The Limit, Michael Cannell
The Limit, Michael Cannell
1 Rating(s)
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The Limit
Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit

Author: Michael Cannell

Narrator: Fred Stella

Unabridged: 8 hr 18 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/07/2011

Synopsis

Phil Hill, a lowly California mechanic who, defying all expectations, became the first American to win the Grand Prix championship. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and The Right Stuff, Cannell’s high-octane narrative evokes the lives of the daredevils who tempted fate each Sunday by driving well over 150 mph without benefit of seat belts or roll bars.
 
 Written with the pacing of a novel, The Limit pits Hill against his Ferrari teammate, German Count Wolfgang Von Trips, as they jockey for the top spot throughout the 1961 season, culminating in one of the deadliest races in Grand Prix history. The Limit captures a distinct moment when men the world over were driven to push the boundaries of the possible.

About Michael Cannell

MICHAEL CANNELL is the author of Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling; The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit; and I.M. Pei: Mandarin of Modernism. He was an editor at the New York Times for seven years and has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and many other publications. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jeff on December 24, 2011

While I'm not a huge sports fan, and have no real interest in motor sports at all, I can't deny that The Limit is a thrilling read, and a genuine page turner. Michael Cannell's retelling of events surrounding the 1961 European Grand Prix race circuit is developed as well as any novel, with richly de......more

Goodreads review by Patrick on December 11, 2013

If I were inclined to be snarky, it would be easy to pick holes. The reference to 180 degree first corner at Monaco, Gasometer (it's actually the last corner) or the comment about the Sharknose Ferrari with it's 450BHP V6 engine (I'm not sure exactly how much power it was putting out, but given that......more

Goodreads review by Matthew on November 27, 2011

I'm not a car racing guy but this is a really interesting story about how ridiculously dangerous formula one racing was in the 50s and 60s was for racers went 180 mph and didn't even wear seat belts and for spectators who were pretty routinely killed when cars and parts thereof would go hurtling off......more

Goodreads review by Joanie on June 04, 2014

As a new fan to F1, this wasn't as much as a book about the Phil Hill vs Wolfgang Von Trips for the 1961 championship as it was a primer on the era. I didn't know how any of the races would turn out or which drivers weren't going to make it, so this book was full of surprises. I recognized a few of......more

Goodreads review by Shaon on August 29, 2011

The story of Don Hill and his experience racing in Formula 1 cars before driver safety was an issue. No seat belts, no roll bars, and fire always a problem as many drivers were engulfed in flames after the gas tank exploded. Mr. Hill was one of the lucky few to live through his career. An engrossing......more

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