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I have to offer a dissenting voice amidst the general acclaim for McIlvanney. Far too verbose. He will never simply, ‘wake up in the morning’, when he can ‘wake up abruptly in the damp, grey morning’.<br>[br]<br>Admittedly his (over)use of adjectives and adverbs is a little more descriptive and discursive than my example, but I can rarely bear it long enough to get his point.<br>[br]I enjoyed Rebecca Cassidy’s ‘study’ of Newmarket, recommended in a similiar thread by AP (no doubt David Ashforth’s book is also excellent; even less doubt that I will read it soon). Currently reading Barney Curley’s book; the ‘unreliable narrator’ indeed.
The last 2 books produced by Eclipse winning photographer Barbara Livingston- Old Friends and Saratoga.
Not only is she the best photographer in the business but it’s turned out that she’s a damn good writer to boot.
On a punting theme, I enjoy Alan Potts books. It’s a pity he hasn’t published any since 1998. Anyone else out there on TRF agree, that it’s about time we had another?
<br>M P,
Keep dreaming – I found out the hard way that writing books makes lots of money for W H Smith, quite a lot for the publisher and hardly any for the Mug Author.
AP
I concur about "Hitting The Turf". A gem.
I know Ashforth is an acquired taste, but his downbeat prose and wry comedy work really well here. Some wonderful stories in the book, not least his detective work in attempting to track down the elusive rascal, Ken Payne.
The best book I’ve ever read on horse racing is "Licence to Print Money" by Jamie Read. Bar none. I’m told it’s rare now, like the Druids Lodge Confederacy, but its worth every single inflated penny. A masterpiece.
Amazon may be the source of the best book I’ve read in the last two years called "Horseplayers", a tale of a Chicago journalist who packs in his job to spend a year betting on horses at Hawthorne and Arlington Park.
Its a character-led piece and a cracking story; extremely informative about US racing and the stresses and strains of pro-punting. It’s by Scott Mclelland, and I don’t think there’s a UK version, so it’s Internet only if you fancy tracking it down.
Brough Scott used to write some hilarious articles – especially when writing about Maurice Zilber, French accent and all!
Came to France From Algeria with 30 bob and became one of the great French trainers.
Zilber trained for the American tycoon, Nelson Bunker Hunt, and got on the wrong side of his racing manager or some such character, who persuaded Hunt to take his horses away from Zilber.
To which act, Zilber responded with words to the effect that Hunt was rich, but he was lucky – and that’s the way he preferred it!
Quote: from apracing on 3:15 pm on Oct. 19, 2006[br]
M P,
Keep dreaming – I found out the hard way that writing books makes lots of money for W H Smith, quite a lot for the publisher and hardly any for the Mug Author.
AP<br>
I like dreaming! Why don’t you self publish your next tome and flog it off your website? Alternatively, how about a weekly column in one of the broadsheets or the Racing Post?
Come to think of it. Which writers are worth reading in the daily papers and racing press?
<br>(Edited by Mug Punter at 12:03 pm on Oct. 20, 2006)<br>
(Edited by Mug Punter at 12:08 pm on Oct. 20, 2006)
Geoff Lester!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
Claude Duval!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
Colin
(Edited by seabird at 12:26 pm on Oct. 20, 2006)
I recently read Tony Stafford’s Little Black Racing Book, which is unutterably dreadful.
Quote: from rory on 1:19 pm on Oct. 20, 2006[br]Tony Stafford’s Little Black Racing Book is utterly dreadful.
Fewer words. Same sentiment. Less time wasted on book that was obviously going to be a turd.
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