Dan Gurney

Dan Gurney, the Ultimate racer by Karl Ludvigsen ISBN: 1-85960-655-5 Published by Haynes Publishing, £25.00

The fourth book in Karl Ludvigsen’s series (the previous three were on Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio and Jackie Stewart) is one to purchase for the pictures rather than the words. The author is perfectly open about it in his introduction — “I did not interview or consult Dan specifically for this book” — and the publication is the worse for it. While Ludvigsen has clearly worked hard to find the best contemporary reports and quotes, the book would have benefitted immeasurably from reducing these to sidebars alongside Gurney’s present day reminiscences. Then again, that could have made it a far bigger project, with a (presumably) far greater price. If, like me, you want a compilation of Gurney pictures because he is a hero, then this selection of images (from, among others, Bob Tronolone, Jesse Alexander, David Phipps and Bernard Cahier) is a must-buy. Just don’t go expecting this book to be the definitive biography. DM