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Spin: A Novel Based on a (Mostly) True Story
Ride away on a 'round-the-world adventure of a lifetime—with only a change of clothes and a pearl-handled revolver—in this trascendent novel inspired by the life of Annie Londonderry.
“Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”—Susan B. Anthony
Who was Annie Londonderry? She captured the popular imagination with her daring ‘round the world trip on two wheels. It was, declared The New York World in October of 1895, “the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.�
But beyond the headlines, Londonderry was really Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, a young, Jewish mother of three small children, who climbed onto a 42-pound Columbia bicycle and pedaled away into history.
Reportedly set in motion by a wager between two wealthy Boston merchants, the bet required Annie not only to circle the earth by bicycle in 15 months, but to earn $5,000 en route, as well. This was no mere test of a woman’s physical endurance and mental fortitude; it was a test of a woman’s ability to fend for herself in the world.
Often attired in a man’s riding suit, Annie turned every Victorian notion of female propriety on its head. Not only did she abandon, temporarily, her role of wife and mother (scandalous in the 1890s), she earned her way selling photographs of herself, appearing as an attraction in stores, and by turning herself into a mobile billboard.
Zheutlin, a descendent of Annie, brilliantly probes the inner life and seeming boundless courage of this outlandish, brash, and charismatic woman. In a time when women could not vote and few worked outside the home, Annie was a master of public relations, a consummate self-promoter, and a skillful creator of her own myth. Yet, for more than a century her remarkable story was lost to history. In SPIN, this remarkable heroine and her marvelous, stranger-than-fiction story is vividly brought to life for a new generation.
“Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”—Susan B. Anthony
Who was Annie Londonderry? She captured the popular imagination with her daring ‘round the world trip on two wheels. It was, declared The New York World in October of 1895, “the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.�
But beyond the headlines, Londonderry was really Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, a young, Jewish mother of three small children, who climbed onto a 42-pound Columbia bicycle and pedaled away into history.
Reportedly set in motion by a wager between two wealthy Boston merchants, the bet required Annie not only to circle the earth by bicycle in 15 months, but to earn $5,000 en route, as well. This was no mere test of a woman’s physical endurance and mental fortitude; it was a test of a woman’s ability to fend for herself in the world.
Often attired in a man’s riding suit, Annie turned every Victorian notion of female propriety on its head. Not only did she abandon, temporarily, her role of wife and mother (scandalous in the 1890s), she earned her way selling photographs of herself, appearing as an attraction in stores, and by turning herself into a mobile billboard.
Zheutlin, a descendent of Annie, brilliantly probes the inner life and seeming boundless courage of this outlandish, brash, and charismatic woman. In a time when women could not vote and few worked outside the home, Annie was a master of public relations, a consummate self-promoter, and a skillful creator of her own myth. Yet, for more than a century her remarkable story was lost to history. In SPIN, this remarkable heroine and her marvelous, stranger-than-fiction story is vividly brought to life for a new generation.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2021
17 people are currently reading
432 people want to read
About the author
Peter Zheutlin
12books51followersPeter Zheutlin is an avid cyclist and a freelance journalist whose work appears regularly in the Boston Globe and the Christian Science Monitor. He has also written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, AARP Magazine, Bicycling, the New England Quarterly, and other publications. He lives in Needham, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 1, 2021
Spin: A Novel based on (Mostly) True Story by Peter Zheutlin is a 2021 Pegasus publication.
This is a fictional account of Annie Londonderry’s infamous bicycling marathon around the world in 1895.
You must read the book to fully understand the meaning of the title. Apparently, Annie Londonderry knew how to weave a very colorful tale, and used that gift to promote herself with lively embellishments about experiences on her journey around the world by bicycle. It was the first such feat ever attempted by a woman- and despite rumors of a wager- it was all most likely a publicity stunt.
There are so many half-truths or outright lies that Annie told in order to create publicity, that now it is almost impossible to tell what the entire truth really was- but what we do know is that Annie did embark on an around- the world trip on a bicycle, and her adventure made her a brief celebrity, enabling her to begin a career as a journalist.
The novel details both the verifiable facts and the wild stories Annie often told, along with a fictionalized imagining of her personal life.
Today, Annie’s adventure is but a small footnote in history, but I’m happy the author discovered his ancestry and brought Annie’s story back to life.
Annie appears to be quite a colorful character -both in real life and in novel form. I’m not sure what she would think of her nephew’s ‘spin� on her life story- but I have a feeling she would have gotten a kick out of it.
3.5 stars
This is a fictional account of Annie Londonderry’s infamous bicycling marathon around the world in 1895.
You must read the book to fully understand the meaning of the title. Apparently, Annie Londonderry knew how to weave a very colorful tale, and used that gift to promote herself with lively embellishments about experiences on her journey around the world by bicycle. It was the first such feat ever attempted by a woman- and despite rumors of a wager- it was all most likely a publicity stunt.
