whowasthatberntpersson Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 There is a Peter Craven book listed at Amazons Online, however it is only available to pre order. Does anyone know when this book is likely to be released? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 I believe it's due out in the middle of August...or thereabouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 I believe it's due out in the middle of August...or thereabouts. September the 20th might be appropriate as it will be the 40th anniversary of his death Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 I believe it's due out in the middle of August...or thereabouts. September the 20th might be appropriate as it will be the 40th anniversary of his death That may well be why the publication date is mid-August. It allows for a little slippage and time to get it out to the shops for the anniversary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 Actually that was the date of the crash (Friday) I believe he died in hospital on the Monday or Tuesday, but it is probably fitting as his last race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 Scottish BBC TV are producing a 'piece' about the same time as the 40th annivsersary of PC's death. They are keen to contact any riders that were there on the night at Edinburgh he crashed. Alas George Hunter is no longer with us but I still have the programme and can provide team names if required. A sad footnote is that a junior rider I helped in the pits at the time had made arrangements to buy a bike from Peter Craven that night. I am sure he is still around but I have lost contact with him. Also on reading Ian Hoskins book he says that Peter started from 20 yards back that night but that is not my recollection. I am sure they all went from the gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whowasthatberntpersson Posted July 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Great idea Dick (where did you get that name from?) Any comments re the book from the late great PC's widow would be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 It would be nice if some of you could get signing.http://freespace.virgin.net/pete.craven/index.htm JB It's a great site, Jim...er...Dick...but could you do something about the blue writing on a black background? My poor old computer can't cope! Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 5, 2003 Report Share Posted September 5, 2003 Scottish BBC TV are producing a 'piece' about the same time as the 40th annivsersary of PC's death. They are keen to contact any riders that were there on the night at Edinburgh he crashed. The programme goes out on BBC 1 Scotland on September 19th. at 6.30pm The programme is available to all through Sky television. (Thanks to Jim for the info) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Does anyone know where you can buy the Peter Craven book, apart from online at Amazon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Direct from Tempus or any book shop would be able to order it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 They had one copy in Waterstone's, so we managed to buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrizHeathen Posted December 30, 2003 Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 I really enjoyed this book, it gave me an insight into one of the sports great riders, someone who i was too young to see ride. Interesting to read about the beach (sand) races and cycle speedway connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted December 31, 2003 Report Share Posted December 31, 2003 Sports Pages in London (Charing Cross Road) has a wide range of Speedway books. I think I counted 11 titles (including the Craven book and some by a member of this forum - you know who who are Norbold ) when I was in there last week. Five years ago that would have seemed like an impossible aspiration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 (edited) Sports Pages in London (Charing Cross Road) has a wide range of Speedway books. I think I counted 11 titles (including the Craven book and some by a member of this forum - you know who you are Norbold ) when I was in there last week. Five years ago that would have seemed like an impossible aspiration Although I am normally such a modest chap, I think I should explain how Tempus first got interested in publishing speedway books and hence the phenomenal rise in speedway literature over the last two or three years. I have had a number of books on local history published. In 2000 I wrote one for Tempus, who are a well-known local history publisher. I took my manuscript to their office in Stroud. While I was there I noticed that they had published a number of sports books, mainly football (of course) but also a few cricket and rugby league books. I asked how sports fitted in to their local history publishing and their sports editor, James Howarth, told me it had started off as a bit of a sideline as they saw the history of small football clubs, e.g. Scunthorpe, Rochdale and the like, as a part of the social history of a town, but the sports section had expanded and they were now publishing sports books as sports books in their own right. I asked him if they had ever thought of publishing a book about speedway and James said they hadn't because they didn't think it would sell. We discussed the possibility a bit further. I told him I thought there was a big enough following in areas like East Anglia where there were still four tracks operating to make it viable. He said he didn't think they would be able to publish a book on the history of one track but thought that maybe a regional book might just break even, though he doubted it. He asked me if I knew anyone who could write a book on speedway in East Anglia. So I coughed and looked suitably modest and he gave me a contract, much against his better judgement. They printed 1200 copies and it sold out in less than a month. James told me it was their fastest selling sports title and outsold their football and cricket books. After that he couldn't get enough of speedway books. He signed me up again to do my London book (which, you may remember, reached number three in the Sunday Times national sports book charts) and asked me if I knew anyone else who could write speedway books about different regions. I suggested Ian Moultray and Jim Henry for Scotland and Robert Bamford for the Thames Valley area. And that folks is how it all started. Edited January 1, 2004 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 Although I am normally such a modest chap Don't be modest mate, you've done speedway proud. If I'd had just one book published I'd be a very happy man indeed. Well done, & all the best for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrizHeathen Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 Only slightly off topic, I recently came across what must be a very rare action photo of Malcolm Craven. Taken at the Sydney Sports Ground it appears in the recently released "A History of Australian Speedway" written by Sydney scribe Jim Shepherd. The book also carries a photo of Peter with the heading "England's Peter Craven was an idol at Rowley park" (Adelaide), and went on to describe how Craven enjoyed a fierce rivalry with Australia's Jack Young during the 1959/60 season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIWIPIRATE Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 Ordered the book for myself for Xmas, and KPjr may read it when she's a little older. Excellent read, and a sorely missed exponent of track craft. My only criticsm would be that the proof reading isn't all it could be... The book seems to affirm that PC did start with a 20yd handicap on that fateful night... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 The book seems to affirm that PC did start with a 20yd handicap on that fateful night... I was there and can recall this vividly - it was the saddest night I ever experienced at a speedway track. Peter started each of his first three races from a 20-yard handicap, and was due to do so in his last race. However, everyone in the stadium, it seemed, wanted to see local hero George Hunter in a straight head-to-head with Peter. It was an inter-league challenge match, and there was nothing at stake other than individual pride. It was therefore agreed that Peter would start from scratch, alongside George. The rest, sadly, is history... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 Well, with all due respect to what others are telling you, my recollection is that this race went off scratch. It's over 40 years ago, though, so I'd be pleased to have this confirmed by someone else who was there - Merlin? As to whether George would still have been in the lead after three laps, I think you would have to have seen him at his peak around Meadowbank to know the answer to that one. On his day, in the mood, and given the right track conditions, George could have beaten anyone there. One thing's for sure - George was seldom out-gated! I also remember just how fantastic Peter had looked that night. You often hear the word "breathtaking" used in relation to a rider's performance. Well, Peter WAS breathtaking! He was tiny (5'2" as I remember) and smaller riders always look faster, don't they? Peter, however, was so far over on the bends that he appeared to be looking UNDER his handlebars! This was the one and only time I ever saw him, and looking back I realise just how privileged I was (along with some 8000 others who were there.) By the way, I was also at Belle Vue a couple of weeks later for the Provincial League Riders Championship, where George Hunter was one of the favourites to win. He didn't, thanks to bike problems, but I can't begin to imagine what his emotional state was so soon after Peter's death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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