28 replies to this topic

[Ben]

I'm currently about two thirds through Richard Williams' latest book 'The Last Road Race' about the 1957 Pescara GP. It's an excellent book, as a Guardian reader I get the pleasure of Williams' writing almost daily, but of his books, I have only previously read 'The Death of Ayrton Senna'.

Just wondering if anyone else has read the book or has any stories relating to the race that may add to my newly acquired understanding of this classic event.

Ben

[Keir]

Going to get this one soon, I'll let you know!

[Felix]

A superb work, with all the hallmarks of Richard's work: passion, flowing narrative, accuracy, and attention to the tiny details that make the difference between a good book and a fine read.

In short, a must-be inhabitant of any complete bookshelf.

[paulhooft]

At this moment I am reading it,
I am just past the Brooks chapter:
I like it!

[Rob29]

Have just read Mr.Williams biography of Enzo Ferrari,and whilst a good read has several howling errors.Think I will wait for the local library to get a copy of his Pescara book.

[Ian Stewart]

Was this not the race where a Vanwall met a very old lady dressed all in black? The story goes that she was unaware of the event, and decided to cross the road on her way to the nearest shop - no doubt she would have crossed anyway if she was short of a little wine

Unfortunately the incident happened on the fastest part of the fastest straight, and either Stirling Moss or Tony Brooks - can't remember which - had to exercise the brakes violently and take hectic avoiding action

I think it's true because I heard it first hand, but it's impossible to be certain after this-evening's glass of cheap red...

[bira]

Ben if you like Richard Williams' writing (as you should; he's one of the best motorsport writers ever imo), I wholeheartedly recommend his book Racers, which I consider one of the best - if not the best - modern F1 book released in the past decade.

He really got an intuitive grasp on events, and he is absolutely a wonderful story teller.

[Ben]

What are the several howling errors in the Enzo Ferrari book? I'm about to start that and would be interested to keep an eye out for them.

Bira: I agree with your comments on Williams. As I mentioned in the original post I read the Guardian and it is Williams' skill as a sports writer full-stop not just motorsport that makes him so good. He isn't seduced by the PR guff and has a talent for cutting through it. Even if you don't like lf his Ryder Cup reports were a fascinating look at the political and social implications of Europe playing America and what it is to play as a team.

Ben

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Ben
What are the several howling errors in the Enzo Ferrari book? I'm about to start that and would be interested to keep an eye out for them.



Ben

''At the Nurburgring,Brooks repeated his victory of the previous year,ahead of Gurney and Hill who completed asweep ofthe first three places,a tribute to the car's ruggedness over the long and difficult track''''Brooks forfeited his chance of the championship in the last round at Watkins Glen'' re. 1959 season!

[Tim Murray]

I bought and read The Last Road Race at the same time as Bugatti Queen . I enjoyed both books greatly, but was interested to see that they both contained (among others) the same error - that Guy Moll died at Pescara whilst trying to overtake the Auto Union of Ernst Henne. I wonder which source they got that from . . .

[petefenelon]

Anything Williams writes about racing is worth reading. He takes a rather different view of the sport to most journalists - his interest is very much in the psychology and sociology of the sport, rather than the nuts and bolts, and it's very refreshing to see racing from that very human perspective.

He was also a damn good rock critic - and the first presenter of the wonderful Old Grey Whistle Test (late night exposure to that show as a kid permanently scarred my musical taste - I remember seeing Beefheart on it at some point in the mid-70s and he's been blowing my mind ever since!). Williams' taste in (and passion for) music is just as good as his love of racing!;)

[Danny Skehan]

Yep! He is a very, very good writer - his book, The Death of Ayrton Senna (unfortunate title) is an excellent read.

[Ben]

Originally posted by Danny Skehan
Yep! He is a very, very good writer - his book, The Death of Ayrton Senna (unfortunate title) is an excellent read.

I disagree, excellent title, says what it means unlike the sort of cod psychology one often gets in say a Christopher Hilton title.

Ben

[mikedeering]

I haven't got round to reading his latest book, but have been more than impressed with Williams' previous efforts. I will read an article regardless of the subject simply because he is the author, even if it covers a sport I would normally have little interest in. When he writes about a subject I enjoy - motor racing or football for example then I am in heaven!

[Haddock]

I'd second Bira's comment that 'Racers' is perhaps the best book that has been written about modern F1. His more 'historic' books - Enzo Ferrari and The Last Road Race are both enjoyable reads, but I felt they lacked something because Williams clearly wasn't there at the time of the events he is writing about. He's first and foremost a journalist, I suppose, and at his best when reporting on what he witnesses at first hand.

Oh yes, and his columns and articles make the Guardian by far the standout paper in the UK for sports coverage - his articles on everything from the Ryder Cup to the European Football Championships sparked my interest in sports events I wouldn't normally care for in the slightest. I think he's written biographies of Miles Davis and Phil Spector too....

