For anyone interested in
a) the economics of Formula One
b) how the sport was changed from a race series run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts into a global brand
c) how a Kent car dealer became immensely rich and still controls this world-wide industry with an iron fist then Tom Bower’s incisive expose NO ANGEL provides all the answers, detailing in eye-watering depth the life of Bernie Ecclestone. I saw Ecclestone race at Brands Hatch in the 1950s, a ho-hum driver who was never going to make it to the top. When he changed to team-owner and then self-appointed head of Grand Prix racing his fortunes changed. And what fortunes.
My review provides more information and, I suggest, should direct you to a immensely enjoyable study of a formidable personality, required reading for any aspiring business person contemplating deals in the competitive commercial world.
July 29th. To the Star tavern in Soho (as Pepys might have said) where I did share a glass of wine with Mr.Ingrams and a goodly variety of literary folk where we did eat and were very merry and had much conversation about the Oldie periodical and what contribution I might make at some future time. And so home by high speed locomotive from St Pancras terminus to Ashford in the county of Kent in thirty-seven minutes. Lay long in bed the following morn, not used any more to such busy times begad.
Richard Ingrams did a great job on my Oldie article about Dunkirk giving it a double-page spread and including one of my best shots of two of the veterans (one of those lucky chances). Here’s a taster.
The feature can be read in full by downloading a PDF version here →.
Before I got into fiction writing seriously I was a regular contributor to Richard Ingrams’ Oldie Magazine. I’m pleased to say that they’ll be running my article about the Dunkirk trip in their August issue, on sale 2 July. As before I submitted just under 2,000-words but they plan to include a number of my photographs so asked me to cut the copy by 800. Tall order but somehow I managed it without affecting things too much.
It’s a while since I read Oldie but I thoroughly recommend it as an excellent and broad-ranging read, and not just for oldies either. I never quite understand this sensitivity about being accused of being old, as though it’s some sort of insult. If you’re old you’re old.
In Letters in the current issue of Oldie one reader relates how she took some back issues to her doctor’s surgery and put them on the waiting room table only to be told by one of the assistants:
‘I don’t think that’s funny. We get a lot of old people in here and they wouldn’t think that was very nice.’