There are so many half-truths or outright lies that Annie told in order to create publicity, that now it is almost impossible to tell what the entire truth really was- but what we do know is that Annie did embark on an around- the world trip on a bicycle, and her adventure made her a brief celebrity, enabling her to begin a career as a journalist.
The novel details both the verifiable facts and the wild stories Annie often told, along with a fictionalized imagining of her personal life.
Today, Annie’s adventure is but a small footnote in history, but I’m happy the author discovered his ancestry and brought Annie’s story back to life.
Annie appears to be quite a colorful character -both in real life and in novel form. I’m not sure what she would think of her nephew’s ‘spin� on her life story- but I have a feeling she would have gotten a kick out of it.
3.5 stars
March 28, 2021
Though a work of fiction, this was based on a true story that I had no prior knowledge of. To say I was shocked to learn that a woman, in the 1890s would have or even could have done what Anna Kopchovksy/Annie Londonderry, riding a bicycle around the world, is an understatement! I would have never believed it, knowing what little I know about that period in history, I would have thought it would never have ever been a consideration. So reading this story and all the amazing encounters along the way for Annie was quite delightful. To know that a real woman actually did this, maybe not exactly, but was even brave enough to try was wonderful. I loved learning all the history about that era, to imagine the men and women back then, how they lived and how different their lives were from what we know now, and the freedom we, as women have now. Knowing that some of the things they agonized over the decisions they made, or weren't "allowed" to make because men were the decision makers is mind blowing to me. I am glad and thankful that there were real women like Annie Londonderry who paved the way for the rights that we, as women, take for granted today. This novel has opened my eyes, and made me a little more grateful to be living in the present time, a time where we have it so much easier than those ladies at the turn of the century.
A great book, it did start out a little slow for me, and it did drag a bit in places, but the history and knowledge gained from reading it was worth the time.
I would like to thank the publishers and Edelweiss for the free advanced reader e-copy of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return
A great book, it did start out a little slow for me, and it did drag a bit in places, but the history and knowledge gained from reading it was worth the time.
I would like to thank the publishers and Edelweiss for the free advanced reader e-copy of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return
May 22, 2021
A global sensation in the 1890’s, the story of Annie Londonderry was mostly forgotten.
Based on long lost facts the author discovered in his own family, Spin is the story of the 1890’s around the world bicycle journey of Annie Londonderry. The first woman to circle the globe on a bicycle. -This at a time when women could not even vote and rarely worked outside the home, let alone travel the world.
Her real name is Annie Kopchovsky, a great storyteller, brilliant self-promoter and saleswoman. Transforming herself into Annie Londonderry, she uses her skills, and some mighty creativity to try to win a $10,000.00, wager placed on the uncertain prospect of a women’s ability to bike around the globe.
The terms of the wager were such that not only did she have to complete the ten-thousand-mile journey in 15 months but earn $5,000 dollars along the way. If anyone had the spark and determination to complete the challenge it was Annie.
Very few books compel the reader to want to know more about the origins of the story. After reading Spin, I not only craved more information about Annie Londonderry herself, but dare I say, I wanted to learn so much more about the circumstances that brought this book into being. The story behind the story captured my imagination as much as Ms. Londonderry herself.
A series of events led Zheutlin to discover the details of his family’s history from a second cousin. Deep in her basement are boxes filled with forgotten family secrets and history. After extensive research and time piecing together the puzzle, he has created a novel, mostly based on fact, of this amazing woman, Annie Londonderry.
In 1895 The New York World declared Annie’s round-the-world bicycle tour “the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.� A hundred years later, the extraordinary journey of discovery Peter undertook to bring this story to life is just as fascinating.
I highly recommend the book, and if you want to read more, I suggest you check out the authors 2008 account of Annie Londonderry’s extraordinary ride: “Around the Word on Two Wheels.�
Based on long lost facts the author discovered in his own family, Spin is the story of the 1890’s around the world bicycle journey of Annie Londonderry. The first woman to circle the globe on a bicycle. -This at a time when women could not even vote and rarely worked outside the home, let alone travel the world.
Her real name is Annie Kopchovsky, a great storyteller, brilliant self-promoter and saleswoman. Transforming herself into Annie Londonderry, she uses her skills, and some mighty creativity to try to win a $10,000.00, wager placed on the uncertain prospect of a women’s ability to bike around the globe.
The terms of the wager were such that not only did she have to complete the ten-thousand-mile journey in 15 months but earn $5,000 dollars along the way. If anyone had the spark and determination to complete the challenge it was Annie.
Very few books compel the reader to want to know more about the origins of the story. After reading Spin, I not only craved more information about Annie Londonderry herself, but dare I say, I wanted to learn so much more about the circumstances that brought this book into being. The story behind the story captured my imagination as much as Ms. Londonderry herself.
A series of events led Zheutlin to discover the details of his family’s history from a second cousin. Deep in her basement are boxes filled with forgotten family secrets and history. After extensive research and time piecing together the puzzle, he has created a novel, mostly based on fact, of this amazing woman, Annie Londonderry.
