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Michael Cannell
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The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit Paperback – December 4, 2012

by Michael Cannell (Author)
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In The Limit, Michael Cannell tells the enthralling story of Phil Hill-a lowly California mechanic who would become the first American-born driver to win the Grand Prix-and, on the fiftieth anniversary of his triumph, brings to life a vanished world of glamour, valor, and daring.

With the pacing and vivid description of a novel, The Limit charts the journey that brought Hill from dusty California lots racing midget cars into the ranks of a singular breed of men, competing with daredevils for glory on Grand Prix tracks across Europe. Facing death at every turn, these men rounded circuits at well over 150 mph in an era before seat belts or roll bars-an era when drivers were "crushed, burned, and beheaded with unnerving regularity."

From the stink of grease-smothered pits to the long anxious nights in lonely European hotels, from the tense camaraderie of teammates to the trembling suspense of photo finishes, The Limit captures the 1961 season that would mark the high point of Hill's career. It brings readers up close to the remarkable men who surrounded Hill on the circuit-men like Hill's teammate and rival, the soigné and cool-headed German count Wolfgang Von Trips (nicknamed "Count Von Crash"), and Enzo Ferrari, the reclusive and monomaniacal padrone of the Ferrari racing empire.

Race by race, The Limit carries readers to its riveting and startling climax-the final contest that would decide it all, one of the deadliest in Grand Prix history.
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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    December 4, 2012
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.85 x 8.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    9780446554732
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0446554732
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Enthralling history of road-racing's golden era... It is clear from Mr. Cannell's well-researched chronicle that men like Hill and von Trips, however different their styles, wouldn't have raced without the specter of death tugging at their shoulder."―The Wall Street Journal

"Michael Cannell's narrative rides in the shadows of Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken in the way it introduces a fascinating cast while reviving a time and place in which death danced with glory... In often jaw-dropping detail, Cannell explores both Hill's triumph (he remains the only Yank to win Formula One's coveted crown) as well as the grizzly world that was auto racing in an age before safety concerns."―USA Today

"With THE LIMIT, Michael Cannell has given us a sports epic for the ages, as well as a memory of one the great eras of the American century. It ranks with John Milius's script for Big Wednesday and James Salter's Downhill Racer. As my father would say, it's not about a race. It's about life."―Rich Cohen, author of Sweet and Low

"Before I wanted to become a writer I longed to become a Ferrari race car driver. THE LIMIT dropped me into the driver's seats of the fastest cars in the world during the Grand Prix explosion of the 50's and 60's. The story here is compelling and fast...the characters are massive men breathing speed and chewing adrenalin. This is a V12 blast of a book."―Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead

"Vivid biography of a fast-and-furious competitor on the Grand Prix racing circuit . . . a passionate, ambitious work . . . Cannell doesn't lean on the crutch of exposition to convey Hill's intrepid, sporty story, demonstrating great talent as a biographer. A crisply written, effectively compelling chronicle."―Kirkus Reviews

"Cannell's full-throttle epic leaves you breathless."―Publishers Weekly

A roaring zip about an American who took on the 1961 Grand Prix... as Cannell recounts in this winning book, Hill would prove to be a groundbreaking figure in the history of international racing-even as his accomplishments were met with a collective shrug of the shoulders in his native country.... Racing diehards, of course, will know the outcome. But the rest of us will come to this story blissfully unfamiliar with the thrills and sorrow contained in the book's last 70 pages.―The Daily Beast

Exhilarating... Its pages are filled with tales of nationalistic ardor, devil-may-care bravura, and gallows humor. And there are wrecks. Grisly, spectacular, pyrotechnic wrecks.... The Limit reads like a thriller. And his breathless depictions of disaster will have you white-knuckling your armchair.―The Boston Globe

A testosterone-fueled nonfiction book about auto racing in its bloody golden age, The Limit provides the drama and nostalgia of Seabiscuit and the body count of Gladiator. Its riveting, guy-centric story places readers behind the wheel as two vastly different drivers compete for Formula 1 glory.... In prose as fast and unadorned as an early Ferrari, Cannell rolls out an entertaining and exciting story on the way to the finish line.―Associated Press

