Racing Books

This book does an excellent job of balancing admiration for the Lotus people and drivers, and criticism when needed. It has much inside information and many inside photos and drawings from Lotus and Ford. The technical discussion has some depth, and none of it is speculative. Also some asides on the personalities involved, which prevent any monotony. Many B-W and about 30 color pictures. Covers in enough depth the Lotus F1 cars before and after the 78/79.

We really enjoyed this story, because it is such a good example of how you must work to accomplish your goals. Since George procrastinated and did not prepare for his big race the outcome was not what he would have wished. The pictures are charming, and George is so typical of all of us. We are buying this book, so that our children, (as well as the adults) can be reminded from time to time to do the work today and not tomorrow.

'Lucky John' is the compelling story of an East End boy who, through determination and ability, rose from tea boy to chairman of William Hill, leading it to become the UKs most successful bookmaker. In this book, John Brown describes how he, with no business training and doing it in his most inimitable style, fought back from redundancy and the financial collapse of parent company Brent Walker to take William Hill and the bookmaking industry to unprecedented levels of prosperity - making him and his management team rich in the process.

Manxman Mac McDiarmid has assembled the ultimate compendium of the Island, the greatest tribute to the place, race and racers every put into print. Consider the energy of the cover photo of Joey Dunlop on his RC30, enter its detailed, definitive history, and one is immersed immediately in memories of favorite Manx corners, greatest riders, 'best' bikes. Once in your blood the Island never leaves you.

All that's missing--it soon floods back--is the sense of being there, hearing the distant wail of a race bike behind the banks, beyond the buildings, trees and phone poles that line the road, transforming suddenly into a shocking blur of action, embodying the intense focus of a racer at max effort, at grave risk. Add the sense of camaraderie on the street, in the pubs, around the circuit, swapping lies, kicking tires, found only in a few sports where skill, energy, commitment and risk forge bonds between participants whatever their origins. That's the true magic of the TT and McDiarmid--himself a resident and former Island racer with an 'over-the-ton' lap there--has bottled it.

John Surtees' foreword is provocative, outspoken in a way that will surprise no one who knows the man. He proposes a re-thinking of the Island: bike size/power, screening acceptable riders, even the program itself. He suggests a TT Motorsports Festival, perhaps linking two and four wheels, involving historic activities, not necessarily on the full Mountain course.

One aspect of his comments deserves mention. It puts modern racing on the Island into perspective. Over 50 years since Surtees raced and won there, two huge changes have occurred: to the bikes, radically more powerful, and the course, now smoothed and modified to the point of being unrecognizably different from the course he raced. These two changes calibrate the average speeds now approaching 130 MPH.

One element remains unchanged: the risks over the 37-mile, 150-corner Mountain moster with its unpredictable winds, weather and surface changes and other sudden, potentially deadly surprises (birds, animals, even spectators and marshalls). Over 200 racers, many of the highest caliber, have died there. Such racing, offering ultimate rewards, may extract the ultimate penalty--IoM racers have found more ways to die than any ordinary mortal could conceive, matching only carrier aviation.

The only omission from the book, clearly beyond its scope, is a listing of the riders who have run the Island, and their performance. You can find that on the event webside, www.IoMTT.com. McDiarmid's book is a keeper and keeps the reader coming back for more.

The Manx are an independent lot. Think of mysterious three-legged logotypes and cats with little or no tails but plenty of attitude.

This book provides the MG enthusiast with unique insight into the workings of Abingdon in the peak years of MG's popularity. General manager Thornley takes the reader inside the workings and development of the MG through the late 40's into the 50's. A welcome addition to any MG reference collection. William Sydnor

This book will make you truly question the mind-set of mountain climbers, as it relates numerous stories of man vs mountain ( man usually loses, it seems).

This book teaches you that you should not trivialize the dangers of mountain climbing ( I suppose you could say not to " make a molehill out of a mountain" ) : > )

It's a fascinating book.

David Matthews has a wonderful way with words. Pulling on all kinds of diverse cultural references through his autobiographical style of writing which is reminescent of Hunter S Thompson, and which is a joy to follow. His work is highly personal, making astute cultural observations throughout. His honesty is so profound and without fear that you feel more like you are reading his journal.

This is the best horse book I have ever read! The author has amazing insight and talent.

1992 Formula 1 champion Nigel Mansell is one of Britain's racing legends, his duels with Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet fresh in people's memories. Williams' wheelchair-bound boss Frank Williams writes the foreword, and the two have achieved success hand-in-hand. With the help of veteran racing author Derick Allsop, he has written his most authoritative work on his success. Sections look at his personality and life off the track, which conveys him as a classic family man, the Williams team and what made it tick, the way a race weekend works (fascinating information for all F1 fans), the drives eh has raced against (unsurprisingly his comments on his 'Gang of 4' rivals aren't always complementary) and each race individually. Derick writes a section on his 1992 championship triumph, looking at each of the races in which he emphatically achieved the dream it looked like he would be denied. A great look at a great racer.

"March - The Rise and Fall of a Motor Racing Legend" is the expanded and updated edition of Mike Lawrence's original "The Story of March - 4 guys and a telephone", which was originally in 1989. This update dates from 2001, and really only consists of an additional chapter which take into account the events after 1989 up to the winding up of March in 1994, plus a new introduction from Mike Lawrence. Otherwise there appears to be little or no difference from "4 guys and a telephone".

The author gained unparalleled access to the archives of March, plus extensive interviews with all the key members of the team, and customers, including Max Mosely, Ron Tauranac, and John MacDonald to name just a few. In the introduction, it is emphasized by the author, and Robin Herd who wrote the foreword, that this was to be a "warts and all" history of the team, with a focus on the people of March. Amusing ancedotes and stories are related all the way through the book, and I should point out the March story is not just about Formula One. March were prolific manufacturers of chassis for the junior formulae F2, F3000 and F3, as well as for Indycar. The text is well illustrated throughout, with many black and white photographs, and there are also 2 inserts of colour photography. There is also a detailed appendix of results for March chassis, of which around 1500 were made - for the lower formulae the results are limited to race wins and top 6 in the championship due to the sheer number of chassis that were built. By and large the appendix is formed from March's own chassis logbooks.

If I was to have a gripe with the book, it would be the formatting of the text, which is arranged in 2 columns per page. I have no idea why this is the case, and if the original "4 guys and a telephone" was formatted this way. Despite this, the re-release of the book is to be credited - I note that prices for copies of "4 guys and a telephone", which is pretty scarce these days, are pretty steep. The price of this edition makes the story much more accessible to newer fans of the sport. I heartily recommend this book to all enthuasists of single seater motorsport.