In 1895 The New York World declared Annie’s round-the-world bicycle tour “the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.� A hundred years later, the extraordinary journey of discovery Peter undertook to bring this story to life is just as fascinating.
I highly recommend the book, and if you want to read more, I suggest you check out the authors 2008 account of Annie Londonderry’s extraordinary ride: “Around the Word on Two Wheels.�
June 2, 2021
Author, Peter Zheutlin, masterfully tells the (mostly) true story of his great, great aunt, Annie Kopchovsky, who through her adventures on her bicycle, becomes known to the world as Annie Londonderry. At the young age of 23, Annie takes up the bold challenge of attempting to win a sizable wager, while cycling around the world; often alone & often in dangerous situations. Mr. Zheutlin creatively writes SPIN, as told through the lens of a letter written by Annie to her granddaughter, Mary. He authored the book in such a way that you felt you could often visualize the sights and scenes as Annie navigates her way around the world. Although, Ms. Londonderry is a champion and a woman truly ahead of her time, it was difficult to come to terms with her choices of leaving behind a husband and three young children for the 15 months she was given to fulfill her challenge. She was charismatic, driven, courageous and adventurous, but was she a likable character? The questions of Annie’s true character and the integrity of the tales she wove, bring about great conversation and spirited discussion.
I am very grateful to The Bookclub Cookbook galley match program for sharing this lively and curious book with our bookclub.
I am very grateful to The Bookclub Cookbook galley match program for sharing this lively and curious book with our bookclub.
May 20, 2021
Thank you to Pegasus Books and The Book Club CookBook for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review- this title is out June 1st, 2021!
I found SPIN to be an engaging and quick read. I especially appreciated the Author's Note, which explained a lot about a family story that had been lost. It also gave me more insight into the decisions Annie made in her life. Annie has left her story to her granddaughter, Mary. I feel this was the best way to tell her story. She never claims to be telling the truth during her adventures "around the world". And, we are left to decide for ourselves what is true and what is not. Writing, "My dear, I'm not entirely sure myself." to Mary. Whether you like Annie or not, she was ahead of her time. Every idea of what a woman "should" be during the 1800's, she was not. And, she seemed aware of the fact that what she was doing would be frowned upon.
I found SPIN to be an engaging and quick read. I especially appreciated the Author's Note, which explained a lot about a family story that had been lost. It also gave me more insight into the decisions Annie made in her life. Annie has left her story to her granddaughter, Mary. I feel this was the best way to tell her story. She never claims to be telling the truth during her adventures "around the world". And, we are left to decide for ourselves what is true and what is not. Writing, "My dear, I'm not entirely sure myself." to Mary. Whether you like Annie or not, she was ahead of her time. Every idea of what a woman "should" be during the 1800's, she was not. And, she seemed aware of the fact that what she was doing would be frowned upon.
April 21, 2021
I am a great fan and avid follower of The Book Club Cookbook a website connecting readers and food. I was thrilled to receive an advance reading copy of “Spin� by Peter Zheutlin. Biking has been a big part of my life since my preteens and still a past time I enjoy for its view nature and exercise.
“Spin� retells a woman’s an unimaginable journey from the 1890s and is based on lost facts gathered from the author’s family tree. Peter Zheutlin discovers the details of his family’s history from a second cousin once removed, who has buried and forgotten family’s secrets and history in the boxes in her basement. Peter picks up the bits and pieces and heavily researches the artifacts until he has woven a historical fiction novel mostly based on fact.
In this latest novel of notable women of history, Peter tells the story of the first woman to circle the globe on a bicycle at a time when women rarely worked outside the home and did not travel far unchaperoned. Annie uses her two wheels, cunning social skills, and creativity to try to win $10,000.00, from a wager placed on a women’s ability to bike around the globe. With nuggets of rich American History and a story mostly forgotten, the reader will experience the emotional up and downs as Annie tells her own story through an imagined letter to her granddaughter, not to be opened until her granddaughter’s 30th birthday. Emotional themes will resonate with many women, as Annie’s life struggles and choices are just as relevant today as they were for a woman in 1890s. I cannot stop thinking of this wife and mother of three young children in her twenties, traveling around the world on a bike with only her wits and ingenuity! I highly recommend this inspiring novel.
“Spin� retells a woman’s an unimaginable journey from the 1890s and is based on lost facts gathered from the author’s family tree. Peter Zheutlin discovers the details of his family’s history from a second cousin once removed, who has buried and forgotten family’s secrets and history in the boxes in her basement. Peter picks up the bits and pieces and heavily researches the artifacts until he has woven a historical fiction novel mostly based on fact.