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by Haddock
Oh yes, and his columns and articles make the Guardian by far the standout paper in the UK for sports coverage - his articles on everything from the Ryder Cup to the European Football Championships sparked my interest in sports events I wouldn't normally care for in the slightest.

Absolutely.

[JohnS]

Originally posted by Haddock
I think he's written biographies of Miles Davis and Phil Spector too....

Yes, he did write an excellent book about Miles Davis.

He was entertaining on Channel 4's "Petrolheads" years ago too.

Wonder if we'll ever see another evening's viewing like that on terrestial television? Dream on ...

John

[KarlOakie Research]

This book had been sitting on the shelf for awhile and I finally got around to reading it. Apart from a few quibbles on some items of fact or interpretation, a very worthwhile book for some of the younger generation of racing fans to read to get a better idea of exactly how things were "in those days." The Moll problem aside, it gets the fundamentals right and captures the atmosphere of events such as Pescara quite well.

I found myself enjoying it quite a bit as I read it. This is the sort of book which doesn't seem to get written any more, the type of book which hooked a great many of us during the 1950s and 1960s into the world of motor racing. Glad I finally took the time to read it.

[Keir]

Hopefully, I'll have enough money to purchace both "Long Way Round" and "The Last Road Race" for my holiday reading pleasure!!

[Paul Parker]

In response to Ian Stewart's query about the old lady crossing the road, I think this was an incident described in Duncan Hamilton's book 'Touch Wood' during a sports car race in 1953. Without reference to the book I cannot confirm the location but I seem to recall that during a dice with someone (possibly Hawthorn) that they came upon an elderly woman crossing the road and went either side of her (Hamilton in a Jaguar C type, Hawthorn in a Ferrari). I also seem to recall that during this race someone was stoking a bonfire beside the track, causing a smokescreen. Perhaps it was Hyeres in the South of France but somebody will know the answer.

'Touch Wood' remains one of the best period reads of all time in my opinion, even if it was the motor racing equivalent of Niven's 'The Moons a Balloon' and 'Bring on the Empty Horses'.

[Kvadrat]

Here's Abebooks search list: http://www.abebooks....y=15&ds=30&x=25

There are paperback 192 pages and hardback 256 pages editions. Do they have different content?

[Kvadrat]

Does anyone know?

I just have intention to buy the book and want to be sure that cheaper edition has the same content. I wonder what could be in extra 64 pages.

[Haddock]

Originally posted by Kvadrat
Does anyone know?

I just have intention to buy the book and want to be sure that cheaper edition has the same content. I wonder what could be in extra 64 pages.

Don't know for certain, but hardbacks are often longer just because they use a larger font. I'd be very surprised if the text was different.

[Roger Clark]

My hardback has 152 pages.

[lil'chris]

So does mine

[D-Type]

So does my paperback (assuming we are still talking abiout The Last Road Race )

Vladimir, Buy it! You won't regret it.

The paperback is fine. It has the complete text and photos. As the photos are on sixteen pages of plates (not included in the 152) rather than in the text they are still of good quality so you lose nothing.

[Kingsleyrob]

You are right Ben it's an excellent read. I enjoyed it so much it inspired me to visit Pescara in May and retrace the circuit. I have some pics to post - must get around to it some time.

Formula 1 cars on public roads like that - amazing. The straights are very, very long, but some of the bits out in the villages are interesting - with faded black and white paint around some of the walls and kerbs.

I like the way he constructs the book - quite novel - if you'll excuse the literary pun.

Rob

[Kvadrat]

Thank you all.

Here's seller's answer:

The Paperback edition is a newer edition and does not include the testaments from four drivers who competed.

The hardback (below) edition does, hence the additional pages.

I'm going to buy larger book.

[Mal9444]

Originally posted by Paul Parker
In response to Ian Stewart's query about the old lady crossing the road, I think this was an incident described in Duncan Hamilton's book 'Touch Wood' during a sports car race in 1953. Without reference to the book I cannot confirm the location but I seem to recall that during a dice with someone (possibly Hawthorn) that they came upon an elderly woman crossing the road and went either side of her (Hamilton in a Jaguar C type, Hawthorn in a Ferrari). I also seem to recall that during this race someone was stoking a bonfire beside the track, causing a smokescreen. Perhaps it was Hyeres in the South of France but somebody will know the answer.

'Touch Wood' remains one of the best period reads of all time in my opinion, even if it was the motor racing equivalent of Niven's 'The Moons a Balloon' and 'Bring on the Empty Horses'.

The incident is indeed in Touch Wood, and was indeed at Pescara - but in 1953, not the Pescara GP that Moss won in the Vanwall and that is described in The Last Road Race. The bonfire incident also occurred in the '53 race - and as if all that were not enough, Hamilton also hit a cow towing a policeman that had wandered onto the circuit. The collision damaged a cross member on the chassis that eventually sheared during Peter Whitehead's stint (it was his C-type) forcing the car's retirement.

Both Touch Wood and The Last Road Race are excellent reads and I wholly endorse all the recommendations that have been made about them