Racing Books

Which I assume is Italian for fantastic. Great book. Perfect collection of pictures w/ a terrific collection of info. Definitely worth the money.

I bought this as a gift so I am not really in a position to review it, however my friend was delighted, so I assume it has to be a half decent read as he knows his Ducatis.

Ian does his normal excellent job of providing the history of Ducati, with a mixture of facts and passion. Unlike so many other books, Ian gives a thorough treatment of Ducatis past with only the last chapter devoted to the current bikes which we can read about in magazines.

A lot of behind the scenes information is provided that I didn't know about.

If you are a true Ducatisti, then this is a Must Have book.

Ducati is known for its motorcycles among transportation buffs today, but it switched from electronics to motorcycle manufacturing after a bombing during the second world war - and thus made its name in the industry. What is less well known is the stormy path that led to this reputation, chronicled here in The Ducati Story, now in its 4th edition. Ducati experienced a number of rises and falls due to questionable managerial decision-making processes. This book portrays some of its most famous designers and designs but also charts a company history behind the scenes. Falloon has written over 20 books on motorcycles, including eight on Ducati, but this in-depth survey is one of his best, pairing eye-catching color motorcycle photos with business and design facts.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Since Damon Hill retired from the grand prix circuit and writes for a certain very popular English motorsport magazine we know that the guy can write. What we learn from this book is that he already had that gift when he was still driving! The book was made in 1998 when Damon was on his last F1 stint with the Jordan team, during that emotional year when Jordan scored a historic 1-2 in Spa. The F1-educated reader who knows what happened in '99 (Damon fired by Eddie Jordan because he was consistently outperformed by team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen) will find his remarks on the team a poignant read.
The book touches all the major aspects of Formula One motorsport: technology, image, media pressure, professional rivalry, the fear, money and fame. Damon also talks about his famous father Graham Hill and "his" race: Monte Carlo (GH won Monte Carlo 5 times and was only fairly recently surpassed by Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in this feat). Damon explores how having a famous race driver as a father influenced his own career path and attitude towards the sport.
The book is overall very well crafted. Damon's text is supported and enhanced by the superb photography of Keith Sutton, England's premier F1 photographer. Overall a very good read and a pleasure to the eye, certainly a must-have for every serious F1-fan, even you Schumacher fans: Damon has some very interesting things to say about his famous rivalry with Michael!

Damon Hill is seen by many fans as the "loser" champion, the champion who had it, he had the drive, he had the car, he had the intelligence, he had the motivation and dedication, but there was Schumacher in the way, as there was Clark that came Graham's way. It must be said that, even if the 1995 season, climax of the 90's, is most remembered and pictures Damon's defeat, Damon's 96 title is thorougly deserved and well acomplished. Damon deserves much respect for his acomplishmnet in the sport; even during his last and terrible f1 season, 1999, where he was outshined by his very fast team-mate Heinz Harald Frentzen, Damon was not to be looked pathetic next to him - instead he was to be held tremendous respect and would not receive any contempt from any TRUE F1 fan. Damon was not the fastest driver ever, but he holds his place among the other World Champions and stands as one of the Lords of this sport.

Damon Hill is seen by many fans as the "loser" champion, the champion who had it, he had the drive, he had the car, he had the intelligence, he had the motivation and dedication, but there was Schumacher in the way, as there was Clark that came Graham's way. It must be said that, even if the 1995 season, climax of the 90's, is most remembered and pictures Damon's defeat, Damon's 96 title is thorougly deserved and well acomplished. Damon deserves much respect for his acomplishmnet in the sport; even during his last and terrible f1 season, 1999, where he was outshined by his very fast team-mate Heinz Harald Frentzen, Damon was not to be looked pathetic next to him - instead he was to be held tremendous respect and would not receive any contempt from any TRUE F1 fan. Damon was not the fastest driver ever, but he holds his place among the other World Champions and stands as one of the Lords of this sport.