In this latest novel of notable women of history, Peter tells the story of the first woman to circle the globe on a bicycle at a time when women rarely worked outside the home and did not travel far unchaperoned. Annie uses her two wheels, cunning social skills, and creativity to try to win $10,000.00, from a wager placed on a women’s ability to bike around the globe. With nuggets of rich American History and a story mostly forgotten, the reader will experience the emotional up and downs as Annie tells her own story through an imagined letter to her granddaughter, not to be opened until her granddaughter’s 30th birthday. Emotional themes will resonate with many women, as Annie’s life struggles and choices are just as relevant today as they were for a woman in 1890s. I cannot stop thinking of this wife and mother of three young children in her twenties, traveling around the world on a bike with only her wits and ingenuity! I highly recommend this inspiring novel.
April 22, 2021
Spin by Peter Zheutlin is the story of his great, great, aunt Annie Londonderry, aka Annie Kopchovsky,
who rode a one speed bike around the world in 1894. Annie spins marvelous stories of her experiences as she pedals from one adventure to another. Annie's travels and observations record the historical importance of the era. The Women's Emancipation movement was well underway, and Annie seized every opportunity to "ride" the roads of change. By the age of 23, Annie felt trapped in an arranged marriage that had produced three small children. She found the courage, grit, and ingenuity to change her circumstances. Annie tells us in the first page of the novel that she is not a reliable narrator of her own life. Her penchant for spinning stories keeps the reader entertained and guessing. I was able to read a galley copy of Spin courtesy of the Book Club Cook Book group. I highly recommend this novel. You won't be disappointed if you ride along with Annie.
who rode a one speed bike around the world in 1894. Annie spins marvelous stories of her experiences as she pedals from one adventure to another. Annie's travels and observations record the historical importance of the era. The Women's Emancipation movement was well underway, and Annie seized every opportunity to "ride" the roads of change. By the age of 23, Annie felt trapped in an arranged marriage that had produced three small children. She found the courage, grit, and ingenuity to change her circumstances. Annie tells us in the first page of the novel that she is not a reliable narrator of her own life. Her penchant for spinning stories keeps the reader entertained and guessing. I was able to read a galley copy of Spin courtesy of the Book Club Cook Book group. I highly recommend this novel. You won't be disappointed if you ride along with Annie.
June 1, 2021
"A Novel Based on a (Mostly) True Story." That subtitle perplexed me until I began reading. Spin is the story of Annie Londonderry's global adventure in the late 1890s. She's a real person - albeit her actual name is Annie Cohen Kopchovsky - who accepts the challenge of riding a bicycle around the world in fifteen month and earning $5000 on top of her expenses. So 'spin' refers to the wheels of the bicycle as well as the stories she tells to accomplish her goals. Annie is the master of spin; her methods are ingenious or devious...depends on your take.
This was such a fun book. I do marvel at the fact that she has all but disappeared from the history books. I'm glad that Zheutlin decided to tell her story. I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the narrative.
This was such a fun book. I do marvel at the fact that she has all but disappeared from the history books. I'm glad that Zheutlin decided to tell her story. I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the narrative.
September 10, 2021
Annie Cohen Kopchovsky’s life was like that of many 20-something Jewish women in Boston during the late 19th century: an arranged marriage, a husband who spent most of his time at the synagogue or reading, and three young children. However, even her part-time job selling advertisements � which was considered unusual in her community � didn’t satisfy her desire for something more than the daily grind. What she did decide to do was highly unusual as Peter Zheutlin shows in his novel “Spin� (Pegasus Books)...
See the rest of my review at .
See the rest of my review at .
July 16, 2023
I enjoyed reading Anny's story and for now I admire her courage
June 22, 2022
Quite a tale. This woman, according to the story was a vain, self-promoting salesperson. She wanted the freedom of a man enough to abandon husband and children to her relatives for self-promotion and money. The truth was only a start for a good story. She was notorious to many. I would not have wanted her for a friend or relative.
November 29, 2021
This was a fun fictionalized account of Annie Londenberry’s circumnavigation of the globe via bicycle in 1895. I have not read a nonfiction book on this topic, so I cannot comment on the veracity of the claims here, but it was enjoyable to me. I don’t feel that it dug deep enough into her internal reasoning or rationalization for the trip - or several of her actions - but perhaps such information is unknown. If that is the case, then I appreciate that something wasn’t made up.
And the title! Cheeky, cheeky use of language!
And the title! Cheeky, cheeky use of language!
May 15, 2021
What a clever read!
Loosely based on Annie Cohen Kophchovsky, the first woman to cycle around the world (allegedly), the author, who is distantly related to our "plucky," albeit unreliable, protagonist, weaves a tall tale of action, suspense, wit, and uncomfortable familial growing pains.
While Zheutlin is related to the legendary Annie (not to be confused with Oakley- although she's mentioned too!), much remains unknown and suspicious as to how she could have cycled the amount she did, in the time she professed to. Rather than write a biography, Zheutlin opted to write a historical fiction with an unreliable narrator, and frankly, I think this was a brilliant choice! He clearly read the room.
