Aili McConnon's Books

Road to Valour

A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

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Road to Valour

A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

Road to Valour is the inspiring, against-the-odds story of Gino Bartali, the cyclist who made the greatest comeback in Tour de France history and, between his Tour victories, secretly aided the Italian resistance during World War II. Gino Bartali is best known as an Italian cycling legend: the man who not only won the Tour de France twice, but also holds the record for the longest time span between victories. During the ten years that separated his hard-won triumphs, his actions, both on and off the racecourse, ensured him a permanent place in Italian hearts and minds. In Road to Valour, Aili and Andres McConnon chronicle Bartali’s journey, starting in impoverished rural Tuscany where a scrawny, mischievous boy painstakingly saves his money to buy a bicycle and before long, is racking up wins throughout the country. At the age of 24, he stuns the world by winning the Tour de France and becomes an international sports icon. But Mussolini’s Fascists try to hijack his victory for propaganda purposes, derailing Bartali’s career, and as the Nazis occupy Italy, Bartali undertakes secret and dangerous activities to help those being targeted. He shelters a family of Jews in an apartment he financed with his cycling winnings and smuggles counterfeit identity documents hidden in his bicycle past Fascist and Nazi checkpoints because the soldiers recognize him as a national hero in training. After the grueling wartime years, Bartali fights to rebuild his career as Italy emerges from the rubble. In 1948, the stakes are raised when midway through the Tour de France, an assassination attempt in Rome sparks nationwide political protests and riots. Despite numerous setbacks and a legendary snowstorm in the Alps, the chain-smoking, Chianti-loving, 34-year-old underdog comes back and wins the most difficult endurance competition on earth. Bartali’s inspiring performance helps unite his fractured homeland and restore pride and spirit to a country still reeling from war and despair. Set in Italy and France against the turbulent backdrop of an unforgiving sport and threatening politics, Road to Valour is the breathtaking account of one man’s unsung heroism and his resilience in the face of adversity. Based on nearly ten years of research in Italy, France, and Israel, including interviews with Bartali’s family, former teammates, a Holocaust survivor Bartali saved, and many others, Road to Valour is the first book ever written about Bartali in English and the only book written in any language to fully explore the scope of Bartali’s wartime work. An epic tale of courage, comeback, and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century.

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Page Count

373

Publisher

Doubleday Canada

Published Date

ISBN 10

0385669496

ISBN 13

9780385669498

Road to Valor

A True Story of WWII Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

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Road to Valor

A True Story of WWII Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

The inspiring, against-the-odds story of Gino Bartali, the cyclist who made the greatest comeback in Tour de France history and secretly aided the Italian resistance during World War II Gino Bartali is best known as an Italian cycling legend who not only won the Tour de France twice but also holds the record for the longest time span between victories. In Road to Valor, Aili and Andres McConnon chronicle Bartali’s journey, from an impoverished childhood in rural Tuscany to his first triumph at the 1938 Tour de France. As World War II ravaged Europe, Bartali undertook dangerous activities to help those being targeted in Italy, including sheltering a family of Jews and smuggling counterfeit identity documents in the frame of his bicycle. After the grueling wartime years, the chain-smoking, Chianti-loving, 34-year-old underdog came back to win the 1948 Tour de France, an exhilarating performance that helped unite his fractured homeland. Based on nearly ten years of research, Road to Valor is the first book ever written about Bartali in English and the only book written in any language to explore the full scope of Bartali’s wartime work. An epic tale of courage, resilience, and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century.

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Page Count

390

Publisher

Crown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307590666

ISBN 13

9780307590664

Road to Valor

A True Story of WWII Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

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Road to Valor

A True Story of WWII Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

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Page Count

390

Publisher

Crown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307590666

ISBN 13

9780307590664

Road to Valour

Gino Bartali: Tour de France Legend and Italy's Secret World War II Hero

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

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Road to Valour

Gino Bartali: Tour de France Legend and Italy's Secret World War II Hero

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

An Italian SCHINDLER'S LIST, this is the inspirational story of Gino Bartali, who made the greatest comeback in Tour de France history and secretly aided the Italian Resistance during the Second World War. ROAD TO VALOUR is the inspiring, against-the-odds story of Gino Bartali, the cyclist who made the greatest comeback in Tour de France history and still holds the record for the longest gap between victories. Yet it was his actions during the Second World War, when he secretly aided the Resistance, rather than his remarkable exploits on a bike, that truly cemented his place in the hearts and minds of the Italian people. Based on nearly ten years of research, and including fascinating new interviews, this is the only book written that fully explores the scope of Bartali's wartime work. A breathtaking account of one man's unsung heroism and his resilience in the face of adversity, this is an epic tale of courage, comeback and redemption, and the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century.

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Page Count

256

Publisher

Phoenix

Published Date

ISBN 10

0753828146

ISBN 13

9780753828144

Road to Valour

Gino Bartali : Tour de France Legend and Italy's Secret World War Two Hero

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

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Road to Valour

Gino Bartali : Tour de France Legend and Italy's Secret World War Two Hero

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

Road to Valour is the inspiring, against-the-odds story of Gino Bartali, the cyclist who made the greatest comeback in Tour de France history and continues to hold the record for the longest time-span between victories. Yet what ensured his permanent place in Italian hearts and minds were his actions in between, when he secretly aided the Italian Resistance during World War II. Aili and Andres McConnon chronicle Bartali's journey, starting in impoverished rural Tuscany where a scrawny, mischievous boy painstakingly saves his money to buy a bicycle, and before long is racking up wins throughout the country. At the age of 24, he stuns the world by winning the Tour de France, becoming an international sports icon in the process. But Mussolini's Fascists hijack his victory for propaganda purposes, derailing Bartali's career, and as the Nazis occupy Italy, Bartali undertakes dangerous missions to help those being targeted. He shelters a family of Jews in an apartment he financed with his cycling winnings and is able to smuggle counterfeit identity documents hidden in his bicycle past Nazi checkpoints under the guise of being a national hero in training. After the gruelling wartime years, Bartali fights to rebuild his career as Italy emerges from the rubble. Despite numerous setbacks and a legendary snowstorm in the Alps, the chain-smoking, Chianti-loving, 34-year-old underdog comes back and wins the most difficult endurance competition on earth - the Tour de France. Bartali's inspiring performance helps unite his fractured homeland and restore pride and spirit to a country still reeling from war and despair. Based on nearly ten years of research in Italy, France, and Israel, including interviews with Bartali's family, former teammates, a Holocaust survivor Bartali saved, and many others, this is the first book ever written about Bartali in English and the only book written in any language to fully explore the scope of Bartali's wartime work. Road to Valour is the breathtaking account of one man's unsung heroism and his resilience in the face of adversity. An epic tale of courage, comeback and redemption, it is the untold story of one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century.

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Page Count

316

Publisher

George Weidenfeld & Nicholson

Published Date

ISBN 10

0297859994

ISBN 13

9780297859994

Road to Valour

A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Road to Valour

A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation

By: Aili McConnon,Andres McConnon

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

373

Publisher

Doubleday Canada

Published Date

ISBN 10

0385669496

ISBN 13

9780385669498

Book's by Aili McConnon

Road to Valour

Road to Valour

Road to Valor

Road to Valor

Road to Valor

Road to Valor

Road to Valour

Road to Valour

Road to Valour

Road to Valour

Road to Valour

Road to Valour

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