From the moment I recieved this book, I could tell a lot of time and energy (money) went into making it. The cover is made of a nice, almost sliky paper material, which just makes you feel like it is worth the price. However, the real treat is inside. Damon Hill is a very eloquent writer, and makes some very personal revelations. If you ever wanted to know what makes an F1 World Champion tick, here's your chance. His gives his feelings about his early years driving with legends such as Aryton Senna, and Alain Prost, as well as his current on-going rivaly with M. Schumacher. Also, the photographs taken by Keith Sutton are an added bonus. As Damon said in his book, "So here it is. A book about all that (F1 life). But you can just look at the pictures if you prefer..." Yes! You really can; the pictures are fabulous. It's a shame about his retirement, and i actually would have felt that this book would have been better off, if he retired first and then published it, so that his writing wouldn't be so restrained. Even so, it gives the most comprehensive first-person's view of the things that transpire in the world of F1. Personally, I am a Damon Hill fan, so I can recommend this book to all those who also follow this "gentlemen's racer."

This forgotten book deserves attention. Critics have always loved it, but the unfortunate title ("Fast Company: How Six Master Gamblers Defy the Odds--And Always Win") confused the reading public. It never sold well. It is NOT a collection of get-rich-quick drivel. It's a group of incredibly poignant, expertly delivered portraits of some of the most colorful professional hustlers of the 20th Century.

At once informative, funny, and deeply moving, Fast Company is one of two favorite books on my extensive shelf of gambling titles. If you're at all curious about the subject, you must buy it.

Not really a travel book, like the rest of the Vintage Departures line, but an examination of another culture just the same. Bradshaw profiles six men with something in common--they are all hustlers, that is, gamblers who make a living by their wits. The range here is great, including the tennis player Bobby Riggs and backgammon great Tim Holland, as well as more "traditional" gamblers Minnesota Fats (pool), Pug Pearson and Johnny Moss (poker), and Titantic Thompson (proposition). But these were just what these men were best at--they all exceeded at almost every game they undertook, golf being an extremely common one for each. Bradshaw was a gifted writer. His style makes this book difficult to place down; the subject makes it nigh impossible.

This book helped me incredibly understand the odds and help beat the casino at their games. I recommend it.

I'm sitting here and recalling some of my favorites of the nearly hundred poker/gambling books I bought between 1999 and 2002 while learning the ropes. Looking through my collection I find not one but three copies of Fast Company. The memories come flooding back!
I have three copies because back then it was out of print and I bought every used copy I could find online, just to be sure I always have a copy. It is that good.
Bradshaw was a truly gifted essayist and observer and was never out to sell the gamblers here as heroes. What he did instead was get inside their heads like a master poker player, and then show us what made them tick. Add to that their own reminiscences of many of the other greats and you get one of the most in-depth of all books on gamblers and their passion. (Those who judge gamblers as somehow unholy might learn a thing or three from this book, and might consider that our entire global economy is run by Wall Street gamblers who have recently made some of the worst wagers in history...though when you keep your billions in profits but your debts are picked up by the taxpayer, it's always a good bet!)
The extra stroke of genius of Fast Company is that Bradshaw was able to meet and chronicle the lives of some of America's greatest gamblers (and what country is more based on gambling?) before they died, and before most in the mainstream realized how special they really were. Each of the six portraits is a masterpiece.
It's hard to pick a favorite as each article is so fine, but the pieces on Johnny Moss and Titanic Thompson are truly legendary, as were their subjects. I won't go into detail other than to say that I just reread the last paragraph and got a chill up my spine remembering what I felt when I first read this book. I learned a lot about poker and life from Fast Company, lessons that have served me well and made me money ever since. Never underestimate the power of a great book!
No hyperbole could match how far beyond other gambling writers Bradshaw was/is. He understood how complex and incredibly sharp and funny and wise and foolish these men were, because he was in their league. He doesn't lionize them nor does he demean them. He shows full respect for their incredible lives and exploits (and is willing to slyly point up their hubris, as with Fats) and by the time you've read about these six gamblers (three of the greatest poker players included, Moss being perhaps the finest of all time) you have a true feel for what being a real road gambler back in the day meant.
There's also wry laughs aplenty, as in the Bobby Riggs tale, and so many great anecdotes. So many! The Gods of Gambling made sure that a writer of Bradshaw's calibre was able to meet Moss and Thompson et al before they (and he) died, so that we would have a book that finally reveals the depth and breadth (as well as the shallowness) of the life of a world-class gambler. These are not always the greatest of men but they are all great characters, with all that implies.
For some reason I've never loaned this book to any friends; it's always felt like my own little secret world in some strange way, a hidden canyon full of dapppled sunlight and dark corners that shows how glorious and venal life can simultaneously be. Read it and you'll see why. It is a very special book indeed, and it amazes me that it has never received anywhere close to the acclaim it deserves. Only two reviews five years after the second reprint in three decades? (Blessings to the reprinters, by the way! Few books are more worthy.) Truly incredible, especially in light of the poker boom and resultant poker book boom (most of which are trash and not worthy of sitting on a shelf next to this tome).
And a dime for a used copy? Deal of the century! Buy a copy for everyone you know who appreciates great writing when they read it, or who has ever stayed up all night in a game trying to get unstuck.
Thank you Jon Bradshaw, wherever you are, for writing the definitive book on what it means to be a gambler, warts and all. You are in the same class as Thompson and Moss: the best in your field, and sadly underappreciated by history. That will change. (One day you will hear this book mentioned and quoted by every lame tv poker commentator out there. Everyone tells the Moss/Greek story, but this is the only version in Johnny's own words.) This book will also sooner or later be accorded its just position atop the gamblers' literary pantheon beside Dostoyevsky and friends.
Then again, true greatness is its own reward. As any real gambler knows (and who amongst us is not gambling every day, even just by driving on the highway or eating genetically modified "food"?), it's living the peaks to the fullest that counts, and then surviving to scale them again. Some of the finest and most interesting people I have ever met were at a poker table. Beauty is oft found in the most unlikely places.
Fast Company has my highest recommendation for those who respect men who live life the way they want to, and love to slip back in time to a world before plastic was invented.

