Dick Francis

A while back I picked up this book Wild Horses, By Dick Francis though at the time I was not really famillar with his work or what he wrote. I was just attracted to the book becasue of its title, and the horse on the cover, being something of a horse fanatatic, and the fact that on the back of it, it seemed to take place around the race track.

But later I found out that Francis was a mystery writer, that just set his stories at the track, but the books were not really about the horses so much, and I am not really a fan of modern mystery for the most part, so at first I did not think I would like the book but when I read it it was acutally pretty good and I ended up liking the set of chars in the book

So sense then I have been currious to read some of his other work, but a part of me is leary that Wild Horses was just a fluke, and when I get to the book sale I frequent, I see his work there, I never know where to start. I try reading the backs of the books, but that does not seem to help.

So if anyone reads his work, or has happend to read anything by him, if you can make any suggestians or recomendations I will check them out, and it would be much apperciated.

When I was about elleven somebody gave me an entire storage closet worth of Readers Digest Condensed Books, in which the work of Dick Francis frequently appeared, so I have a passing familiarity with his style, but, to be honest, he's one of those writers that pretty much rewrites the same book over and over, so I don't really have any specific suggestions. They're all of roughly the same quality, without much variation or innovation, which is good if you can enjoy that type of thing. I got kind of burnt out on it myself.

Thanks for that insight, if that is the case then I may not really need to read any more of his work.

some of his books have very little to do with horses although Im pretty sure they all are somehow linked in. I pretty much read all of tem between the ages of 11 and 16, well except for the new one that came out this year... And I can only think of a few that dont haveqite a bit of horses in them the danger which isabout kiddnapping and I think he ges nto a bit of detail about famus horses that have been kidnapped.. it was my favourite book for about 3 years... :nod:

But John Francomes stuff seems to be more horse involved Ive oly read about 3 of those, but Iseem to remebr Dead ringer and false start having to do with a lot more abut hoses.

The danger sounds intresting, maybe I will keep my eye out for that one.


And I will have to look int some of John Francomes books

Thanks for the tips

Dick Francis was at one time a prominent jockey for thoroughbred racehorses in Great Britain; hence the track background for his mysteries. I haven't read everything he's written,but "Whip Hand" is supposed to be one of his best. I thought "Risk" was especially thrilling.
Recently he had a novel on the NYT best seller list, another
mystery, co-written with his son.

I really liked Ten Pound Penalty.

Not much about horses, (sadly :[) but it's a very good book.

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Originally Posted by AuntShecky

Dick Francis was at one time a prominent jockey for thoroughbred racehorses in Great Britain; hence the track background for his mysteries.

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Oh that is pretty interesting, I did not know that.

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Originally Posted by AuntShecky

Dick Francis was at one time a prominent jockey for thoroughbred racehorses in Great Britain; hence the track background for his mysteries. I haven't read everything he's written,but "Whip Hand" is supposed to be one of his best. I thought "Risk" was especially thrilling.
Recently he had a novel on the NYT best seller list, another
mystery, co-written with his son.

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Risk was that the one with the torture? or the attempt at amputation..or wait no that was nerve wasnt it

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Originally Posted by Zelly

I really liked Ten Pound Penalty.

Not much about horses, (sadly :[) but it's a very good book.

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Yes 10Lb pentatlty was one of the ones I was going to say has very little horses in it the other is the other political one with the japanese and the lady who always dresses in black and white... Ah yes comeback was what it was called its more about the health side of horses as the main charcter gets involved with load of vets, actually I did learn how to stop to kill a horse with a needle and thread from that one. Straight I know I didnt like. Hot money did teach me how to build a bomb.... but not much horses .

Haven't read him in awhile, but I am a superfan of his stories. I esp. liked the one where the hero has a job of working out kidnappings, and the second of three vignettes he climbs up into a window and saves a kid.

You may know that he usually has the horse racing plus some other issue -- photography, booze, acting and South Africa. And his hero is sort of a underappreciated guy who gets beat up a lot, but who wins bigtime by the end.

Reading a Francis is reading a piece of literature. And sometimes he makes you wait 30 pages with nothing happening.

Comeback sounds interesting

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Originally Posted by byquist

Haven't read him in awhile, but I am a superfan of his stories. I esp. liked the one where the hero has a job of working out kidnappings, and the second of three vignettes he climbs up into a window and saves a kid.
.

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Thats the danger!"

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Originally Posted by byquist

You may know that he usually has the horse racing plus some other issue -- photography, booze, acting and South Africa. And his hero is sort of a underappreciated guy who gets beat up a lot, but who wins bigtime by the

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I cannot remeber if there was anything about South Africa in Wild Horses but photography and acting certiantly played a role in it, and the other two might have to some degree as well.

South Africa is the one with the acctor and the car... isnt it?

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Originally Posted by Dark Muse

A while back I picked up this book Wild Horses, By Dick Francis though at the time I was not really famillar with his work or what he wrote. I was just attracted to the book becasue of its title,

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No I don't know anything about Dick Frances. But if you're attracted to the title, Wild Horses, then you must like the Rolling Stones song by the same name. Here are the lyrics:

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Wild Horses
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)

Childhood living is easy to do
The things you wanted I bought them for you
Graceless lady you know who I am
You know I can't let you slide through my hands

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away

I watched you suffer a dull aching pain
Now you decided to show me the same
No sweeping exits or offstage lines
Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, couldn't drag me away

I know I dreamed you a sin and a lie
I have my freedom but I don't have much time
Faith has been broken, tears must be cried
Let's do some living after we die

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them some day

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And here's a youtube version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDIa4...eature=related.

I have heard the song before, and I do like it, though I do not think I heard the original, I think someone else did a re-make of it

Natasha Bedingfield did a song called that... Different lyrics though.

Well I know I have heard the Mick Jagger, Wild Horses song, becasue the lyrics are famillar to me, but the band I had thought remade it, acutally did a completely different song called Fallen Horses.

Ooh! I forgot to add in my previous posting about Dick
Francis and it will reinforce the opinion of those who rank his novels among "serious" literature.

A decade or so before she died, Eudora Welty,the GREAT American short story writer was interviewed by Dick Cavett, a talk show host at the time. He asked her which contemporary writers whe admired, and the first name Eudora mentioned was Dick Francis.