Customer Reviews
And here comes Murray, in his V6 3/8 - By: C. Nation, 13 Sep 2004 
"Murray Walker speaks ill of no man". That is obviously a Murray Walker rule of life, probably embroidered by a team of Stirling Moss's ex-wives & hangingin a framein pole position over Murray's work stationin Hampshire.
There are things Murray has seen, heard & got on file over the past 50 yearsin motor racing that would be of supreme interest to fans & indeed make a valuable contribution to the history of motor racing, particularly F1, from 1949 to 2001. Some of these things might make uncomfortable reading for the people involved. In fact some of these people might get seriously hacked off with dear old Murray. In this book, Murray ducks anything that comes anywhere close to upsetting anyone.
You don't have to be vindictive or bitchy to write an honest book about a world you have been right to the centre ofin the course of 50 years but straight-ahead spilling of beans where there are beans to be spilled is what the reader has a right to expect.
Murray disappoints: he's pals with everybody & no-onein this book has any reason to cross him off their Xmas card list. But we know for absolutely certain that a collection of egos that would blot out the sun across a whole continent can't spend 10 months of the year competing against each other, even to the point where they kill themselves or the other guy, yearin year out, without demonstrating some very unpleasant attitudes, appalling behavoir & deeply unattractive personalities. You'd never guess it from this book.
Of course, there's lots of stuff here that is interesting & amusing but it just lacks a critical edge & so makes me think "Murray, you're not firing on all cylinders."
Charming, witty, readable but perhaps a little uncritical - By: Peter Fenelon, 30 Aug 2003 
Murray Walker has led a fascinating life & I was hoping that his autobiography would cover more of it; as it is after a fairly conventional & chronological first third of the book about his early life, Army service, motorcycling exploits & careerin advertising he starts to talk about his broadcasting career & his lifein & around motor racing - but the approach tends to become rather thematic rather than chronological & at times the reader does find himself flicking around to work out whether we've just jumped back or forwardin time - a bit like some of Murray's more excitable commentaries!
I was hoping Murray would perhaps be a bit more candidin his memoirs; reading carefully between the lines you can see where he's less than generous with praise for some people, some circuits, but the tone is resolutely upbeat for most of the book.
There are some very moving passages; his wartime encounter with his father, the description of the effect James Hunt's death had on him, & how Murray had to keep going through Senna's fatal accident - all of these bring home just how human he is.
The insights into broadcasting - how F1 gets from the circuits to the TV screen - are probably the best parts of the book after the non-racing material. Given how precarious & ramshackle some of the arrangements were no wonder his commentaries were often on the wild side!
It's all written with Murray's inevitable charm, enthusiasm & good humour - plenty of it, there are laughs throughout - & perhaps that's why I can't give it five stars; despite the piles of anecdotes, the little insights behind the scenes, I was hoping that one of F1's elder statesmen might share some more of what he's seen...
Ultimately Murray Walker is a great enthusiast & this is an enthusiast's book. It's never less than readable, & the style is just as recognisable & friendly as the voice that made hundreds of Sunday afternoons special. I think almost all of his fans will find something to enjoy here.
Unique (except for other copies which are totally identical) - By: Touring Mars, 23 Jun 2003 
From front to back, this book is a joy to read, & is pervaded by the kind of charm & humour that Murray Walker brought to F1 over his many years of service. In hardback format, you really have a book to treasure. They say you should never judge a book by it's cover, but there is always an exception to the rule. The cover of this book is a warm invitation into the life & times of one of Britain's most well-loved broadcasters, & is guaranteed to make you smile.
Far more than a series of recollections about cars, drivers & great races, this book gives a fasciniating insight into the long & varied life of a great man, everything an (auto)biography should be. It is easy to read & doesn't get bogged downin boring detail. Of course, my favourite section is the chapterin which Murray discusses his greatest claim to fame... his gaffs. He starts by pointing out (accurately) that many of these 'gaffs' were not as daft as they might have first appeared, like his classic line 'Damon Hill's Williams is absolutely unique, except for the car behind which is absolutely identical'. We all knew what he meant!... Also, many things he said were, at the time of saying them, correct, only for him to be proved wrong moments later... (remember the classic Murray Walker 'Kiss Of Death'?)
The humour, humility & obvious pride that Murray demonstrates throughout this book make it a real pleasure to own, & seems to be a fitting memoir for one of Britain's greatest ever sports broadcasters. A joy to read.
Excellenty written book about the MAN not the sport. - By: C. Thomas, 13 May 2003 Murray Walker has had a great life, servingin the army, having a regular career & well as his 'hobby' of TV & Radio commentary. This book details all the highs & lows of that life. Those who lament the lack of detailed histories of F1 & it's drivers miss the point: it's not an F1 book, it's a book about Murray Walker & his life. F1, it turns out, has only been a tiny portion of his life & the rest of it is both absorbing & plentiful. Sure, Murray has few bad words to say about anyone but that seems to be his nature. He loves people & people love him. This is one of the most beautifully written autobiographies I have ever read. Murray has a fantastically simple way with words which makes the book an absolute joy to read. Not only this but the many many insights into his life away from the microphone paint a very different picture to the man we're used to on the telly.
Somewhat interesting, but entirely predictable - By: Colm P Doherty, 19 Feb 2003 
Let be start by saying that Murray is a man I admire enormously. His retirement was a real setback for F1, & the 'show' continues to suffer as a result. I had the pleasure of receiving a signed copy of his book at one of his black-tie dinners, courtesy of a sponsor, so I do feel reluctant to record my disappointment with the book.
However, Murray is a journalist, & I feel he owes something to his readersin the matter of honesty. After many years of treating F1 drivers & team managers with polite deference & awe, this book was a one-off opportunity to "take the gloves off" ... at least to some extent. F1 today is a corrupt self-interested business run by corrupt self-interested people, bearing little or no relation to the sports' origins. Murray wasin a unique position to lift the lid on the real goings onin F1, given his 50 yearsin the 'sport'.
In the end, the book is a shopping list of interesting but well rehearsed & familiar anecdotes - few of them fresh. It lacks spontanaety & reveals little of the man or his sport. Sadly it smacks of the 'contractual obligation' autobiography. It reminds me that Murray is very much part of the F1 establishment now, & he has opted to respect F1's code of 'Omerta'. There IS a fascinating story to be told about the past 50 years of F1. This isn't it.
