The Sport of Queens

by Dick Francis

Book Overview

The author of more than thirty best-selling mystery and suspense novels describes the exciting story of his journey from champion steeplechase jockey to successful writer. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0445402067
• ISBN13: 9780445402065
• Release Date: July 1986
• Publisher: Warner Books (NY)
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The real life hero

When I heard about the death of Dick Francis, I had to read his autobiography. It's rather obscure now, and I ordered it used. I found the book thoroughly delightful, and it consoled me somewhat for the loss of the author. In these pages we see the source of the great passion for racing, the lively intelligence, the workmanlike habits, the wry humor and the basic goodness that infuse all the books of Dick Francis. Although he and his wife Mary did meticulous research for many of his mysteries, his own life and character were the foundation for the freshness and authenticity of his fiction. The Sport of Queens was first published in 1957, soon after Dick Francis retired from racing. He was at the top of his career - a Champion Jockey who rode the best horses in England and in many races wore the colors of Her Majesty the Queen Mother. The book covers a lot of ground succinctly: the author's childhood on horseback, his stint in the R.A.F. during World War II flying everything from Spitfires to bombers, his love-at-first-sight, lifetime romance with his wife - and of course his most memorable races, losses as well as wins. The Sport of Queens is also a treasure trove of information about the daily lives of steeplechase jockeys and the exotic world of racing. In real life, I never go near a horse if I can help it. But Dick Francis carries me into a fantasy world where I thrill to the speed, power and beauty of a finely bred racehorse. His tremendous skill as a storyteller is amazing, given his equally impressive skill as a jockey. Few people live two brilliantly successful lives in succession, as Dick Francis did. His ability to chronicle his achievements so modestly is yet another feat.

Get to know the man behind the mysteries.

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.

True insight into the man behind the works

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!

very informative on the sport

This book is a must have for any Dick Francis or horse racing fan. This was the first book of his that i have read and now i have all of his so far. What i was looking for was a book to tell me about this little known sport. Now i know a great deal about it. I'm hoping for a newer version to tell about what has happened since the book waas written. I read the older 1950's or 1960's print with the pictures of Devon Loch in the Grand National. That was what most intrigued me about the story and what made him fall like that. Like i said this is an excellent book and very informative!

A must-read for Dick Francis fans.

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!