Biography & Autobiography

This is a story of excitement, laughs, astonishment and anger - a story of the determination of a man with a dream and a passion for motor racing in the big leagues. It is the first time that the history of the always under-financed Gordini racing team has been documented in English, and the first complete story of Gordini himself in any language.
This volume will appeal to new enthusiasts and old hands of Formula 1 and sports prototype racing, especially those who have owned a Gordini-badged high-performance Renault road car. It charts Gordini's early life and beginnings in motorsport, up to 1969 when Renault took over the Gordini company, keeping his name on all the racing engines until 1986, before finally resurrecting it for a performance version of the Renault Twingo and Clio in 2009.
The book is packed with evocative period images from important collections, supplementary transcripts in English from many contemporary interviews, plus recollections from former employees remembering their time working with Gordini, and an exhaustive set of statistics. All the way it's a roller coaster of joy, despair, humour, and stunning images. The racing legend of 'Le Sorcier' lives on.

Together with his colleagues at Citroen, Andre Lefebvre created the Traction Avant (1934), the TUB (1939) - Citroen's first front wheel drive utility van that was succeeded by the H and HY vans (1947) - the Deux Chevaux (1948), and, last but not least, the DS (1955).
From 1923 to 1931 Lefebvre also designed several highly original and outstanding competition cars and record-breaking automobiles for Voisin. He even drove some these cars in races and record attempts. It is obvious that during his 16 years with Gabriel Voisin he was very much influenced by the ideas of this illustrious aviation pioneer and car manufacturer.
The experience gained during that period gave him the self-confidence to persuade his successive bosses at Citroen that his unorthodox approach to automobile design was what the company needed; first he convinced Andre Citroen, later Pierre Michelin, then Pierre-Jules Boulanger, and finally Robert Puiseux and Pierre Bercot.
His oeuvre for Citroen alone earns him a place of honour among the great automobile designers of the past century. The fact that most present-day cars still carry the DNA of his design philosophy makes him stand out above other automotive pioneers and innovators. That is why it is amazing that so little is known about this fascinating and brilliant engineer.
This book was written in order to remedy that, and to pay tribute to Andre Lefebvre: the passionate pioneer who left car enthusiasts around the world such an important heritage.

From a five-year-old girl racing 60mph micro-midgets in South Africa, to a Formula One driver in the British Championship during her first full year of racing in the UK, and on to becoming the first and only woman ever to win a Formula One race, Desire Wilson was a winner bested by very few of her male rivals.
But single-seater racing was just the start of Desire's ascent in motorsport. She won two FIA World Championship Sports Car Endurance races in 1980, and went on to compete in well over 120 types of race car at more than 100 race tracks around the world. Always competitive, she earned a reputation for an intense, no-nonsense approach to racing, shrugging off the media glamour to focus on the hard grind of staying competitive in one of the world's toughest sporting arenas.
Moving to the male-dominated world of North American racing, Desire became a pioneer for women racing in the harsh world of Indy Cars, facing discrimination, financial problems, and other obstacles ranging from tragedy to farce. Her career is unique in the world of racing, encompassing everything from club racing to Formula One and World Championship sports cars, to the evil monsters of the IndyCar World Series - the world's fastest race cars. Hers is a story of hardships, fun, tragedy, perseverance, injury, and the amazing behind-the-scenes world masked by the public face and glamour of racing. It tells, too, of the consequences of politics and discrimination in the male world of professional auto racing.

This is a fascinating, evocative account of 19th-century London, so well known from Charles Dickens' much-loved novels. It draws on descriptions of life in the capital from original letters, diaries and newspapers, as well as Dickens' own social commentary, to paint a vivid portrait of a city undergoing massive social changes. No author has ever described the city of London as well as Dickens. His eye for detail and his gift for characterization moved and entertained readers throughout the world who might never have been to the city. Many of the cliches that crowd our imaginations when we think of London, or of the Victorians, can be traced back to his writings. A unique gazetteer section with a modern-day map allows the reader to discover where places and attractions mentioned in the text can be seen in today's London.

