26 replies to this topic

[Sandy M]

Hi,
I'm planning on buying either Graham Hill's autobiography, "Life at the Limit", or John Tipler's "Graham Hill: A Master of Motor Sport". Is one better than the other. Are they both worth having (Christmas is coming. I've been reasonably good this year. Why not, right?). Any other Hill book suggestions?
Thanks and best regards, Sandy.

[Sandy M]

Newbie error! I was trying for the 'books' thread, but missed !
Sandy

[zakeriath]

Graham Hill with Neil Ewart ISBN 0 09 915250 9

Its his last autobiography leading up to his death, with the last chapter written by Bette Hill

[Bonde]

"Life at the limit" is hillarious!;) - however, it was written while NGH was recovering from his 1969 US shunt, so the other books are worthwhile also, as they include Hill's sadly far too short role as a team owner.

[bill moffat]

"Life at the Limit" is a good read if you can accept that it's the best part of 40 years old and is written in Hill's rather "jolly" style.

Don't spend too much on it though, eBay will provide you with a reasonable hardback copy for $15 whilst $60 would probably land you one of the plentiful signed copies.

As for a hard-hitting biography of Graham Hill the loveable, impulsive, stubborn, difficult, charismatic man..it's yet to be written.

[Allan Lupton]

Originally posted by bill moffat
"Life at the Limit" is a good read if you can accept that it's the best part of 40 years old and is written in Hill's rather "jolly" style.

But at least it is his style: he wrote in the introduction that he hadn't had the time to learn writing skills, and that (although his readers might have wished otherwise) he had not handed the draft over to a professional writer to put into good shape.
How many times have we read ghost written jobs where the ghost writer's style shines through brighter than the subject's?

[rgsuspsa]

"Life At The Limit", is a book which is great fun to read. In 1970 I could not stop laughing at the
events Graham wrote about. If you want an unpolished, from the soul book written
by one of the greats in F1, "Life At The Limit", is THE book I recommend. And this is thirty-six years
after I first read it.

rgsuspsa

[petefenelon]

The Tipler book has nice pics but zero atmosphere, it seems to have been put together from magazine race reports and has almost no insight into Graham's personality. As a reference/illustrated book it's OK, and does cover the post-Watkins Glen part of his career fairly well.

But I'm with the crowd here - Life at the Limit is great fun, and unusually for a racing autobiography gives quite a bit of attention to Graham's life before racing - fair enough since he didn't even start driving on the road until well into his 20s. There's some great stuff about the Navy, rowing, his apprenticeship at Smiths and his early social life in there.

It's not the last word in accurate depiction of races and technical breakthroughs. It is one of the books that conveys atmosphere and personality, and describes the social scene around racing. It's only one aspect of Graham - the mostly good-humoured bon viveur. The darker Graham that most sources claim lurked under the surface doesn't really show in his own words, but you wouldn't expect that...

Something NGH pulls no punches on is the fact that he probably isn't the greatest natural talent to have won the World Championship - he worked bloody hard to get into racing, he worked bloody hard to work his way up.

[ian senior]

Originally posted by Allan Lupton


But at least it is his style: he wrote in the introduction that he hadn't had the time to learn writing skills, and that (although his readers might have wished otherwise) he had not handed the draft over to a professional writer to put into good shape.

It didn't need it. Graham was sufficiently articulate and lucid to be able to do it all himself, and that's one of the reasons why I think it is the definitive work (so far) on NGH. I remember when I actually found it in the public library shortly after publication - I literally ran home with it and read it in one long sitting (some of which was by torchlight in bed).

Perhaps the time is right for someone - a proper writer, someone with a good and respected track record - to have a go at a proper biography of Graham. Considering that he was one of the world's top drivers for a very long time, that he was a household name even if your house knew nothing of motor racing, and that even today many people with no interest in the sport know his name, I'm surprised that it hasn't been done. Nothing wrong with "warts and all"; Graham may have had his faults but esentially I believe the good bits would far outweigh any bad that may be discovered.

[Paul Parker]

For an alternative read try and get a copy of MR MONACO GRAHAM HILL REMEMBERED by Tony Rudlin (PSL 1983).

It pulls no punches, indeed it is alarmingly forthright, and gives a lot more info about his declining years. It might even alter your perceptions of an icon, assuming of course that it is accurate which seems probable.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by petefenelon
The Tipler book has nice pics but zero atmosphere, it seems to have been put together from magazine race reports and has almost no insight into Graham's personality. As a reference/illustrated book it's OK, and does cover the post-Watkins Glen part of his career fairly well.....

If it doesn't delve into his personality it's a total failure...

.....But I'm with the crowd here - Life at the Limit is great fun, and unusually for a racing autobiography gives quite a bit of attention to Graham's life before racing - fair enough since he didn't even start driving on the road until well into his 20s. There's some great stuff about the Navy, rowing, his apprenticeship at Smiths and his early social life in there.

It's not the last word in accurate depiction of races and technical breakthroughs. It is one of the books that conveys atmosphere and personality, and describes the social scene around racing. It's only one aspect of Graham - the mostly good-humoured bon viveur. The darker Graham that most sources claim lurked under the surface doesn't really show in his own words, but you wouldn't expect that.....

Yes, that's more like it... the man was a jokester and the life of any party... but he was also very serious about things when there was a job to be done and I don't doubt for a minute that there was a time or two that I - with the brief encounters I had with such people - saw some of that darkness.

All the same, his humour and relentless pursuit of laughter overshadowed that.

[David Force]

Paul is quite correct, Mr Monaco is a good read and generally tells it like it is.

Tony did know Graham very well being a personal friend and golfing partner so I would think it is pretty accurate.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by Paul Parker
For an alternative read try and get a copy of MR MONACO GRAHAM HILL REMEMBERED by Tony Rudlin (PSL 1983).

