Coffee First, Then the World

One Woman's Record-Breaking Pedal Around the Planet

By: Jenny Graham

Narrated by: Jenny Graham

Bloomsbury presents Coffee First, Then the World written and read by Jenny Graham.

SELECTED FOR THE BBC AND READING AGENCY'S BIG SPORTING READ 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2024 – CYCLING BOOK OF THE YEAR
A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 – SPORT

'An amazing adventure... I was left in total awe' – Lorraine Kelly

'Brilliant' – Mark Beaumont

16 countries, 124 days and 18,000 miles. This is the story of one woman’s solo lap of the planet by bike.

‘The relief was immense: no longer was I talking, thinking or worrying about this. I was just actually doing it. I, Jenny Graham, was riding around the actual world!’

In 2018, amateur cyclist Jenny Graham left family and friends behind in Scotland to become the fastest woman to cycle around the world. Alone and unsupported, she crossed the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin four months later, smashing the female record by nearly three weeks.

With infectious wit and honesty, Jenny brings readers into her remarkable Round the World adventure, as she takes on four continents, 16 countries – and countless cups of coffee. Her journey swerves from terrifying near road collisions in Russia and weather extremes in Australia to breathtaking landscapes in Mongolia and exhilarating wildlife encounters in North America. Tight on time and money, she resorts to fixing her bike on the fly, sleeping on roadsides and often riding through the night to stay on track and complete her mission.

As she battles physical and mental challenges to race against the clock, Jenny gradually opens up to the joy of the adventure and all its daily discoveries. She gives in to her impulse to connect with people, making friends with strangers across the globe and embracing new cultures.

Coffee First, Then the World is her account of a record-breaking ride, and how one woman and a humble bike conquered the world.

©2023 Jenny Graham (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Great story well told, massively entertaining

I loved this book and Jenny has a great voice to listen to. Her enthusiasm adds to the story and I’ve been laughing and crying out loud.

Funny and fascinating

Jenny Graham tells the story of her record setting bike ride. She is funny and friendly and incredibly humble about her extraordinary accomplishment. Well done!

Wow what a story

I’m so glad I listened to this book rather than just read it. Hearing her emotions through her Scottish brogue just made her tale more fun. As a bicyclist I’m impressed by the entire adventure

An amazing account of adventure around the world

I have seen some of Jenny's bike packing videos on the gcn channel. this book is an amazing and honest account of her adventure cycling around the world and is a must read/listen for anyone into bike touring.

Such a great adventure!

I enjoyed hearing Jenny read her own story. Her enthusiasm in her engaging voice pulled me in and I didn’t want to stop listening. As a female cyclist myself, I was so inspired by this book. But anyone would find her story captivating. You won’t regret listening!

Epic Adventure!

A beautifully told epic adventure that makes you want to go out and tackle your own dreams. See you on the trail some day.

Heroic

Jenny Graham is a hero. It should go without saying that she is an inspiration. She’s also a fine narrator of her story. This is part memoir. As for the tale of her ride around the world, this is also modest. She is clearly an incredibly positive person, who can evidently sleep anywhere, but it still feels like she kept out some of the awful bits, even though she reveals some of her vulnerabilities. The story would be more entertaining if she has stopped to see the sights. But this ride was about pace, riding 15 hrs a day, persevering and absolute commitment. Incredible.

Along For The Ride

Really enjoyed listening to Jenny's record-breaking experience! Exhilarating, encouraging, and inspiring! Congrats Jenny! Thank you for encouraging others, especially young people and young women, to explore the freedom and exhilaration of pedaling a bike! 

Wonderful recounting of an epic adventure

Enjoyed following along with this heroic trek that so often seems out of the realm of possibilities. Couldn’t help smiling along with Graham’s infectiously happy voice. Looking forward to her future endeavors.

Made me feel slothful

I can’t imagine the resilience and courage Graham had to go on her journey. I share her horror of snakes and completely understood her anxiety in Australia.