This book is a wonderful book for those who weren't lucky or rich enough to have bought all the Autocourse books from the period. Amazing how many great photos there are and in color!!

This book is basically a photography book, and that's what it's supposed to be. As a photography book it's loaded with some great shots of cars, pilots and situations of the F1 circus in the 70's. If you want more text or facts, this is not the book for you.

This book is a must-have for every fan of yesteryear's Formula 1. Photos are of great quality and the texts summarize very well each season of the decade.

Reiner Schlegelmilch is one of the best photographers in F1 which he has been covering since the 1960s. One of his trademarks is that he gives this extremely technical sport a very human perspective. This is transparent in every driver portrait or scene shot from the track. The 1970s were a decade of aggressive technical development in F1 which led to some of the most spectacular (Lotus 72) and bizarre (Tyrrel 6-wheeler and Brabham fan car)cars ever. It was a decade of triumph and tragedy with the loss of some of the sport's best drivers like Jochen Rindt and Ronnie Peterson, and of course there was Niki Lauda's terrible fire accident at the Nuerburgring. Schlegelmilch covers all of this with insight and brilliance, focusing not only on the highlights and the stars, but the sport as as whole. The prints are superb, text and picture captions are concise but informative

Hart's beautifully researched and written story illuminates a forgotten aspect of Black, Civil War, and horse history. Her exploration of the meaning of freedom is particularly thought provoking. Gabriel's humanity, courage, and intelligence make the fact that he was born a slave all the more poingnant.

Susan Williams,
Wind Rider, Harper Collins 2006

I am a social studies teacher in Florida and I'll admit it--I did not know anything about horse-racing during the Civil War. This book was very informative, fun to read, and well written. I applaud Ms. Hart for writing a book that middle school children can understand AND learn about history from! I couldn't put it down and found myself telling my classes about it. If you love horses, horse stories, history, or reading about the fight for freedom, you'll enjoy this book.

An exciting and moving story about a little known piece of American history, that of enslaved people - young as well as old - working as jockeys in Kentucky around the time of the Civil War. Schools and libraries would do well to get copies of this book, as the research, details, and storytelling are flawless. Young readers will find this book to have everything they hope for - real characters, interesting settings, and an adventure that refuses to be put down. It's great to know that this is to be a triology; there are two more novels to come!

My daughter loves horses and oves this book. She is anxiously waiting for the second part of the trilogy. There are very few times that she finds a book she can not put down but this was a winner. I would love to find more books like this but for the 13-15 age group.

This book is GREAT! Awesome pictures and history well documented, you can almost feel like you were there to witness these cars and drivers in person on race day. I was very young when this type of racing was being replaced by funny cars and pro stock drag cars but this book brings it all back!

if you are at ALL interested in historic drag classes, horsepower, hot rods, etc. this book is a must. There simply isn't any other source of information and photographs on gassers out there. Hundreds of rare photographs of gassers from the golden age make this a perfect coffee table book. The appendix at the back listing all the cars and the classes they raced in is also very helpful if attempting to "recreate" a historic gasser. This book is required reading!