It pulls no punches, indeed it is alarmingly forthright, and gives a lot more info about his declining years. It might even alter your perceptions of an icon, assuming of course that it is accurate which seems probable.

You can't libel the dead.

It's my personal opinion that Rudlin's book is the reason why there hasn't yet been a proper biography of Graham. Bette cooperated with Rudlin and I don't think she would have been happy with the result. Once bitten ....

As usual, Pete's right on the money re the Tipler book: I could have written that, since it has nothing in it that can't be traced to other books or race reports.

I'd also recommend Life at the Limit, but as I've pointed out before it was written and produced in great haste in late 1969 while Graham was in hospital, in order to catch the Christmas market. That's the reason for the apologia at the beginning, as I'd guess the manuscript went chapter-by-chapter straight to the typesetters (remember hot metal presses?) with only a cursory editorial glance to pick up typos etc. A shame, because a bit of fact checking would have made it an even better book.

One which hasn't come up is Bette's very personal book about Graham: The Other Side of the Hill, published by Stanley Paul in 1978.

[ensign14]

And of course there's a good chunk about Embassy Hill in "The Lost Generation"...

[Paul Parker]

I am sure you are right Vitesse 2.

[EcosseF1]

Originally posted by David Force
Paul is quite correct, Mr Monaco is a good read and generally tells it like it is.

Tony did know Graham very well being a personal friend and golfing partner so I would think it is pretty accurate.

Not much of a friend to publish such a hatchet job...

[Sandy M]

Thanks to everyone for your posts. Your reviews and opinions are much appreciated. I've just ordered "Life at the Limit" and will give the others due consideration.
Best regards to all, Sandy

[George Cunningham]

I have a 1971 paperback edition of Life at the Limit which, along with, Life with Jeeves has never been far from reach over the last 30 years or so. Hill's book influenced me quite a bit insofar as it motivated me to get started in racing and also by instilling the notion that if you want something bad enough you'll find a way to do it. The book is a good laugh too which is important.

[richie]

Originally posted by rgsuspsa
"Life At The Limit", is a book which is great fun to read. In 1970 I could not stop laughing at the
events Graham wrote about. If you want an unpolished, from the soul book written
by one of the greats in F1, "Life At The Limit", is THE book I recommend. And this is thirty-six years
after I first read it.

rgsuspsa

I've been trying to get a copy of this book from my library, so far without success.

I wonder if you would mind looking inside the book during the period 1966-69 as I'm trying to find out if there is a mention of Graham being involved in a short documentary film with blonde actress Jill Bowne, featured at the Motor Show- for a grease gun called 'Nubrex'- the smallest grease gun in the world. My information says that Jill "was wearing a short skirt, greasing a car and licking an ice cream"- all at once. Sounds a likely tale!

I contacted Bette Hill but does not recall any information about Graham being involved but it was about 40 years ago and alot has happened since then, so hardly surprising.

[Paul Hurdsfield]

I've got 'Graham' also ' The other side of the Hill' by Bette, written after his death, and 'The Lost Generation'
All good reads, well worth putting on this years Christmas list

[raceannouncer2003]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
One which hasn't come up is Bette's very personal book about Graham: The Other Side of the Hill, published by Stanley Paul in 1978.

Anybody?

Vince H.

[raceannouncer2003]

Originally posted by Paul Hurdsfield
I've got 'Graham' also ' The other side of the Hill' by Bette, written after his death, and 'The Lost Generation'
All good reads, well worth putting on this years Christmas list

Thanks, Paul! You answered my question before I asked it!

Vince H.

[COUGAR508]

The Tipler book is an enjoyable read, but a little lacking in depth. I just wish I'd purchased "Life at The Limit" when it was re-issued a few years ago....

[Spaceframe]

Originally posted by petefenelon
The Tipler book has nice pics but zero atmosphere, it seems to have been put together from magazine race reports and has almost no insight into Graham's personality. As a reference/illustrated book it's OK, and does cover the post-Watkins Glen part of his career fairly well.

I agree 100 percent - the only time any kind of personality report creeps into Tipler's book is the short quotes from the likes of Mario Andretti and Tony Rudd.

[eeyore48]

I found the Tipler book disappointing but it's worth having on your bookshelf if you are a Hill fan. I am also disappointed by Graham's comments about his writing - he was taught English at tech college by my late father-in-law, John Hopkin Williams. There was never any doubt about Graham's oral ability, though!

[Hatchet]

Badly written, badly edited and inaccurate I can take. But Hatchet job? When Patrick Stephen wanted a book about Graham Hill he asked Bette who she thought should write it. Probably as a last resort she suggested me. I wasn't too keen but let myself be persuaded. With one caveat. It had to be about Graham and not tyre pressures, gear ratios and lap times. Since I managed the Lotus Herts and Essex F2 team I had been friendly with Graham. We had been around the world together, partied together and played golf whenever the opportunity arose. That was the side of the Hill I wanted to explore. I wrote the book from memory. Maybe I should have spent time researching the minutia of his life but that wasn't what I wanted to do. When I submitted manuscript Bette said that she thought I had Graham just about right. Damon wasn't so complimentary but he did write an epilogue.

Graham was a great bloke. His greatest asset, to me, was that you could rely on him. But he could be as mean as hell if something upset him. Most books and articles picture Graham as a fun loving, joke cracking nice guy. How one dimensional is that ?

[alfredaustria]

I guess the best book about Graham is the "Graham Hill Scrapbook 1929 -1966" by Philip Porter.
Regretable only the racing-career of Graham till 1966 is available. I am still hoping that the continuation (1967-1975) will be published.
Best wishes from Vienna
Alfred