The fascinating biography of David Scott-Moncrieff, alias 'Bunty' - a colourful larger-than-life personality, enthusiastic car expert, charming entertainer, and passionate vintage car addict.
Bunty's favourite marque was Rolls-Royce, and, for some time, he claimed to be the Number 1 in the Rolls-Royce second-hand car trade worldwide. Bunty also owned world-famous race cars, heaps of worn-out hearses (to be rebuilt), supercharged Mercedes classics, and even an antique Steamer. Here, you will meet them all, along with some of his many admirers who had the courage and pleasure to enter the passenger seat.
Halwart Schrader travelled to England to meet Bunty on many occasions, knew him well. and has written this long-awaited biography in full co-operation with Bunty's son, Humphrey Scott-Moncrieff.

The book covers the life of one of the greatest women rally drivers of all time, Pat Moss Carlsson. Pat had a highly successful show-jumping career before moving into motorsport, going on to become European Ladies Rally Champion no fewer than five times. In 1960, with her co-driver Ann Wisdom, she won the Liege, the toughest rally of all, a win as iconic in motorsport terms as her brother Stirling's famous one on the Mille Miglia.
Stuart Turner is uniquely qualified to write about Pat because he not only navigated for her on British rallies - they took the first win by a Mini together - but was then her team manager at BMC.
Pat later moved from BMC to Ford before having a successful rally programme with Saab, competing in the same team as her husband, Erik Carlsson. She also drove Renault Alpine, Lancia and Toyota rally cars before retiring in 1974, going on to help her daughter Suzy with her show-jumping career. Pat never lost her zest for life, and was once even stopped for speeding ... while towing a horse box.
Featuring 150 evocative pictures, this is an intimate and unique account of one of motorsport's most formidable women.

Inside Pepys' London reveals a vivid picture of London at a critical point in history - poised to become a major centre of international commerce and culture. It provides accounts of all aspects of contemporary life, from the arts and entertainment, to politics and religion. Though no king or great general, thanks to his diary Samuel Pepys is one of the most interesting characters in history. His life encompassed happenings of huge historical and human impact - the execution of Charles I and the Great Fire of London to name but two. This book takes Pepys' diary, which he kept almost daily from 1660-1669, as its central resource, but also includes a range of other contemporary sources to provide a fascinating and vivid picture of the times.

The biography of motor racing mechanic Tony Robinson, who worked with some of the great names of the sport in the 1950s and '60s. Tony started as one of the mechanics for Stirling Moss in 1954: the year of Stirling's first serious assault on the world championship. After a semi-nomadic period touring Europe with privateer Bruce Halford, who also raced a Maserati 250F, Tony joined the British Racing Partnership - a Formula One and Two team part-owned by (Sir) Stirling's father, Alfred. Stirling was driving a BRP-entered Lotus on the day of the accident that effectively ended his racing career.
At BRP, Tony responded to the Lotus 25 by building what was the first monocoque F1 car following Colin Chapman's groundbreaker. He also designed a car for Indianapolis, before going on to work for Cooper. During his time in motor racing, Tony rubbed shoulders with such great names as Juan Manual Fangio and Mike Hawthorn; Stuart Lewis-Evans - whose manager was Bernie Ecclestone - was one of Tony's drivers, and McLaren's Ron Dennis worked for him during his time at Cooper.
This is the fascinating story of one of motorsport's most enduring characters.

The autobiography of Ted Macauley, award-winning newspaper reporter, columnist, and sports journalist. A story filled with the excitement of the sports that he covered, tales of enviable assignments, and featuring a host of celebrity friends and sporting superstars, including Mike Hailwood, George Best, Barry Sheene, and many more.
After spending a lifetime writing about the careers and achievements of others, Ted Macauley has now turned the focus on his own life, and the glamorous lifestyle he enjoyed as he travelled to exotic locations, and rubbed shoulders with sporting heroes and Hollywood stars alike.
With many original photos from Ted's private collection to accompany the text, this autobiography is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a top sports journalist.

