- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Pan Books; New ed of 4 Revised ed edition (8 Sep 1995)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0330339028
- ISBN-13: 978-0330339025
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 449,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Sport Of Queens
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
This is the biography of thriller-writer Dick Francis. Francis is known for setting his novels against the background of horseracing. This revised edition tells how he became one of Britain's leading National Hunt jockeys and a champion steeplechaser, riding as jockey to the Queen Mother. The story of Francis is traced from life in the saddle to life as a bestselling novelist.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Limps Home,
By
This review is from: THE SPORT OF QUEENS (Hardcover)
I have only ever read one of Francis' racing thrillers and cannot remember it. Others tell me that they love his books and have read them all. He has a fan base of thousands, if not millions of readers.
This autobiography, to me, does him insufficient justice. He tells a bit about his childhood, then moves on to his war service (airframe fitter in RAF for years until his 37th application to fly is approved, after which he pilots fighter planes, Wellington bombers and a glider. But that interesting (?) time is covered in about three or four pages. Too little. Unsurprisingly he gives a lot of time to his successful career as a jockey (Champion Jockey and nearly but not quite Grand National winning jockey on Devon Loch in the 1950's). Little time is given to his famous thriller writing either, which surprized me. As to the man himself, jockey like reticence rules. I cannot agree with his love of foxhunting, even less with the idea that "a kill is the only satisfactory conclusion to the chase". Terrible. So I was left with a rather bland feeling somehow.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews) 13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-read for Dick Francis fans.,
By CPHenly "cphenly" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Sport of Queens (Paperback)
This book was originally written shortly after Francis' retirement from racing. It chronicles his life in detail up to that point (1957), and all fans of his mystery novels will enjoy seeing the germs of his books in the events of his life. I won't give the really surprising ones away here, but an example is the story in the autobiography of Francis' experience flying during WWII. Readers will understand where he got the knowledge to create several heroes who are pilots. The only reason I don't give this book a 10 is that it is very early Francis--his first book, as near as I can tell, and the quality of the writing as a bit uneven. The edition I read (1982) had no photos--a terrific disappointment, but there were apparently photos in other editions, as Francis refers to them once or twice in the text of the book. Try for a different year! The end of the book is an addendum bringing fans up to date on his life between 1957 and 1981; I've ordered the 1995 edition hoping for a little more added material. If you love horseracing or Dick Francis' books, read this!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
True insight into the man behind the works,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Sport of Queens (Paperback)
My passion for horses and horse racing was apparent even when I was a child. Dick Francis' books allowed me the experiences I dreamed of through his words. I learned more through his books than I could have anywhere else in the United States. It is said that truth is stranger than fiction, and Mr. Francis' autobiography is testimony to that! I now own a 5 year old (retired) Thoroughbred, and Mr. Francis' adventures are in my thoughts!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Get to know the man behind the mysteries.,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Sport of Queens (Paperback)
Found this book in our library and was excited about learning more of Dick Francis. I did get lost at times when he wrote about the race courses, but it was a thrill to get to know him. It is not a mystery, but there are some questions he still does not know the answer to. He writes a book a year, and I could read 4 or 5 of his books a year if he could write them that fast! Nice read.
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