Book reviews

The Dick Francis Companion
Jean Swanson and Dean James Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Jean Swanson and Dean James Books
New book search
Jean Swanson and Dean James Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of The Dick Francis Companion
"

Berkley, Aug 2003, 14.00, 224 pp.
ISBN: 0425181871

Almost fifty years ago, highly successful jockey Dick Francis left horse racing to write mystery novels that in many cases used his former occupation as a milieu. Over the next four plus decades, genre fans continually loved his works that have led to multiple awards including a life achievement and grandmaster status. When his companion, his beloved wife Mary died a few years ago, Mr. Francis finally slowed down his incredible high quality annual production of great who-done-its.

THE DICK FRANCIS COMPANION provides further recognition of one of mystery greats as well as giving readers a deep look at his works since the 1950s, his memorable characters, an exclusive and interesting interview with Mr. Francis, and of course links to horse racing. Though clearly for fans of the author, this biography with its emphasis on the novels and a recent anthology is a Triple Crown winner (so the finish line is stretched across the ocean as Mr. Francis raced in England) for those readers who know a sure bet.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Dick Francis Companion
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
job/profession: - writer
Job/profession/poverty story Yes
Period of greatest activity? - 1950+

Subject of Biography
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - writer
Age: - 60's-90's
Ethnicity - White
Nationality - British
How sensitive is this person? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other people
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
Century: - 1980's-Present

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Book makes you feel? - encouraged
Unusual Style: - a lot of stream of consciousness
Writer's slant towards subject: - very favorable
Story of entire life, or part? - story of set of events during life
How much dialogue in bio? - significantly more descript than dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 26-50% of book
Most similar books to The Dick Francis Companion
Book Business: Publishing Past, Present, and Future by Jacob Epstein
Patrick O'Brian - A Life Revealed by Dean King
The Bradbury Chronicles by Sam Weller
The Way We Lived Then: Recollections of a Well Known Name Dropper by Dominick Dunne
Happy Days: My Mother, My Father, My Sister, & Me by Shana Alexander


Click here for more information about this book




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Biography books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal story?

Big Business story?

Disaster Story

Ethnic/regional/gender

Family, hate

Family, ill

Family, love

Food

Job/profession/poverty story

Kids growing up/acting up?

Life in an institution

Outdoors story

Pal/friendship story

Phys disability/mental struggle?

Political/social rights fight

Road trip

Romance

Royalty bio

Sports story

Taboo Sex Story?

War/Spying



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Suzanne Weyn 10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen 9:55:24 PM
Marlo Morgan 9:54:58 PM

More message boards