The Big Buddha Bicycle Race

The Big Buddha Bicycle Race is a historical fiction novel by Terrence A. Harkin. The story takes place in late 1971 and early 1972. This is Vietnam War era story, but rather than taking place in the usual Vietnam venues, this story primarily is about the scene in upper Thailand and the war-devastated Laos, which lies in between Vietnam and Thailand. During the Vietnam War, the author was stationed in Ubon, Thailand. Harkin’s protagonist, Airman Leary, was really a conscientious objector to the war, but he made the mistake of believing his recruiter who promised him that if he joined the Air Force, that he would be kept at a far distance from the war activities. That was a lie, and Leary, a cameraman, ended up filming live action of the bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the supply route of the North Vietnamese that ran through Laos. The scenes of war carnage were graphically portrayed.

But this is also a love story and a multicultural story as Leary and his fellow GI’s interacted with, fell in love with, and conflicted with the societies they did not understand. There is certainly a strong quimsical quality to Harkin’s writing story, but this is also a life-and-death story which is well-told. Leary and his buddies think the war is coming to and end, and they were able to convince the local brass that it would be a morale building experience to stage a bicycle race to Thailand’s Big Buddha. Of course, that meant racing through the countryside where enemy soldiers were still hiding. You might ask, “What could go right?” In regard to the race itself, nothing went right. But ultimately, the race itself was a small part of the book and the planning for the race served as a backdrop for the description of Leary’s buddies and their interactions with each other and with the locals. Overall, the book was okay and I can give it a mildly favorable recommendation.