A fascinating collection of first-hand accounts of life in the time of Jane Austen (1775-1817), showing how social standing and etiquette were prime considerations of the period, and revealing the stark contrast between 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' and the lives of men and women. With extracts from Jane Austen's novels, letters, biographies, memoirs and newspapers, including previously unpublished material held by The Jane Austen Society, British Library, Hampshire Record Office and Kent County Archives.

You'll know the name Noble. Ever since the M10 and M12 wowed the press in 1999, the marque has taken its place within the British sports car landscape alongside the likes of Lotus, TVR, and Morgan. But what do you know of the man behind the brand?

He didn't appear from nowhere. The Lee Noble Story is a biographical look at the rise, stumbles, and falls on the path to widespread recognition. From club motorsport racer to car designer and kit car manufacturer, and finally founder of his eponymous car company, Lee Noble has experienced epic highs and desperate lows. Specialist car manufacture is a notoriously precarious business, and you need a combination of talent and tenacity just to survive.

Yet no matter how fraught his career path has sometimes been, one thing has remained constant: every car to have originated from Noble's drawing board has been highly capable. Ultima, Midtec, Ascari, Noble ... all those names will resonate with those who have a fondness for specialist British sports cars. And while he may have departed from the company that bears his name, Noble's story is not over yet ...

What they say about Tony Mason -

Sir Stirling Moss
I have always said that 'Movement is tranquility!' Well, Tony has certainly had plenty of movement over the years, but not a lot of tranquility. I've known him more years than I care to remember and I know you'll enjoy this book.

Nick Mason of Pink Floyd
Tony Mason … sometimes accused of being my brother - more often my elderly uncle! He's an even worse drummer than I am, although much better at rallying and presenting motoring programmes on TV. His book should probably be nearly as good as mine … !

Lewis Hamilton Formula 1 World Champion 2008
Tony is good fun and a great guy.

Derek Bell, winner of the Le Mans 24 hour race five times
Tony is one of the rare breed of men that can sit next to an out-of-control driver for several days and participate for a lifetime with that same passion, and laugh about it.

Lord March, Founder Goodwood Festival of Speed
Tony has played a big and hilarious role in British motor sport over the past four decades. This book is proof of that - not to mention the enormous amount of fun he has obviously had putting this book together.

Andy Green, the fastest man on earth
Tony is one of those enthusiastic characters that you enjoy meeting. Last time he put a microphone in my face I was climbing out of a rally car after an outrageously fast ride through the trees of Goodwood's rally stage. Tony used to do this full time, so I can confirm that he must be slightly mad!

Hannu Mikkola, World Rally Champion 1983
I first met Tony many years ago before I could speak or understand any English. He still made me laugh! He has amazing stories to tell, including those about when he co-drove for me in New Zealand on his last rally.

Few people achieve success and notoriety in more than one field, but Tony Mason has managed it! He joined a local car club before he even had a car, eventually climbing to the top with rally wins in his native Lake District, before joining the prestigious Ford works team and co-driving Britain's biggest rally star, Roger Clark, to win outright the RAC Rally - Britain's toughest event of its kind. He started a successful car accessory business then ventured onto the stage for a short while, before being signed by the BBC to appear on its popular Top Gear programme, on which he was a main presenter for 15 years. His cheery presence became a popular part of the programme, and he moved from rallying to driving all manner of vehicles, from vintage Rolls-Royces, Reliant Robins, tanks, fire engines and Eddie Stobart trucks. After he was famously bombarded with snowballs during a report on the Monte Carlo Rally, he became even better known, with the famous out-take being shown on programmes around the the world.
Tony Mason's light-hearted, jovial persona transfers from television to page in this autobiography, taking readers on a trip from his early life in the seaside town of Morecambe through almost 100 countries, with thrills, spills, ups-and-downs all vividly remembered and often shown in photographs.


Tony Mason's light-hearted, jovial persona transfers from television to page in this autobiography, taking readers on a trip from his early life in the seaside town of Morecambe through almost 100 countries, with thrills, spills, ups-and-downs all vividly remembered and often shown in photographs.

