Author Dick Francis dies aged 89

[Rarri]

Just saw this on the news: Author Dick Francis dies aged 89 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8515165.stm).

[Parametric]

:(

[aruna]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/14/dick-francis-dies-horse-novels

I loved his books; at least, the early ones.

[Kateness]

Best-selling crime writer Dick Francis, who drew on his experience as a successful steeplechase jockey for his racing thrillers, has died aged 89, the BBC said Sunday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100214/media_nm/us_horse_racing_francis

[alleycat]

I read two or three of his books years ago, but then I got a little tired of the horse racing setting/backdrop. I enjoyed the ones I read.

RIP

[IdiotsRUs]

Nuts

I loved loved loved his books when I was younger ( as Aruna said the earlier ones) Being horse mad didn't hurt....

Nuts

[jeseymour]

Dick Francis, jockey and author of many (mostly horse racing related) mysteries has died at the age of 89. I loved his books! Sad to see him go.

[Don]

A professional in his field, no doubt. Great reading. Although I'm much more a fan of mysteries than horses, it didn't keep me from being captivated by his tales.

[BardSkye]

Very sorry to hear that. I have his entire collection, and they're all old friends, re-read constantly.

[KellyAssauer]

No! No! Awe!!

I just finished reading Even Money yesterday...

Think I'll thaw out a steak and
open a bottle of wine for dinner.

Dick Francis,...
to you sir!
I miss you already!

[Susie]

Mr. Susie 'n I will be right over! :D

[aadams73]

Though I gave up reading Dick Francis some years ago, I can honestly say I never finished one of his books without having learned something interesting.

[IceCreamEmpress]

Well, he certainly had a long and event-filled life! He will be missed.

[CheshireCat]

He will most certainly be missed.

[Wayne K]

I jusy had steaks with the wife. I don't know if I've read Dick Francis or not, I'll check. If not, he lands on the list right after Even Money.

[Komnena]

Horse-loving readers will sorely miss him.

[Lost World]

A tragic loss for both the writing and horse racing worlds. RIP.

[Chumplet]

I read all of his books, plus the ones he wrote with his son. He'll be missed.

[Enzo]

I just found out about this. RIP. He's a monument in crime writing.
Not being a horse fan myself, I only read a limited number of his books, but I enjoyed them. One of the greats of 20th century detective writing.

[JonathanMaberry]

Damn. One of my favorites for twenty five years or more.

[Elaine Margarett]

Oh no... One of my favorites and such an interesting man!

A champion steeplechase jockey (now there is a sport that requires nerves of steel not to mention athletic ability!) who rode for the Queen of England. A sportswriter, turned biographer turned mystery writer. He pretty much excelled in everything he tried his hand at, and yet he came across as such an unassuming, humble person. (Just like his MCs)

I ordered his autobiography from Amazon a couple of months ago and my order was cancelled because the seller no longer had the book. I'll have to try finding it elsewhere.

[mirandashell]

Does anyone here read Francis? Or is he considered a bit too ... populist? Or just a bad writer?

[MaryMumsy]

Lots of us read Francis. There are several threads about his passing. In the mystery forum, in politics/current events, and I think in office party.

MM

[CaoPaux]

Threads collected and merged for posterity.

[Lost World]

Here is the newsreel coverage of the 1956 Grand National Steeplechase, one of the strangest finishes in horse racing history. Most everyone with even a slight interest in horse racing is familiar with it; however, I never knew that Dick Francis was the jockey aboard Devon Loch, the horse that looks to be the sure winner yet falls down in the final yards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiY7WVdcp3Y&feature=PlayList&p=713454E65DA85921&index=10

[delb0y]

Sad loss. His storytelling, his thrillers, the warmth and the characters and the subtleness were such an antidote to much of what's out there these days.

Great life, well lived.

Del

[aruna]

Here is the newsreel coverage of the 1956 Grand National Steeplechase, one of the strangest finishes in horse racing history. Most everyone with even a slight interest in horse racing is familiar with it; however, I never knew that Dick Francis was the jockey aboard Devon Loch, the horse that looks to be the sure winner yet falls down in the final yards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiY7WVdcp3Y&feature=PlayList&p=713454E65DA85921&index=10

Thanks for this. I've been a Dick Francis fan for a long time. Even if you;re not into horse racing, he manages to draw you into the ecitement and mystique of the sport, and all the intrigue surrounding it.

Not all the books have horse racing as their central theme. I remember at least two where racing was at most peripheral, and they too were rather good.

[Elaine Margarett]

Here are a few non-horse titles if my memory serves me correctly~

Slay Ride - takes place in Russia,
Longshot - MC is a glass blower
Proof- A kidnapping case with whiskey/scotch brewing industry as the background
Wild Horses - Film industry (Francis' darkest book IMO)

There are others but this is all I could come up with

Francis gave credit to his wife for the research that went into his non-horsey stories. When she died several years ago he said he lost his co-writer.

[Elaine Margarett]

Here is the newsreel coverage of the 1956 Grand National Steeplechase, one of the strangest finishes in horse racing history. Most everyone with even a slight interest in horse racing is familiar with it; however, I never knew that Dick Francis was the jockey aboard Devon Loch, the horse that looks to be the sure winner yet falls down in the final yards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiY7WVdcp3Y&feature=PlayList&p=713454E65DA85921&index=10

Wish I could see it, but I'm on dialup. I'm glad though you said "the horse fell." That was a recuring theme in his racing stories and something I felt was an issue with Francis-- Don't say the jockey fell when it was the horse who fell and the rider went along with it! <g> I think it rubs jocks the wrong way...saying they fell when it was the horse.

[aruna]

Decider is also not particularly horsey. The MC is an architect. One of my favourites.
And there's another one and I can't for the life of my find the title to it -- it's
about a rich man who is afraid someone in is family is going to murder him, and asks his son to protect him. The narrator is the son. Anybody know which book this is? I've gone through them all on his website but none of them ring a bell.

[MaryMumsy]

The one with glass blowing is called Shattered. And the one Aruna is looking for is Hot Money.

MM

[aruna]

The one with glass blowing is called Shattered. And the one Aruna is looking for is Hot Money.

MM


Thanks! That must be the only one I missed when checking out the books on his website!