THE RACERS

The young readers’ adaptation of the adult title Faster (2020) by Bascomb, who is known for his award-winning The Nazi Hunters (2013).

The author begins this version with an account of Nazis in occupied Paris stealing files from the library of the Automobile Club de France, which organized the French Grand Prix, and then devotes leisurely chapters to the biographies of the principal characters: René Dreyfus, a renowned French auto racer; Rudi Caracciola, a German racing champion; and Lucy O’Reilly Schell, a wealthy American rally-car racer. Grand Prix auto racing was in its dangerous infancy; as speeds increased, sometimes averaging more than 120 mph, deaths became common. Caracciola fought his way back to competition after shattering his leg, eventually becoming the main driver for Mercedes (who fired Dreyfus when they learned he was Jewish) and for Hitler’s state-sponsored Silver Arrow cars. Schell decided to finance her own racing team and hired Dreyfus to drive the new Delahaye. Conflicting ideologies finally reached a climax in the 1938 Grand Prix at Pau, where Dreyfus won in an upset. Well-researched, meticulously documented, and enhanced by photographs and maps of race courses, the book unfortunately stalls at the start with overly detailed accounts of single races and an overall lack of pace.

Teens, particularly those fascinated by auto racing, should stick with the original adult edition.