Annie, a Jewish woman who wants nothing to do with being a mother or family woman, upends her life to market herself (very cleverly, I might add), become a national sensation, and explore the world. Although I, in particular, am not a fan of her disregard for feelings other than her own, I can identify with having the headstrong wish to make something of yourself when you know that you are drowning in stale and stagnant air. Her tales are tall, her stories only somewhat true, and her gumption thick with grit.
Thank you to Pegasus Books and The Book Club CookBook for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review- this title is out June 1st, 2021!
CW: Racism, homophobia, sexism, allusion to racially charged acts of violence
Loosely based on Annie Cohen Kophchovsky, the first woman to cycle around the world (allegedly), the author, who is distantly related to our "plucky," albeit unreliable, protagonist, weaves a tall tale of action, suspense, wit, and uncomfortable familial growing pains.
While Zheutlin is related to the legendary Annie (not to be confused with Oakley- although she's mentioned too!), much remains unknown and suspicious as to how she could have cycled the amount she did, in the time she professed to. Rather than write a biography, Zheutlin opted to write a historical fiction with an unreliable narrator, and frankly, I think this was a brilliant choice! He clearly read the room.
Annie, a Jewish woman who wants nothing to do with being a mother or family woman, upends her life to market herself (very cleverly, I might add), become a national sensation, and explore the world. Although I, in particular, am not a fan of her disregard for feelings other than her own, I can identify with having the headstrong wish to make something of yourself when you know that you are drowning in stale and stagnant air. Her tales are tall, her stories only somewhat true, and her gumption thick with grit.
Thank you to Pegasus Books and The Book Club CookBook for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review- this title is out June 1st, 2021!
CW: Racism, homophobia, sexism, allusion to racially charged acts of violence
September 9, 2021
This was an enjoyable read about Annie Londonderry, an amazing woman who in the 19th century was the first woman to circle the globe on a bicycle. Written in first person, the story is told in Annie's voice in a long letter to her grand-daughter. Based on a true story, the details are rather stunning. Because it is fiction, however, Zheutlin is free to take some liberties, which made for a more fascinating read. I liked how he filled in some blanks about Annie. Though we will never know her full story, this book gives us the feeling that we know her better because of it.
April 22, 2021
Annie Londonderry was outrageous. Hold on tight while you enjoy this ride as she bikes, lies, and promotes products to finance her trip. The icing on the cake is the way she MANipulates her way to the payoff at the end. Such a delicious story of a feisty woman in an age when most ladies of the era were securely under the thumb of husbands and family. #galleymatch
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2022
3.5 One of those interesting stories about little-known people (women) and how a small part of history had a big impact. In this book, set in the 1890s, the bicycle has taken hold, and for women in particular, it has created an unprecedented, unanticipated freedom. Annie Londonderry was a real person, distantly related to the author over a couple generations, and he found scant evidence of her story and then did extensive research to create this historical (mostly true) fiction. In 1894, Anna Kopchovsky (nee Cohen) was on the conventional path of a woman of her age and era: married young to an older man, raising three children, keeping house, subverting her own needs/wants to those of her husband Max, who essentially was an amateur Talmud scholar, and little else. She sold newspaper ads for her brother Bennett's company to bring in some income and that is how she changed her life's direction. Working with one of the men whose store she represented, she took on a bet with the owner of Columbia bikes to be the first woman to ride around the world in 15 mos. (less time than a man already did), riding at least 10,000 miles, earning her way and her keep as she went, and securing $5000 additional. The prize for accomplishing this feat was $10,000. However, her patrons were afraid a Jewish woman would not be acceptable, nor would a mother abandoning her children, so alter-ego Annie Londonderry was born. She left her children with her brother and sister-in-law, who had 2 children of their own, and informed her passive husband Max of her intent and rode off from the hometown of Boston to NYC to some acclaim. Her family was convinced she would stop this madness at that point, but she rode on to Chicago, gaining muscle, knowledge and notoriety, and shedding superfluous clothing (long skirts, petticoats, etc) to embrace bloomers and later specially-made jodhpur-style pants. The more she traveled, the more she became plucky Annie and embellished her stories and her experiences, sought out the newspaper press, and became a personality. This was the era of Annie Oakley (Buffalo Bill's Wide West Show) and Nellie Bly, so Annie was well-matched in publicity. She did ride a good deal of North America, and some of Europe (and other by train) but did not have much time in the Far East, despite making up rather unflattering stories about time in China, Japan, and India as if she had been there for a span. To finance her travels, she gave lectures about her trip in the cities where she stayed, or wore advertising for local shops and companies. She was super-savvy, if a little shady in her schemes and that is why I didn't rate the book higher - she just didn't come across as that likeable. As she said: "I wasn't the only teenage girl in the West End whose marriage to an older man she didn't know had been arranged by her parents. And I certainly wasn't the only young mother overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a wife, mother, and homemaker. But I was the only one who broke free to pedal around the world. A restless, spirited, contrarian nature plus opportunity equals rebellion." (13) The story is told by Annie in a letter to her granddaughter Mary to be opened at age 30, (in 1961) and penned in 1947 shortly before she died. Her rationale: "Maybe though I could not be the mother my children needed, I could be one of those women they needed to show that you can, with enough audacity, map your own path in this world." (23) It includes some actual newspaper content from her exploits as well as some sketches and other primary resources, which does give it some credence and makes for a very engaging tale objectively speaking - one of those "I never knew...." enlightenments.