The biography of motor racing mechanic Tony Robinson, who worked with some of the great names of the sport in the 1950s and '60s. Tony started as one of the mechanics for Stirling Moss in 1954: the year of Stirling's first serious assault on the world championship. After a semi-nomadic period touring Europe with privateer Bruce Halford, who also raced a Maserati 250F, Tony joined the British Racing Partnership – a Formula One and Two team part-owned by (Sir) Stirling's father, Alfred. Stirling was driving a BRP-entered Lotus on the day of the accident that effectively ended his racing career.
At BRP, Tony responded to the Lotus 25 by building what was the first monocoque F1 car following Colin Chapman's groundbreaker. He also designed a car for Indianapolis, before going on to work for Cooper. During his time in motor racing, Tony rubbed shoulders with such great names as Juan Manual Fangio and Mike Hawthorn; Stuart Lewis-Evans – whose manager was Bernie Ecclestone – was one of Tony's drivers, and McLaren's Ron Dennis worked for him during his time at Cooper.
This is the fascinating story of one of motorsport's most enduring characters.

The autobiography of Ted Macauley, award-winning newspaper reporter, columnist, and sports journalist. A story filled with the excitement of the sports that he covered, tales of enviable assignments, and featuring a host of celebrity friends and sporting superstars, including Mike Hailwood, George Best, Barry Sheene, and many more.
After spending a lifetime writing about the careers and achievements of others, Ted Macauley has now turned the focus on his own life, and the glamorous lifestyle he enjoyed as he travelled to exotic locations, and rubbed shoulders with sporting heroes and Hollywood stars alike.
With many original photos from Ted’s private collection to accompany the text, this autobiography is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a top sports journalist.

The names 'Keith Duckworth' and 'DFV' are practically synonymous, such is the reputation of the famous F1 racing engine which he designed.
Whilst there are books covering the technical aspects of the DFV engine, and other designs from Cosworth, the company which he founded with Mike Costin, there are many gaps in the story of Duckworth's career, before and after Cosworth. This book comprehensively fills those gaps, taking the reader into the world of Britain's finest 20th century engineers.
It was a world consisting of far more than motorsport, embracing an astonishing variety of mechanical devices, including aircraft, boats, and motorcycles – particularly Triumph, for whom he was a consultant during his retirement.
A man of strong convictions and high integrity, Keith Duckworth OBE cared passionately about his work, fitting almost every aspect of his life around it. From his northern industrial roots, the ups and downs of his personal life, his health problems, to his generous support of charities and business start-ups, this book recreates the story of one of motorsport's – and engineering's – most endearing and enduring characters.

Amazing and Extraordinary Facts: Royal Family Life unearths a wealth of curious truths about British royal domestic life, royal celebrations, royal etiquette, and how they have shaped history. Delve into the more personal lives of the Royal family, past and present. From difficult childhoods to fashion icons, from love matches to divorces, and from unrehearsed coronations to assassination attempts and untimely deaths. Curiosity about Britain’s rulers and their next of kin never seems to wane, and it is this compendium about the lives of the members of the Royal Family that makes this so utterly compelling.

In Red Baron: The Life and Death of an Ace, Peter Kilduff tells the story of this courageous and charismatic man: his comrades and enemies, the planes he flew, the battles he fought in, the political climate that caused his eventual disenchantment and the controversial circumstances of his death.

Containing previously unpublished photographs, drawings on new source material from former East German state archives and making fresh insights into existing sources, Red Baron is the most up-to-date reference on the life of a legend.

Tales from the Front Line - Trafalgar offers a unique insight into the most significant naval battle in history, told through the accounts of those who were actually there. Here you will find original accounts from the great military leaders of the time - including Nelson - as well as the experiences of the ordinary seamen and civilian witnesses. This title is drawn from a variety of contemporary sources including letters, diaries, newspapers and ships' logs.

A fascinating collection of first-hand accounts of life in the time of Jane Austen (1775-1817), showing how social standing and etiquette were prime considerations of the period, and revealing the stark contrast between 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' and the lives of men and women. With extracts from Jane Austen's novels, letters, biographies, memoirs and newspapers, including previously unpublished material held by The Jane Austen Society, British Library, Hampshire Record Office and Kent County Archives.

