whowasthatberntpersson 108 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? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,109 Posted July 3, 2003 I believe it's due out in the middle of August...or thereabouts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian H 0 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,109 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian H 0 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian H 0 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whowasthatberntpersson 108 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,109 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,109 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) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peter 0 Posted December 29, 2003 Does anyone know where you can buy the Peter Craven book, apart from online at Amazon? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,109 Posted December 29, 2003 Direct from Tempus or any book shop would be able to order it for you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peter 0 Posted December 29, 2003 They had one copy in Waterstone's, so we managed to buy it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrizHeathen 37 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arnieg 3,643 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,109 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