June 5, 2021
This is a fascinating story of a young, Jewish mother who, in 1894, took on a wager to be the first woman to ride a bicycle around the world. She must do it in 15 months and earn $5000 enroute. She had to begin the journey with no money and was not allowed to accept anything free along the way. If she succeeded, she would collect $10,000. The book is structured as an imaginary letter that Annie writes to her granddaughter Mary.
Annie Londonderry was actually Annie Cohen Kopchovsky and was the author’s ancestor. She wasn’t fond of marriage, although she was married. She also wasn’t fond of children, although she had three. Having to self-promote herself all along the way, she became a creative storyteller. She made some decisions that were questionable, but haven’t we all done that? While I didn’t find her very likeable, she was certainly brave, bold, and had real chutzpah. Without a doubt, she was certainly well ahead of her time.
Annie was somewhat of a family secret, so Zheutlin had to do quite a bit of research to piece together Annie’s amazing story which he now presents as a historical fiction novel. The “P.S.� at the end of the letter was emotional and helped me understand Annie a bit better.
I chuckle a bit at the simple title “Spin�, which may refer to the bicycle wheels spinning or perhaps to the tales Annie spins along the way. There were some good ones.
I never realized just how important the invention of the bicycle was, especially for women. Susan B. Anthony is quoted as saying “Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.� With the bicycle, Annie helped pave the way to the rights we women have today.
I recommend this book to those who want to know about another courageous woman in history that refused to be caught confined and instead set her own path.
Annie Londonderry was actually Annie Cohen Kopchovsky and was the author’s ancestor. She wasn’t fond of marriage, although she was married. She also wasn’t fond of children, although she had three. Having to self-promote herself all along the way, she became a creative storyteller. She made some decisions that were questionable, but haven’t we all done that? While I didn’t find her very likeable, she was certainly brave, bold, and had real chutzpah. Without a doubt, she was certainly well ahead of her time.
Annie was somewhat of a family secret, so Zheutlin had to do quite a bit of research to piece together Annie’s amazing story which he now presents as a historical fiction novel. The “P.S.� at the end of the letter was emotional and helped me understand Annie a bit better.
I chuckle a bit at the simple title “Spin�, which may refer to the bicycle wheels spinning or perhaps to the tales Annie spins along the way. There were some good ones.
I never realized just how important the invention of the bicycle was, especially for women. Susan B. Anthony is quoted as saying “Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.� With the bicycle, Annie helped pave the way to the rights we women have today.
I recommend this book to those who want to know about another courageous woman in history that refused to be caught confined and instead set her own path.
June 1, 2021
This is the fascinating story of a woman unhappy with her pre-determined life who embarks on a journey. The novel is "based on a (mostly) true story� which is a super cute way to say some of these things happened and some didn’t, don’t hold me accountable. Love that!
On June 27, 1894, Annie Londonderry (aka Annie Cohen Kopchovsky) set out from Boston on a bicycle to ride around the world in 15 months. It was basically a publicity stunt to convince women they should be riding bikes. Until this point, bicycles were mostly ridden by men.
Annie’s reason for embarking on this journey was different. Being married to a man she didn’t love and a mother to 3 children 5 and under whom she didn’t really have affection for, her purpose was, in her own words “to fulfill my own destiny, not the one society had in mind for me�. She didn’t have much support from her family. Her only encouragement was from her childhood friend turned lover, Susie.
While reading it I was constantly thinking about the young children she left behind. I honestly can’t imagine leaving my young children behind for that long, but I also live in a time when I am allowed to make decisions for myself, so I guess I can’t relate. She made her way across the US and then travels by ship to France and pedals her way through Europe and Asia. She has to constantly promote herself and earn money along the way while meeting interesting people and having once in a lifetime adventures and even a romantic encounter now and then. She meets Annie Oakley, Susan B. Anthony and spent a week with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show! This woman is not afraid of anything or anyone.
Check out this new release if you like adventure and something different!
On June 27, 1894, Annie Londonderry (aka Annie Cohen Kopchovsky) set out from Boston on a bicycle to ride around the world in 15 months. It was basically a publicity stunt to convince women they should be riding bikes. Until this point, bicycles were mostly ridden by men.
Annie’s reason for embarking on this journey was different. Being married to a man she didn’t love and a mother to 3 children 5 and under whom she didn’t really have affection for, her purpose was, in her own words “to fulfill my own destiny, not the one society had in mind for me�. She didn’t have much support from her family. Her only encouragement was from her childhood friend turned lover, Susie.
