The Sport Of Queens
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Product Description
Product Description
This book tells how Dick Francis became one of Britain's leading National Hunt jockeys and champion stee plechaser, riding into racing history as jockey to the Queen Mother. His memoir traces life in the saddle to the world of an acclaimed bestseller.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format: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.
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.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
6 reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
A must-read for Dick Francis fans.
22 May 1998
Format: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
True insight into the man behind the works
19 Jan 1999
Format: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
Get to know the man behind the mysteries.
24 Feb 1999
Format: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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