The book is an excellent coffee table book. Wonderful old color pictures of a by gone era. Highly recommend it for any one who likes to remember the old gasser wars.

Like Davis' previous book on Super Stockers, this one's a keeper. Unlike that one, this one has a wealth of color photographs. And Davis supplements the pix with interesting, well-researched text. Anyone with an interest in this class or drag racing history in general will love this book. An A+ effort.

This book has A very touching story. The author mixed in many different modes. He used some comic relief when needed. The book is very touching. This book can be read by anyone who loves horses. The photos speak for themselves.It can teach to see a whole different veiw of horses. That is why I gave it five stars

This book has A very touching story. The author mixed in many different modes. He used some comic relief when needed. The book is very touching. This book can be read by anyone who loves horses. The photos speak for themselves.It can teach to see a whole different veiw of horses. That is why I gave it five stars

This book touches the heart. If you love books this is a must. This will be one of the best books you can ever read

This book has A very touching story. The author mixed in many different modes. He used some comic relief when needed. The book is very touching. This book can be read by anyone who loves horses. The photos speak for themselves.It can teach to see a whole different veiw of horses. That is why I gave it five stars

A very good book on the early history of outboard racing. Not too technical so no one will be scared off or bored with details. Peter Hunn's writing style makes it especially easy to read.

As a former outboard racer, APBA Stock and NOA Am Pro and Pro, I found this book to be very well done. Mr. Hunn did his homework. Based on my experiences, I could add a few things but overall a great work.
The book was a real memory maker for me. I worked for Hubbell Motors and raced in California and Michigan from 1956 until 1969 and won one national championship in B Alky Hydro at Sanford Michigan in 1966. If you love racing outboards, you will love this book.

This book offers great reading, works as a fairly comprehensive reference material, and as always, Peter's anecdote's add much color to the names, places and dates contained. There is a nice mini-biography on Hank Bowman, and plenty of other colorful characters from the world of outboard boat racing. Lots of great information on the motors and boats, too. If you're a fan of the 1950s outboard boat racing scene, this book is a MUST have! If you're a collector of old Mercury outboards, this book is a MUST have! If the sound of a pack of Mark 20H Mercs going into the first turn sends shivvers down your spine, then this book is a MUST have! Well worth the money! Get your wife to buy it for you for Christmas!

This book offers great reading, works as a fairly comprehensive reference material, and as always, Peter's anecdote's add much color to the names, places and dates contained. There is a nice mini-biography on Hank Bowman, and plenty of other colorful characters from the world of outboard boat racing. Lots of great information on the motors and boats, too. If you're a fan of the 1950s outboard boat racing scene, this book is a MUST have! If you're a collector of old Mercury outboards, this book is a MUST have! If the sound of a pack of Mark 20H Mercs going into the first turn sends shivvers down your spine, then this book is a MUST have! Well worth the money! Get your wife to buy it for you for Christmas! - Scott "112-N" Smith

This book explores a negleted aspect of the African-American experience in the United States. I had always assumed the African-American heros of sport were a twentieth century phenomenon. It was an eye opener to learn that there successful African-American jockeys and trainers as early as colonial time.

I would recommend this well written book to anyone with an interest in American history

Any person who is a serious study of sports history will find this a most compelling dialogue on the "true" evolution of the American professional athlete. It is simply the most "untold" and most compelling story in the American experience. Today's athletes - of whatever color - should read this book to get a true appreciation for the foundations of the "professional" athlete in America and the depth of character exhibited by these great athletes under the most dire conditions.

I read this book because it combined Black History and horse racing. Two of my favorite subjects. The book is well organized, full of information.

The author seamlessly intertwines American History, African American History, and the history of horse racing in America. So the book keeps your interest. He also balances historical facts, with the colorful characters\stories surrounding horseracing, while elevating Black jockies to their noble place in the "sport of kings".

This book is worth the price. A great read!!