About the Author

Michael Cannell has written about sports for the New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and Outside, and was editor of the New York Times House & Home section for seven years. His previous book, the critically acclaimed I.M. Pei: Mandarin of Modernism, was published in 1995 by Crown.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0446554731
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Twelve (December 4, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780446554732
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446554732
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.85 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Michael Cannell

Michael Cannell

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Michael Cannell is the author of four non-fiction books, most recently A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc. Michael was a New York Times editor for seven years. He has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated and many other publications. He lives in New York City.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
475 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

DER
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
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Used book was in excellent shape. The book itself is an amazing story that is well written and reveals the grit and character of the mid century formula drivers.
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Mark G. Dill
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, Dramatic Auto Racing History
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2013
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This is accurate, entertaining history. This is the way histories should be told because they draw the reader in instead of counting on his or her sense of "duty" to plow through the information. Engaging, colorful, insightful I especially enjoyed the narrative because it recounts the "under-told" careers of two men who because of circumstance as much or more than because of their skills briefly sat atop the pinnacle of international motorsport. I am an aficionado of the sport and while I knew the headlines I was unaware of the details and the nuance.The other looming personality was Enzo Ferrari who is masterfully returned to living flesh. The ever-morphing F1 and sports car racing community is captured as well - complete with death's revolving door. If you enjoy auto racing or even if you just treasure a compelling, even-handed read of exceptional personalities who strive to achieve this one will not disappoint.
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John Joss
4.0 out of 5 stars Almost as good as it gets
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2011
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Cannell captures the '50s/'60s era, its drivers, the cars and the ethos compellingly, creating a story that contrasts starkly with today's Formula 1 scene. This was a time when track and race-car safety provisions were negligible and risks astronomical. Drivers died often, in all kinds of events from F1 to sports-car endurances races such as the Le Mans 24-hour.

The author studies in detail Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips, featured in the dramatic conclusion, the 1961 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Enzo Ferrari is prominent, and comes across as barely likeable. Rarely have the emotional and psychological aspects of F1 drivers (and, implicitly, their MotoGP peers) been revealed so candidly. The book is well written, albeit somewhat overcooked in parts, especially when discussing the drivers' libidinous behavior. Technical aspects are addressed more in layman's terms than in language familiar to enthusiasts, perhaps to broaden the book's appeal. Example: brake fade is a term most of us know, yet he `explains' it.

Factual errors diminish the book, surprising from a contributor to The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Sports Illustrated and Outside, where fact-checking counted. Formula 1 cars using pre-WWII rules (1.5 liters/supercharged, 4.5 liters/unsupercharged), competed for championships before the FIA formally adopted F1 in 1950, with Ferraris, Maseratis, Alfa Romeos and Talbot-Lagos driven by the same F1 drivers--Ascari, Farina, Villoresi and Fangio. Jaguar's XK120 set world production-car speed records on Belgium's Jabbeke Highway (unnamed in the book) in May 1949, not 1950, at 132.6 mph, not 136. Grace Kelly drove a Mercedes 190SL in High Society, not a 300SL Gullwing (entry/exit are gymnastic, unfilmable with dignity for a woman, especially if wearing a skirt). The Carrera Panamericana traversed Mexico's Sierra Madre, not the Sierra Nevada, which is in California. These and other mistakes could so easily have been fact-checked, but weren't.

This book should interest readers who would like to gain insights into the era when F1 cars could be, and were, raced on normal roads and were not slot cars festooned with advertising and aerodynamic aids, able to run only on billiard-table-smooth tracks, as they are today. The drivers were original, brave and full of careless joy and indelible character, then. They lived and were prepared to die for racing. Cannell gets it.
2 people found this helpful
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Gaurav
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for any Formula 1, Ferrari, Golden Era Racing fans.
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book was a total revelation. i never gave much thought to Phil Hill as a world champion but i guess it was due to the absolute low profile of the man. what a terrific, heart breaking story this book covers. Its great that the author is not a passionate follower of the sport because it allows him to detach himself and tell the story in a rather more objective manner.

Some great characters fill the pages of these books with great stories. A must read for any follower of the sport, its a sad tale though, full of loss, great talents snuffed out but that's what made those men great, driving little torpedoes with no regards to safety at 190 mph not knowing if they will make it through the bend.