While reading it I was constantly thinking about the young children she left behind. I honestly can’t imagine leaving my young children behind for that long, but I also live in a time when I am allowed to make decisions for myself, so I guess I can’t relate. She made her way across the US and then travels by ship to France and pedals her way through Europe and Asia. She has to constantly promote herself and earn money along the way while meeting interesting people and having once in a lifetime adventures and even a romantic encounter now and then. She meets Annie Oakley, Susan B. Anthony and spent a week with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show! This woman is not afraid of anything or anyone.
Check out this new release if you like adventure and something different!
November 19, 2022
"Spin" works two ways in this true-story novel. Annie Kapchovsky did indeed take a spin around the world on a bicycle. That was back in 1894 and she did it to earn a $5000 prize. That would be enough to support her family (her Talmud scholar husband and two children) for years. And as she cycled she spun her story, from her nom-de-voyage (Annie Londonderry) to her background (Harvard medical student!). She took liberties with the terms of the challenge, changing bicycles from the clunky 42-lb Columbia to the sleeker 21-lb Sterling. Though she went around the world she traveled a lot of it by boat (of course) and by train. And, yes, she made it!
"The lesson I learned was this," Annie tells her granddaughter Mary years later. "Never underestimate the power of the mind to see what it wants to see and to believe what it wants to believe....For the most part people wanted to believe, and so they did. Perception has a way of becoming reality." (p. 191)
A friend's library hosted author Peter Zheutlin recently. Though I didn't attend his program (I live in another state) I was intrigued by the story and checked out both this novel and Zheutlin's nonfiction account Around the World on Two Wheels (2007). Though the biography is interesting (and has a great photo section), the novel is more sprightly because it is a rich reimagining of Annie's life and adventures.
"The lesson I learned was this," Annie tells her granddaughter Mary years later. "Never underestimate the power of the mind to see what it wants to see and to believe what it wants to believe....For the most part people wanted to believe, and so they did. Perception has a way of becoming reality." (p. 191)
A friend's library hosted author Peter Zheutlin recently. Though I didn't attend his program (I live in another state) I was intrigued by the story and checked out both this novel and Zheutlin's nonfiction account Around the World on Two Wheels (2007). Though the biography is interesting (and has a great photo section), the novel is more sprightly because it is a rich reimagining of Annie's life and adventures.
July 4, 2021
Because of a wager between two men, Annie Cohen Kopchovsky headed out in June 1894 for a 15 month bicycle tour around the world. Not only did she have to complete the tour…she had to raise $5000 during the tour. Annie and her Pearl handled revolver created quite a stir in every place and town!
This is definitely a different read. I have never heard of Annie Cohen Kopchovsky before. Nor have I ever heard of her bicycle trip ‘round the world!� I admire Annie, her tenacity and her ingenuity. But, I felt sorry for her family. She left her young children at home for 15 months to accomplish this feat. I will be honest…this is something I had trouble with.
However, I enjoyed reading about Annie and her experiences on this magical trip. Nothing hindered her, including falls and pneumonia. She was truly unstoppable.
Need a unique tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the author for a honest review.
This is definitely a different read. I have never heard of Annie Cohen Kopchovsky before. Nor have I ever heard of her bicycle trip ‘round the world!� I admire Annie, her tenacity and her ingenuity. But, I felt sorry for her family. She left her young children at home for 15 months to accomplish this feat. I will be honest…this is something I had trouble with.
However, I enjoyed reading about Annie and her experiences on this magical trip. Nothing hindered her, including falls and pneumonia. She was truly unstoppable.
Need a unique tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the author for a honest review.
June 16, 2021
4.5 stars
I had never heard of Annie Londonderry (Cohen Kopchovsky) before picking up this book. I have become utterly entranced. While I know this author also wrote a nonfiction book about her, I believe that this tale does her life better justice, mixing fact and fiction, just like the woman herself. While her claim to the title “First Woman to Bike Around the World� is tenuous, the inspiration she was to women is far more important anyway. She proved that a woman could not only travel by herself, but that she had the grit and wit to MAKE MONEY on her cycling adventure.
Londonderry was larger than life, just the way Annie wanted her to be. That made it all the poignant to see how the other half lived, to bring the repercussions into focus. What she accomplished was extraordinary, but at the same to personally costly.
I had never heard of Annie Londonderry (Cohen Kopchovsky) before picking up this book. I have become utterly entranced. While I know this author also wrote a nonfiction book about her, I believe that this tale does her life better justice, mixing fact and fiction, just like the woman herself. While her claim to the title “First Woman to Bike Around the World� is tenuous, the inspiration she was to women is far more important anyway. She proved that a woman could not only travel by herself, but that she had the grit and wit to MAKE MONEY on her cycling adventure.
Londonderry was larger than life, just the way Annie wanted her to be. That made it all the poignant to see how the other half lived, to bring the repercussions into focus. What she accomplished was extraordinary, but at the same to personally costly.
