# Will you buy Lance Armstrong autobiography?



## Filipa Fonseca Silva Author (Dec 10, 2012)

So, after THE interview and all the lawsuits that will hit him, I think he will be forced to tell his story in writing.

The question is: will you buy the book of the man who was until recently up there with very few names in sports history, if this implies that you will be giving him money

I asked my husband (a huge fan, now sad) and he probably won't resist...and I will grab it as soon as he finishes...


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## Shadowraven (May 7, 2009)

But where would I find them in the bookstore Fiction or non-fiction? 

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/lance-armstrong-books-moved-library-fiction-section-article-1.1243498


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

No, but I probably wouldn't have bought it even if he were scandal free.  Even though I loved watching the Tour de France in those years.

Betsy


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I wasn't a candidate anyway, but with the revelations of the past couple of years, I definitely won't buy.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

No.  I probably would have before, not now.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Nope. Not interested, even if I am a fairly serious bicycler.

Mike


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Shadowraven said:


> But where would I find them in the bookstore Fiction or non-fiction?


 

I can't imagine wanting to read this liar's excuses and justifications. Not that all this came out as a big surprise, but his behavior towards people who refused to lie for him was outrageous. George Carlin had some choice words for Lance - that was years ago. And, as in so many things, Carlin proved to be ahead of his time.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

Once it's available at my favorite used book store so it's no money to him but money to my friendly store owner. It's not like there aren't many thousands available for the TBR department between now and when it's on the used shelves.


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## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

I wasn't much interested in him before, and I'm less interested in him now. I think we'll be seeing a lot of Lance Armstrong books among the remainders.

Which is a shame, because he did stand for something and did cause a lot of money to be donated to charity.

Too bad it was all built on a lie, like the _Three Cups of Tea_ guy, Greg Mortenson. And Bernie Madoff and Aimee Semple McPherson and the Tasaday Tribe and brontosaurus and any number of famous frauds.

Sadly, Lance Armstrong has joined the ranks of the discredited.


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## Carrie Rubin (Nov 19, 2012)

Jan Strnad said:


> I wasn't much interested in him before, and I'm less interested in him now.


I'm with you on this one.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I almost never buy/read biographies and wouldn't have made an exception before.  Also won't now.


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## Saul Tanpepper (Feb 16, 2012)

Nope. I'd buy James Frey's memoir first. Which I never will.


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2013)

crebel said:


> No. I probably would have before, not now.


That's how I feel about it. I might have given it a second glance before, but not now.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> No, but I probably wouldn't have bought it even if he were scandal free. Even though I loved watching the Tour de France in those years.
> 
> Betsy


Same for me, on all counts.


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

I have no interest in reading it, but it doesn't make fiction. "Chariots of the Gods" isn't true, but it's still not non-fiction. Dan Brown used non-fiction sources for The DaVinci Code, but that doesn't mean those sources were accurate.


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## Filipa Fonseca Silva Author (Dec 10, 2012)

I think some people who would buy it are ashamed of saying that here on KB


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't think you know our membership very well, Filipa.    They're not a very reticent group....
  

Betsy


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## Chandra Renard (Oct 17, 2012)

Filipa Silva said:


> So, after THE interview and all the lawsuits that will hit him, I think he will be forced to tell his story in writing.
> 
> The question is: will you buy the book of the man who was until recently up there with very few names in sports history, if this implies that you will be giving him money
> 
> I asked my husband (a huge fan, now sad) and he probably won't resist...and I will grab it as soon as he finishes...


That's a tough one. Probably not. As much as I'm interested in how he managed to fool the sport for so long, I wouldn't give him money for that. Besides, he's a liar, so he would probably lie. I would buy an unauthorized biography, though, which would be more truthful and he wouldn't profit from


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## Pinworms (Oct 20, 2010)

I'll buy it.  I support Lance.  I don't think he ever doped, its just people spreading lies because they can't fathom how he could be so successful.  I did have a good chuckle at the supposed "interview" with Oprah, not sure how they didn't think most people would see right through that.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

So, you think the interview was fake?

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Pinworms said:


> I'll buy it. I support Lance. I don't think he ever doped, its just people spreading lies because they can't fathom how he could be so successful. I did have a good chuckle at the supposed "interview" with Oprah, not sure how they didn't think most people would see right through that.




I didn't watch the whole interview, but it sure seems like he pretty much admitted it. Not sure what would be the motivation to do that if it wasn't, actually, true.  But, whatever.

Mind you, I didn't see anything that told me he was actually sorry at all. Except maybe that he got caught and had to admit it.

THAT SAID. . . . . it's a shame that the cancer research organization he started is likely to be besmirched. One hopes people can get past HIM and realize that the organization still does good work.

But, again, not buying the book. (Is he really writing a book or is this a hypothetical?) But wouldn't have anyway.


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## Julie Christensen (Oct 13, 2010)

That man was has been loudly and aggressively lying for 20 years.  I think everyone is still in shock about this because he seemed so innocent.  I mean, he attacked and sued people who told the truth about him!  Now that the dust is settling, it's clear he's nothing more than a pathological liar.  I'd never buy a book by him or about him.  I'm ready to forget about him completely.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann,

he has at least one book out already....but, of course, that's from the "I did not cheat" era. I expect he'll write a book.

