For two decades, Davis Phinney was one of
America’s most successful cyclists. He won two stages at the Tour
de France and an Olympic medal. But after years of feeling off, he was
diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s. The body that had been his
ally was now something else: a prison. 

The Happiness of
Pursuit is the story of how Davis sought to overcome his
Parkinson’s by reaching back to what had made him so successful on
the bike and adjusting his perspective on what counted as a win. The
news of his diagnosis began a dark period for this vibrant athlete, but
there was also light. His son Taylor’s own bike-racing career was
taking off. Determined to beat the Body Snatcher, Davis underwent a
procedure called deep brain stimulation. Although not cured, his
symptoms abated enough for him to see Taylor compete in the Beijing
Olympics. Davis Phinney had won another stage. But the joy, he
discovered, was in the pursuit. 

With humor and grace,
Phinney weaves the narrative of his battle with Parkinson’s with
tales from his cycling career and from his son’s emerging career.
The Happiness of Pursuit is a remarkable story of fathers and
sons and bikes, of victories large and small.