February 11, 2025
Spin has been sitting on my my TBR list for a few years, and I've been trying to whittle that list down. Peter Zheutlin, a descendant of Annie (the cyclist), recounts the tale of an "around-the-world adventure." Annie accepts the challenge to bicycle around the world, leaving from Boston, in the 1890s. It seems unlikely because she is mother to three small children and has never ridden a bike. Not one to be deterred by these details, Annie embarks on the journey. She is giddy to be away from her regular life and embellishes her story a little more at each stop on the way. Zheutlin admits in the title that this is a "mostly true story." I'm not sure if I would've awarded Annie the prize money; it seemed like she took a lot of liberties, but the cycling she accomplished appeared grueling. Zheutlin includes some photographs and advertisements documenting Annie's trip.
February 11, 2023
I picked up this book after somewhat-randomly noticing the title at the library. It’s a nice fit for me with historical fiction and cycling.
The main character really existed, and she is even a distant relative of the author, which is why he picked up the story. He wrote a more factual accounting of her life, but as he says in the afterward, writing a fictionalized version of her story just made sense - the real Annie Londonderry made up a lot of her own story as well.
The story dragged a bit for a chapter or two of what felt somewhat repetitive accounting of her adventures, but on the whole it held my attention throughout. The author also had some fun with the setup of the story as a long letter from Annie to her granddaughter.
The main character really existed, and she is even a distant relative of the author, which is why he picked up the story. He wrote a more factual accounting of her life, but as he says in the afterward, writing a fictionalized version of her story just made sense - the real Annie Londonderry made up a lot of her own story as well.
The story dragged a bit for a chapter or two of what felt somewhat repetitive accounting of her adventures, but on the whole it held my attention throughout. The author also had some fun with the setup of the story as a long letter from Annie to her granddaughter.
September 4, 2023
probably one of the best books i’ve ever read! that it reads like fiction but is actually historical and the main character it is about actually made up her own events while she was traveling around the world on a bicycle are so layered and exciting and inspiring as a woman! & fellow jew :p we think we’ve come so far as women, but this woman’s story is still remarkable even in 2023! she was certainly imperfect with her children, but why must every woman be fit to be a mother? With everything we are dealing with nowadays, we are at no shortage of stories like these!
The lesson with her journey- that it is not about the precise details but about the overall picture and message felt valuable too!
The lesson with her journey- that it is not about the precise details but about the overall picture and message felt valuable too!
July 2, 2021
This book is written by a relative (as a letter to her niece) about Annie Londonderry who was a Jewish wife and mother of three young children who decided to ride her bicycle around the world � much to the chagrin of most everyone, especially her family and most men of the era � realize this takes place in 1894! As she is not allowed to be “given� funds, she must use her wild imagination to tell tales of happenings - not always real - to gain advertisers to augment her trip. Our Book Club enjoyed an international appetizer-filled discussion to celebrate many of the locations she visited! It is an interesting read.
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August 9, 2021In June of 1894, a Boston housewife and mother renamed herself Annie Londonderry and set off from Boston to go around the world by bicycle. Peter Zheutlin’s new book, SPIN: A Novel Based on a (Mostly) True Story, follows an extensive trail of newspaper coverage of Annie’s travels, augmented by imagination and historic details.
In addition to Annie’s quirky story, SPIN looks at how the bicycle radically transformed the lives of women in the late 19th century. Annie’s story illustrates the quote by Susan B. Anthony on the book’s cover: “Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.�
In addition to Annie’s quirky story, SPIN looks at how the bicycle radically transformed the lives of women in the late 19th century. Annie’s story illustrates the quote by Susan B. Anthony on the book’s cover: “Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.�
March 14, 2022
This book was fun to read. The main character is a tall-tale telling progressive lady who made a name for herself in a time it was difficult for women by riding her bike around the globe (mostly). I learned things I didn't know about that time period, too, like women being moving billboards for products by pinning the products or pictures on their skirts. Very cool that this book was about a real and very interesting woman!
May 8, 2023
It's unfortunate that so little of Annie's true story exists, but her distant relative creates historical fiction of the story. She told outlandish stories of self-promotion; some of her tales are so far-fetched but we don't know where any grain of truth is. Fascinating that a woman with children would undertake a 15-month around-the-world trip. (Annie's hero Nellie Bly was single when she traveled around the world.)
September 8, 2021
This is a wonderful glance into a wild 'true' story of a woman who left her family and 'cycled' around the world in the 19th century, spinning many a tall tale to get press and promotions!
The notes about the author being related to her and the connection there is a reminder to the hiddien stories of the past.
A bit repetitive in terms of the tall tales.
The notes about the author being related to her and the connection there is a reminder to the hiddien stories of the past.
A bit repetitive in terms of the tall tales.
July 22, 2022
Sigh. I hoped I would enjoy this, but nope. It just seemed forced and stilted. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't good either. There were moments it read okay, but it just never gelled. I don't think the male author is very good at writing females. I kept thinking, yep, that is how a man would see that situation, but I don't think a woman would see it that way.
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