| Synopsis: |
Stirling Moss is a national treasure. Arguably, the world's greatest all-round racing driver, he was a hero to several generations of schoolboys and countless enthusiasts throughout the world. He is still held in the highest esteem and is mobbed whenever he attends events. He was one of the first of the jet-setters, living a glamorous life of high octane motor sport and beautiful women. He only had to be seen with a fabulous female twice and all the papers would be reporting they were engaged. If he sneezed, the Press wrote about it. He was the Beckham of his era. Above all, he was a dedicated sportsman and probably the first to make motor racing his sole profession. He had to make a living out of it. He went rallying in the winter, not just for the fun of it, but to make some money during the racing off-season. Throughout his career he created his personal scrapbooks, several volumes per year, and he kept a diary. This book dips into his personal records and is spiced throughout with treasures to delight and fascinate. These are supplemented by period comments and many of his anecdotes. Moss has a fund of stories and is refreshingly non-PC!In spite of being adored and respected by the public for more than 50 years, Stirling remains the modest man he always was. Long-term friends and former colleagues have shared their fond memories with Philip Porter for this book. The year 1955 was a truly remarkable one for Stirling Moss. Yet to really establish himself at the highest levels after gamely persevering with uncompetitive British machinery, he finished the year second only to the great Fangio in the World Championship and a household name, a mega-star. If there had been a world championship for sports cars, he would have won it by a handsome margin for he recorded some extraordinary victories in possibly his greatest year. In 1955, Moss won his first Grand Prix, won the uniquely gruelling Targa Florio, won the classic Tourist Trophy for the third time and, most amazing of all, brilliantly won the Mille Miglia, the sensationally dangerous 1,000 race around the roads of Italy, reaching over 170mph! This book is a light-hearted look at the fun, the excitement, the lifestyle, the challenges, the tragedies, and the victories. |