The fascinating biography of David Scott-Moncrieff, alias ‘Bunty’ – a colourful larger-than-life personality, enthusiastic car expert, charming entertainer, and passionate vintage car addict.
Bunty’s favourite marque was Rolls-Royce, and, for some time, he claimed to be the Number 1 in the Rolls-Royce second-hand car trade worldwide. Bunty also owned world-famous race cars, heaps of worn-out hearses (to be rebuilt), supercharged Mercedes classics, and even an antique Steamer. Here, you will meet them all, along with some of his many admirers who had the courage and pleasure to enter the passenger seat.
Halwart Schrader travelled to England to meet Bunty on many occasions, knew him well. and has written this long-awaited biography in full co-operation with Bunty’s son, Humphrey Scott-Moncrieff.

You'll know the name Noble. Ever since the M10 and M12 wowed the press in 1999, the marque has taken its place within the British sports car landscape alongside the likes of Lotus, TVR, and Morgan. But what do you know of the man behind the brand?

He didn't appear from nowhere. The Lee Noble Story is a biographical look at the rise, stumbles, and falls on the path to widespread recognition. From club motorsport racer to car designer and kit car manufacturer, and finally founder of his eponymous car company, Lee Noble has experienced epic highs and desperate lows. Specialist car manufacture is a notoriously precarious business, and you need a combination of talent and tenacity just to survive.

Yet no matter how fraught his career path has sometimes been, one thing has remained constant: every car to have originated from Noble's drawing board has been highly capable. Ultima, Midtec, Ascari, Noble ... all those names will resonate with those who have a fondness for specialist British sports cars. And while he may have departed from the company that bears his name, Noble's story is not over yet ...

Together with his colleagues at Citroën, Andre Lefebvre created the Traction Avant (1934), the TUB (1939) – Citroën's first front wheel drive utility van that was succeeded by the H and HY vans (1947) – the Deux Chevaux (1948), and, last but not least, the DS (1955).
From 1923 to 1931 Lefebvre also designed several highly original and outstanding competition cars and record-breaking automobiles for Voisin. He even drove some these cars in races and record attempts. It is obvious that during his 16 years with Gabriel Voisin he was very much influenced by the ideas of this illustrious aviation pioneer and car manufacturer.
The experience gained during that period gave him the self-confidence to persuade his successive bosses at Citroën that his unorthodox approach to automobile design was what the company needed; first he convinced André Citroën, later Pierre Michelin, then Pierre-Jules Boulanger, and finally Robert Puiseux and Pierre Bercot.
His oeuvre for Citroën alone earns him a place of honour among the great automobile designers of the past century. The fact that most present-day cars still carry the DNA of his design philosophy makes him stand out above other automotive pioneers and innovators. That is why it is amazing that so little is known about this fascinating and brilliant engineer.
This book was written in order to remedy that, and to pay tribute to André Lefebvre: the passionate pioneer who left car enthusiasts around the world such an important heritage.

Inside Pepys' London reveals a vivid picture of London at a critical point in history - poised to become a major centre of international commerce and culture. It provides accounts of all aspects of contemporary life, from the arts and entertainment, to politics and religion. Though no king or great general, thanks to his diary Samuel Pepys is one of the most interesting characters in history. His life encompassed happenings of huge historical and human impact - the execution of Charles I and the Great Fire of London to name but two. This book takes Pepys' diary, which he kept almost daily from 1660-1669, as its central resource, but also includes a range of other contemporary sources to provide a fascinating and vivid picture of the times.

This is a fascinating, evocative account of 19th-century London, so well known from Charles Dickens' much-loved novels. It draws on descriptions of life in the capital from original letters, diaries and newspapers, as well as Dickens' own social commentary, to paint a vivid portrait of a city undergoing massive social changes. No author has ever described the city of London as well as Dickens. His eye for detail and his gift for characterization moved and entertained readers throughout the world who might never have been to the city. Many of the cliches that crowd our imaginations when we think of London, or of the Victorians, can be traced back to his writings. A unique gazetteer section with a modern-day map allows the reader to discover where places and attractions mentioned in the text can be seen in today's London.