Beautiful Danger: 101 Great Road Racing Photographs
RRP £16.99
Hardcover, 128 pages
Editorial Reviews
SynopsisFor as long as there have been motorbikes, men have been racing them on the roads. Road racing, unique to Ireland and the Isle of Man, takes this sport to the limit. The ultimate challenge of pitting man and machine against the elements terrifies and exhilarates spectators and competitors alike. Hurtling through winding country lanes, the racers display consummate skill and nerves of steel as they push themselves and their bikes to the max. Beautiful Danger is a celebration of all that is awesome about this hugely popular and unique sport. Bringing together 101 of the best road racing photographs ever taken - many never before seen - and accompanied by Stephen Davison's passionate commentary, the book reveals the sheer spectacle of the sport, capturing the speed and the power of the men and machinery against the beautiful landscapes which form the backdrop to the frenetic action. This is a book by a fan for the fans. All the greats are there, from Agostini and Hailwood to folk heroes like the Dunlop brothers. Star name racers, Herron, Ivy, McCallen, Reid, Rutter and Williams, also feature in Davison's hall of fame.
Reviews
(Rated 4 out of 5)
This book is an excellent representation of what road racing is all about. The pictures are all very evocative, and the comments help to give a background to what you are looking at. Its saddening to read just how many of those photographed are no longer with us.
The book covers a wide timeframe, with photos from as recent as 2003, and also plenty of black and white pictures from the 50s. It gives a fascinating insight into how road racing has changed over then years - basically same roads, different bikes!
My only critiscism of the book is that, as with all similar books, some of the double page spreads are a tad spoiled by the binding, but this is a small gripe, and certainly does not spoil the work.
If you have ever been to a road race, the book should bring back plenty of awesome memories. If you havent been, it will give you an insight into the magic of this sport. A little bit of madness in todays overly-sane world.