I know it's late but I've just read this book and I think it deserves a review.
I read this book ages after Armstrong's confession and everything that followed.
It may sound weird but this book is about truth and guts, that's why I loved it so much.
The book follows with incredible precision the career of Hamilton, a talented American rider.
The beginning is very interesting, pointing out the difference between the European and the American way of conceiving cycling.
Once Hamilton is hired by US Postal the book become a fantastic roller coaster between the feelings
of a human being, the passion of a young talented rider and, in the end, the wisdom of man.
The book could be classified in two different ways: as a scientific treatises, describing meticulously the doping practices, or as a coming-of-age story.
I prefer the second one. I think the meticulous description of the doping practices is an important part of the path of formation described in the book.
The book contains also a very interesting part about the preparation of Armstrong trial and the political decision to dismiss it.
Nevertheless, I think that what makes this book a Great book is the story of the man, of the rider, of a passionate kid that we could have been if we would have been more talented.