Book Notes: "Grand Prix Reflections: : From the 2.5 Litre Formula 1 Era, 1954-60" by Anthony Pritchard

Grand Prix Reflections: From the 2.5 Litre Formula 1 Era, 1954-60 by Anthony Pritchard

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I was shocked that Pritchard included a foreword by Jack Brabham, then went on to say that Stirling Moss was a better driver! Of course, Brabham was the whole package, from driver, to engineer, to mechanic, to producer. The list of his victories, which eclipses that of Moss, prove my point. Pritchard even states that Brabham won so often it became "boring"! I suspect he was referring to Stirling Moss's almost madness behind the wheel - a tenacious and courageous driver if ever there was one who survived driving in such a manner. But I am still shocked that Brabham was humble enough to write a foreword in a book which stuck him in with the "colonials"!



View all my reviews

Book Notes: "A Man for All Seasons" by Robert Bolt

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I used a quote from this play in my first academic publication. I first read this play in high school and I would enjoying seeing it performed. Sir Thomas More's integrity is admirable and appealing, yet I cannot help but think it is futile. Bolt captures many themes in a short play that is very clever. While More's lack of political "ability" seems outdated, former Prime Minister the late Gough Whitlam suffered the same fate by believing that the Governor General would follow convention and only act on the advice of the Prime Minister. More thought he cold keep his conscience and placate King Henry VIII. They were both wrong. Honourable, yet in the grand scheme of history, rather pointless. Better to be the Common Man and die in one's bed, methinks.



View all my reviews

Book Notes: "An Orderley Man" by Dirk Bogarde

An Orderly Man by Dirk Bogarde

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the third of Bogarde's autobiographical works. I am reading these in random order as I stumble upon each book in second-hand book stores. Yet there is a continuity in Bogarde's writing that seems to make it easy to piece together. Each work is a standalone wonder of personal stories that are somehow vividly interesting. I "discovered" Bogarde after reading Thomas Mann's Death in Venice and then watching the movie of the book. I also "discovered" Mahler. After watching the movie, I have become more aware of the name of Dirk Bogarde and this has sent me on a mission to read all of his works (15 I believe). An Orderly Man is of interest because it covers the period of Bogarde's portrayal of Gustave Aschenbach. The work brings to life Visconti and other famous Art House directors and screen writers and presents in sharp relief the life of an English actor of the period working on the Continent versus the excesses of fame and fortune in Hollywood. Bogarde's humility shines through and it is difficult not to admire the "underdog" and his trials and tribulations. Mind you, living in Provence and existing by acting and writing are hardly the banal stuff of most people's lot. Yet the stories are fascinating, Bogarde makes a wonderful success of writing about writing (and acting) and finishing each of his books so far leaves me calmly contented and eager for the next book.



View all my reviews