Mr. Hotaling's latest horse-racing book is a must read for anyone who considers himself a true afficianado of the sport. It tells a story which far too many people, even serious horse players, know little about. Horse racing is unique among sports in America because it is has virtually no black presence. There are few black owners, trainers, and breeders, and very few of the most visible players in racing, the jockeys. This was not always the case. In fact, black jockeys once dominated America's oldest sport. The first winner of the Kentucky Derby was black, as was the Derby's first repeat winner and its first three-time winner. The jockey with the highest winning percentage in history was black. Hotaling gives the history of these pioneers, and in doing so gives a history of the sport. He also deals with the glaring question: why have black jockeys largely dissappeared from the sport? It is well-written and insightful, a book invaluable to those who value the history of horse racing.

At the height of this champion's popularity, crowds of 100,000-plus would jam venues throughout the nation for a chance to view him in action.

During the years when records fell as fast as he set them, endorsement deals were a-plenty, with annual earnings topping $1 million. In retirement, he "penned" an autobiography through the use of a ghost writer and never took the time to read the final draft before it went to print. But you can't blame the legend for overlooking his book. You see, this superb athlete was the natural pacer, Dan Patch.

Author Tim Brady does a marvelous piece of research in bringing to life the truly forgotten history of this great Standardbred and owner/promoter Marion W. Savage in the early years of the 20th Century.

The pair rode to tremendous heights, but suffered tragic falls in the years after the last race was paced. It was a wild ride when it was at its peak, with Savage shrewdly parlaying the athletic prowess of Dan Patch into great wealth, which faded away when the franchise fell apart.
And Dan Patch went from touring the nation in his own railroad coach to dying in obscurity, being buried in an unmarked grave.

The nine-minute DVD contains archival footage of Dan Patch, which is an extremely rare look at the racer. There is very little recorded material available.

Time and age not only erodes the talent of a superior athlete, but it can disintegrate from the public consciousness the feats that seemed like they would live on forever. Brady blows away the dust of a century past and delivers a remarkable distant replay.

I love the book but I have noticed several errors in the years. Some of the pages show 2003 instead of 1903. some show 2000 instead of 1900. Not sure who proof read this book before it was released, but they missed allot of errors.

Written by Tim Brady, whose many credentials include frequent contributions to the "History Channel" magazine, The Great Dan Patch and the Remarkable Mr. Savage is the true story of an exceptional racehorse and its equally exceptional rags-to-riches owner. Did the man make the horse, or did the horse make the man? Set in the early 1900's, The Great Dan Patch and the Remarkable Mr. Savage follows equine champion Dan Patch's remarkable career from county fairs to competitive "brushes" between farm wagons on rural roads to nickelodeon films distributed for public viewing. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs and nine-minute DVD of rare film footage of Dan Patch racing round out this enjoyable glimpse of a gifted horse and a genius entrepreneur at the turn of the century.

Dan Patch was race horse that pulls a two-wheeled cart carrying a driver who weighs 150 lbs. max.

Patch was an unknown pacer in Indiana in 1901 and nationally known in 1902 because of his results in the Grand Circuit. That year he won so many races his owner decided to race him only against the clock. In 1903, Minnesotan W.M. Savage paid $60,000 for him!

Savage is a rags-to-riches story of a man who owned International Stock Food Company. He had big plans for Dan Patch, and for horse breeding in Minnesota. His company made nutritional supplements for farm animals--and when he built his fabulous breeding stables on 700 acres across the Minnesota River from the village of Bloomington, they named that area Savage.

Dan Patch almost died in 1904 from impacted bowels (his recovery may have been helped with Savage's products), and this showed the world Patch was vulnerable-making it all the more important to see him race.

After one race, the newspaper said, "The crowd broke forth in a burst of applause that would have overpowered a mere czar or emperor." Patch broke the two-minute mile numerous times--even achieving a 1.55 time. At his first appearance at the Minnesota State Fair, 30,000 people came from surrounding areas and filled the grandstand, the infield and hills surrounding the track.

Savage was a smart businessman, negotiating Dan Patch's success. But Patch's value wasn't only winning races. In spring 1904, he "serviced" 57 mares, earning Savage $300 stud fee for each, or $17,000--and the race season hadn't even started. Business genius, Savage used Patch's likeness on every one of his products and advertising.

The wonderful photos, and the accompanying DVD show the stable and Patch racing in the early 1900s.

He was a well-loved sports hero of his time. "He had won American's heart and on the day he died, the nation mourned," a newspaper wrote when he died at age 20 in 1916. The ill Mr. Savage died a few days later.

Armchair Interviews says: Well-written, this will keep your interest and teach you facts about horses, racing and smart businessmen--and make you admire a fabulous horse long gone.