September 2023 (G.T.) – Well known in the worldwide Guzzisti community, Chris Donaldson has informed us that his book “Going the wrong way”, which came out in 2020 (Readers favorite Book Award Winner) is now also available in the Italian language version under the title “Lungo la strada sbagliata”. And we are more than happy to share the news with our Wide magazine readers.
Photo courtesy of the author.
It’s a story of courage and adventure, a search for freedom and extraordinary encounters, with Chris as protagonist - a twenty-year-old Irish lad in the ’70s with a great desire to escape the social-political turbulence of his country. He hopped on his Moto Guzzi Le Mans 850 and set off to discover the world and himself. What could possibly go wrong? For example, could the sixteen-thousand-kilometre trip to Australia be interrupted (blocked by the Irani revolution), could Chris end up on the peaks of the Andes... and we won’t add anything else, for fear of spoiling the extraordinary autobiographical tale of a true biker, except that he made it back to Belfast eighty thousand kilometres later.
Here is info on the Italian edition of the book, “Lungo la strada sbagliata”:
www.amazon.it/Lungo-Strada-Sbagliata-Settanta-lAustralia-ebook/dp/B0CGBW93HJ
Here is info on the English edition of the book, “Going the Wrong Way”:
p-y3-www-amazon-it-kalias.amazon.it/Going-Wrong-Way-Australia-possibly/dp/1838012761
And the Irish Guzzista adds that he is just back from a trip to Australia: “I rode my Le Mans all the way to Australia, where it is on display in the Moto Guzzi Cathedral in Yea, Victoria, and I’ll present my book at the next big 2023 Moto Guzzi event in Mandello del Lario.” Save the date from 7 to 10 September on the banks of Lake Como for the huge Guzzisti worldwide rally. You could meet Chris Donaldson!
CHRIS DONALSON: http://chrisdonaldson.world
www.facebook.com/goingthewrongway.book
ALSO READ THE PREVIOUS ARTICLES:
wide.piaggiogroup.com/en/articles/travels/chris-donaldson-new-adventure-on-his-moto-guzzi-le-mans
wide.piaggiogroup.com/en/articles/travels/astride-his-moto-guzzi-le-mans
REVIEWS.
An entertaining no frills motorcycle travel genre book. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2023. Engaging story with lots of challenges mishaps and frightening situations. I can’t imagine ever having the fortitude to carry on with a journey like this and would have given up or taken an easy way out. Mind you this is 1980 so mobile phones, internet etc. didn’t exist so in some way there wasn’t a lot of choice. I also recently read the Elspeth beard book which describes a similar journey at about the same time and the two definitely complement each other (although hers has more a more emotional conclusion and is better written- sorry Chris!). I’m curious why he waited so long to write this and would have liked to see that in the conclusion. Overall, a good read that I’d recommend to anyone interested in travel (motorcycle or otherwise) and early 1980s world politics. I was told about this book by a fellow biker on a FB bikers’ group, he enjoyed it so I have it a try. It turned out to be one of those rare books that you really can't put down, an excellent read, not really about bikes, more about life. If you're interested in real life traveling rather than commercial supported touring, then this is for you. If you enjoyed Mondo Enduro, you're going to love this or the other way round (not the long way round). Having repaired a Ducati gear selector, in the middle of Germany, with a fork found on the roadside and repaired exhausts with beer cans and wire and camping late at night in the rain to wake up in someones front lawn, I could totally relate, in a small way, to Chris's story. Young Irishman takes a bike, vague planning, ends up in Africa, North America, South America. Just hits the road come what may. Honest storytelling, plain language. It was before the times of mobile phones, internet, facebook and digital maps and therefore much more adventurous than nowadays. When you're a biker and dream of long solo-trips but don't have the time because of all the obligations of a regular life then it's very pleasant to read this guy's story. And when you drive a Guzzi your confidence in your bike rises: this man drives a road-bike mostly off-road on very rough terrain and therefore most of the bike obviously falls apart, but the V-engine is indestructible. Finally: as always the destination is not really the point, the journey is.
Read it! What con go wrong? Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2023.
Ultimate Motorcycling, February 24, 2023, United States: https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2023/02/24/going-the-wrong-way-motorcycle-book-review-riders-library
Great Story and Good Read!Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2023.
Going the Wrong Way led to the right journey, Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2021.
An Epic Journey to Unknown Destinations, Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2020.