It has a lot of detailed story telling, fills in the gaps with life between races, beyond the track, although i think it ends a little abruptly and all too quickly.

You couldn't dream up a world this interesting.
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Paul Helphnstine
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Value
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2023
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Thanks for the fast delivery and good packaging. This book arrived in as-new condition. Satisfied buyer!
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Ed Justice Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2012
Verified Purchase
Bottom line, a great book about a time that was truly unique in racing history. I have to disclose that Phil Hill was a friend and also one of my hero's. This is a great look at Phil and his teammate Wolfgang von Trips. Phil's life is a testimate to "following your dream". If you're a racing fan in today's world and know very little or nothing about the past, this book will be an eye opener to a different world. In the past 50 years of racing, the sport has changed dramatically and I guess you could say, not all of it has been good. But on the other hand, much of it has grown the sport we love to the level we now enjoy.

THE LIMIT is a well written peak into a time when it was not uncommon to have 10 of the big name drivers killed in a year. Think about that. We stand on the shoulders of the drivers, crew chiefs, crews and car owners that came before us. Read this book and give thanks for their dedication to the sport.
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Canadian Car Guy
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book about post-war racing
Reviewed in Canada on November 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book. I'm already a big Formula One fan, so the names, dates, and places are all familiar to me, but getting an inside look at the different way a motorsports career happened after WWII, and the politics of racing at the time is incredibly interesting to me. It's kind of a misnomer to call it a biography of Phil Hill though, because a large portion of the book is also devoted to Count Wolfgang Von Trips, Hill's partner at the Ferrari Formula One team. Definitely gives insight into the ridiculously dangerous life of a racing driver during this era. Well written, but in a dry, informative manner which may turn some folks off, but it didn't bother me in the slightest.
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Antony George
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in India on June 7, 2017
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good book, good condition
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JürgenG.
5.0 out of 5 stars Die tragische Geschichte um den WM-Titel 1961
Reviewed in Germany on May 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
Viel habe ich gelesen über Graf Berghe von Trips, der sich 1961 aufmachte, als erster deutscher Rennfahrer die Fahrer-WM-Krone zu gewinnen und der auf dem besten Weg war, dies zu erreichen. Dann kam der 10. September 1961 und sein Rennfahrertod in Monza, der Tag, an dem insgesamt 15 motorsportbegeisterte Menschen ihr Leben lassen mussten.

Michael Cannell erzählt hier die Geschichte der beiden Kontrahenten, hier der schnelle Graf aus Deutschland, auf der anderen Seite sein Gegenspieler, der Amerikaner Phil Hill. Zwei Männer, die Rennen für Rennen mit gleichen Waffen um den Sieg kämpften, sich nahe kamen, aber nie zu echten Freunden wurden, obwohl sie sich immer respektierten.

Warum ich dieses Buch so mag? Weil es Cannell gelingt, Motorsportgeschichte spannend wie ein Roman zu erzählen, dabei aber absolut am Geschehen bleibend, so wie es damals war. Der Leser bekommt einen guten Blick hinter die Kulissen des Ferrari-Teams, dessen Geschicke damals noch durch den Firmenpatriarchen Enzo Ferrari geführt wurde, der seinen Anteil daran hatte, die Wettbewerbssituation im eigenen Team zu verschärfen.

Englischer Text. Unbedingt empfehlenswert.
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David Nichols
4.0 out of 5 stars Highly readable retelling of familiar stories
Reviewed in Australia on March 31, 2016
Verified Purchase
A worthy tribute to some of our motor racing heroes which adds extra dimensions to some well known biographies. Recommended.
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peecosylady
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2012
Verified Purchase
This book was bought for me as a present and I had no preconceived ideas about it. Being of a certain age and able to remember the cars and names I was totally hooked from the first page. I have no idea how accurate all the details were but I do not care, I was whisked back to an era where the name Ferrari and drivers like Hill and von Tripps, Moss and Fangio were whispered with reverence. The book was well written and gave a sense of the inner workings of the Ferrari company. I would happily recommend this book to anyone and will read it myself over and over again. Many thanks to my wife for the terrific present.
3 people found this helpful
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