Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
First Past The Post, Then Past It?, 18 Sep 2008
I was brought up watching Julian Wilson, Peter O'Sullevan and Lord Oaksey commentating or "calling the horses" on British TV in the 1960's and early 70's. This book is quite a good read, though, because --unlike the memoirs of O'Sullevan-- Wilson does give a good deal of space to his extra-curricular activities, some of which seem (even as rose-tinted) to be more than a trifle louche.
I was never a huge fan of Wilson's style, a little too clipped and English bourgeois for my taste, though I do agree with him that the style of TV commentating has been dumbed down over the years, to the extent that the racing jargon which puzzled me at first as a child is now rarely heard ("making the trip", "landing the gamble" etc).
Wilson does, to some extent, admit to being more than a little frosty at times, something seen a few years ago after his retirement when he dressed down a latter-day TV presenter for not talking and in sufficinetly reverent terms, about his, Wilson's horse which was about to run and of which were expected great things and on that day, an easy victory. I fear, therefore, that I was seized by unholy joy as Wilson's horse came in unplaced! I wonder whether he would be quite my kind of person , if met face to face.
This is, though, a good read and excellent used value on Amazon at a mere penny!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
It's certainly honest!, 13 Nov 2001
I have to admit I didn't like Julian Wilson during his years as a BBC presenter/commentator. His presentation was unsmiling and stiff, and he clearly had an uneasy relationship with some of his colleagues.This breathtakingly honest autobiography confirms many of my reasons for disliking him - yet I thoroughly enjoyed the book and came away with a feeling of grudging respect! He knows how to spin a yarn, and his exploits at Harrow School were interesting. He holds back with some of his relationships (I would love to know, for example, how well he got on with Peter O'Sullevan - the book scratches the surface). Clare Balding, when first getting hold of this book, is said to have flipped straight to the index, muttering "what has the b*stard written about me then??!". Sadly, very little! Very enjoyable reading, sometimes uncomfortable, but never ever dull!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Gin and Bitter, 18 Jan 1999
By A Customer
Urbane, cool, and just a little bit whee - that's how I thought of Jules before reading this autobiography. Spoilt, rude, bitter and twisted is how he comes across. Talk about a name-dropper!! Old Harrovian JW never seems to have met an ordinary punter. The book is full of Duke this and Lady that, company chairmen, high fliers and old school ties. A bit of a snob on the QT, our JW. Only not so quiet. I bet several names dropped have caused ructions in a not a few marriages. Jules fancies himself as a bit of a cocksmith - this is not so much a kiss-and-tell as a shag-and-shout with few ex-lovers given the benefit of anonymity! And then there's his grudges - not a man to get on the wrong side, as Sir Peter O'Sullevan has discovered. And all because he wouldn't stop working so JW could have his job. But when you read between the lines you suspect a lot of other people don't share his high opinion of himself. He admits several fathers made plain their opinion that he was not quite top drawer marriage material, and some of his bosses clearly didn't love him. Despite his best attempts he comes across as a self-obsessed, bad-tempered, awkward cuss of a man. That means he doesn't pull his punches here and he hits his targets- especially a 'sumbing down' BBC - with unerring accuracy and razor-sharp barbs. I would have liked a lot more about horse-racing and a bit less about pulling, but this is still a rattling good read.
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