Author Review - Dick Francis

by Tristi Pinkston | More from this Blogger

29 Nov 2006 06:20 PM

Dick Francis is well known for his books, each of which feature horse racing in some way. Whether the main character is a jockey, a trainer, or the owner of a horse transport company, horses feature predominantly in these novels. The reason for this might not be as well known. Dick was a jockey himself for many years, winning over 350 races and was even the jockey to the Queen from 1953 to 1957.

Born Richard Stanley Francis in Lawrenny, South Wales, he was the son of a jockey, so we could say that he himself was a thoroughbred. At the age of fifteen, he dropped out of school to compete in a hunter show, which he won. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, leaving the RAF in 1946 to pursue his career in British National Hunt racing. He married Mary Margaret Brenchly in 1947, and she became one of his most ardent supporters as well as the love of his life. After spending four years racing under the Queen's colors, in 1957 Dick had a serious fall which ended his riding career.

His first book was an autobiography, "The Sport of Queens." He then became the racing correspondent for the London Sunday Express. His first thriller came along much later. Called "Dead Cert," it began his writing career which was marked by one book a year for the next 38 years, a magnificent accomplishment.

Some critics have stated that they feel Dick's books were ghostwritten by his wife Mary. While this is just a rumor, and one I feel is untrue, she was a great inspiration to him and assisted him with research and editing. After over fifty years of marriage, Mary passed away in 2000, and Dick didn't write for a time after that, obviously in grief. However, just this year he released "Under Orders," going to show that you can't keep a good man down for long.

Dick's career has been liberally sprinkled with honors and awards. In 1983, he was knighted with the Order of the British Empire. He has also received the British Crime Writers Association silver dagger, gold dagger, and Cartier diamond dagger. He is the only person to ever receive three Edgar Allen Poe Awards for Best Novel, and the Mystery Writers of America named him Grand Master for his life's work in 1996. Oh, and then there was the small matter of the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Tufts University in 1991. In all ways, a distinguished career.

Dick has two sons who assist him with his writing in different ways, and he makes his home in the Cayman Islands. A talented writer with a head for detail and research, I hope we see much more of Dick Francis in future.

Information for this article was gathered from Wikipedia.

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Learn more about Tristi Pinkston

I've been a blogger for Families.com since August of 2006.

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