hopes that it will encourage them to do another race and write another book and that one...that one will be great.
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