For those who wouldn't, there's always this:



Betsy


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## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

Julie Christensen said:


> That man was has been loudly and aggressively lying for 20 years. I think everyone is still in shock about this because he seemed so innocent. I mean, he attacked and sued people who told the truth about him! Now that the dust is settling, it's clear he's nothing more than a pathological liar. I'd never buy a book by him or about him. I'm ready to forget about him completely.


What Julie said.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

Once they've completely convicted Armstrong will it be Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault or Indurain that's the next target?


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## Robena (Jan 19, 2013)

Julie Christensen said:


> That man was has been loudly and aggressively lying for 20 years. I think everyone is still in shock about this because he seemed so innocent. I mean, he attacked and sued people who told the truth about him! Now that the dust is settling, it's clear he's nothing more than a pathological liar. I'd never buy a book by him or about him. I'm ready to forget about him completely.


What Julie said.


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## nigel p bird (Feb 4, 2011)

I'll not be buying.  I'd only even consider it if it were in the fiction section.  

I'm not for giving the man a hard time, but I'm not for giving him my cash either.


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## gljones (Nov 6, 2012)

No.
I think his 15 minutes are over.  Hope he will move along now so we can all forget about him.


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## kayandersensmith (Jan 4, 2013)

Only if I were paid to do it.

Now, the real question: do all of his past books now need to be removed from the nonfiction section?


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## Sean Patrick Reardon (Sep 30, 2010)

Never!


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## Red Dove (Jun 11, 2012)

I bought his first book when it came out and found it immensely inspiring - it helped me to get back into serious exercise (not cycling) at a time when I really needed it. At the time of reading I thought he was a superb athlete and a genuine person and for many years after, so I'm disappointed in the man to say the least.

Having said that, I'm undecided about whether I would buy a new autobiography. I suppose I'd be looking for some justification other than money and fame and power but cannot think of any right now. Sad. I truly hope it will not have a detrimental effect on his charitable organizations.


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## P.C. (Peter) Anders (Feb 6, 2013)

Interesting question. I thought you meant it as a joke.
But I think people are fascinated by cads, villains, and complex people.
Uniformly good people bore us. (Are we more likely to buy an autobiography of Satan, or Lucifer, or of Jimmy Carter?)
I don't know much about this personally, but I hear the dialogue: women keep saying they want an ideal man, but they keep going for the bad boys . . . because they are more attractive.


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## fancynancy (Aug 9, 2009)

Nope.  The performance enhancers were the least of it, as it turned out.  For those here who said they want to read it, consider borrowing from the library.  Just a suggestion.


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## vrabinec (May 19, 2011)

No. And my mom's got cancer and is going through chemo and a bunch of complications right now. I'm grateful for the money he raised, particualrly if it plays any part in helping her, but I feel no obligation to read his words.  And he's just not that interesting now that I know he cheated all those times to win.


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

Nope. I've never been interested in celebrity stories if they're the athlete, actor, musician types. Much more interested in celebrity stories of the Shackleton, Zamperini types.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

No interest. Wouldn't have read it before his fall and especially wouldn't read it now. I hope he has to pay back every dime he sued out of people for defamation. I think some have already started proceedings. 

I am sure to pay all that money back he'll have to write another book at some point.

"Why I did it and why you should still adore me"


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## Cappy (Sep 6, 2011)

No. But I would highly recommend any of David Walsh's books about his decade-long pursuit of the truth. At times he was even vilified by fellow cycling journalists. He's the real hero of this story.


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## Jay Walken (Feb 7, 2013)

Possibly if it were titled 

Mea Culpa: The True and Utterly Miserable Confessions of Lance Armstrong, Major Crook.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

P.C. (Peter) Anders said:


> (Are we more likely to buy an autobiography of Satan, or Lucifer, or of Jimmy Carter?)


Triplets?


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## dalton_wolf (Sep 11, 2012)

Chandra Renard said:


> I would buy an unauthorized biography, though, which would be more truthful and he wouldn't profit from


Love that response. Absolutely not! I will not give one dime to that man. An unauthorized biography would be great. It would give money to someone else while (hopefully) making him look like the power-mad jackass he is and not giving a dime to support him(not that he needs it), which would be a nice bit of justice for the things he did to so many others. 
Furthermore, there is no excuse for what he did, nor how he did it. Saying 'everybody does it' is the least valid, yet most used excuse for doing something wrong on this planet. And to show no real remorse until his kid is eventually personally involved? That shows the true 'depth' of his character...and by depth, I mean he has sunk lower than the deepest cavern ever discovered--beneath the dregs and slugs of the surface world and evolving into a new, vile parasitic lifeform I can't even imagine, much less describe. To survive Cancer is a wonder, but to then live this lie that he not only beat cancer, but is able to become this 'superman' who can compete at the highest levels without cheating. He was an icon, and an epitome of how to win clean, how not to cheat and to still succeed. And an ideal for anyone with cancer, showing that you could not only beat the disease, but then achieve any goal you set for yourself by hard work and mental toughness. An entire country supported him and he represented that country. 
Maybe we're at fault because we try to hold our heroes to higher standards and expect them to stand up to those standards in return for our love and support. But to so disgrace himself, and our nation, and then lie about it for so long, even villifying some of his closest friends...he has given an image to the world that we Americans will do anything to reach our goals, whether it is legal, moral, ethical, or not. I am ashamed to call him a fellow American. 
I speak as one who was avidly defending him until his admissions, because there had been no proof, and he was never found guilty in any courts. Sorry to preach, but I read these forums a lot and rarely post. This is one reason why--too emotional.


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