Stirling Moss: The Definitive Biography: 1925-55: Vol 1

A biography worthy of Britain's greatest racing driver.

Stirling Moss is one of the greatest sportsman of all time. He was successful in all forms of motor sport but most particularly in Grand Prix racing. The 'Beckham of his era', Moss not only dominated the back pages of the newspapers but regularly made the front pages with his glamorous, jet-setting lifestyle in the '50s. He raced hard; he played hard. He was the James Bond of motorsport.

Here, at last, is a serious biography worthy of the great man, a sporting icon who was a hero to many a schoolboy. One such was author, Philip Porter. Debunking myths, correcting many mistakes and adding much new information, including previously unrecorded races, this is probably the most deeply researched motoring biography ever written.

Porter is the author of around 30 books, including several on motor racing and four written with Moss, but this is the book he always wanted to write. Two years' research has gone into this first volume of two, that digs far deeper than any book previously published. Indeed, it is the most in-depth book ever published on a racing driver, and probably any motoring personality and very possibly any sportsman or woman who has lived.

This book is spiced with humour, tragedy and period flavour with liberal doses of quotes from Moss himself and his contemporaries, many of whom Porter has interviewed over the years.

The story is an extraordinary one. Starting out as a youth with precocious ability, young Stirling quickly caught the eye when racing the little 500cc racing cars invented just after the war. He soon ventured abroad where they laughed at his little racing car – until he beat them. He became the British Champion at 21 when most drivers were in their 30s, 40s or even 50s. He patriotically insisted on driving British cars and the gallant crusader took on, often matched and sometimes beat the foreign cars with their more powerful engines. Admirable patriotism nearly ruined his promising career until he was forced to compromise such principles and quickly revived his career and showed he could beat the very best at the highest levels. In the final year covered by Vol 1, he won his first Grand Prix and such sports car classics as the Tourist Trophy, the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia, all amazing achievements but that in the Mille Miglia has gone down as one of the greatest feats in all sport.

Here, in fascinating, authoritative detail is the ultimate work on arguably the greatest all-round driver the world has yet known, a book worthy of a great man.

• Covering period from birth up to end of 1955
• Concludes with the glory of his first Grand Prix win
• Includes his extraordinary victory in the Mille Miglia in the
• Mercedes-Benz 300SLR
• Features many quotes from Moss and his contemporaries
• More than just motor racing, this amazing book paints a vivid picture, which includes the tragedies, the characters, the period scene and the crumpet!
• Written by one of the world's leading motoring authors

Philip Porter has written about 18 motoring books, twice winning the Montagu Trophy for best motoring book of the year. A lifelong motor racing enthusiast, that enthusiasm was largely fired by one Stirling Moss. Like so many young boys in the fifties, he was Philip's absolute hero. As a consequence, Philip began successfully competing in motor sport while still at school. He began acquiring classic sports cars long before it became a boom and owns 9600 HP, the oldest E-type in existence. This led to some motoring journalism amongst his busy business career. He later satisfied his competitive spirit with flying hot air balloons and airships, winning the silver medal at the 1991 European Airship Championships. In 1992 he became the first person ever to fly an airship in Africa. He is Chairman of the Sherlock Holmes Society and an active member of the Jerome K. Jerome Society. In 1997 he and his wife Julie founded the International Jaguar XK Club and in 2004 they started the Jaguar E-type Club. Philip edits both monthly magazines and Sir Stirling is Patron of the XK Club. Philip and Julie live in a Tudor farmhouse in Worcestershire and have their offices in an adjoining thatched barn.