Full Throttle

The Life and Fast Times of NASCAR Legend Curtis Turner

By: Robert Edelstein

Narrated by: Rex Linn

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Curtis Turner, the most dynamic stock-car racer of all time, wrote the book on living fast and dying young. As the first NASCAR celebrity, his life embodied all that made NASCAR a hit spectator sport: the adrenaline rush of the races; the potential for danger at every turn; and the charismatic, outrageous personality of a winner. He created drama at the racetrack and in his personal life, living the American Dream several times over before he died a violent and mysterious death at the age of 46.

Edelstein's gripping biography thrillingly recreates the life of this American legend, from his days as a teenage moonshine runner in Virginia, through millions earned (and just as quickly spent) in fearless finance deals, to his incredible comeback after four years of being banned from the NASCAR circuit.

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©2005 Robert Edelstein (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"A well-researched, thoroughly enjoyable account of the life of this NASCAR pioneer and iconoclast." (Booklist)
"[The author] draws on concrete sourcing based on Turner's personal files to give the book depth and perspective." (Publishers Weekly)
"[Edelstein's] impeccable biography of Turner, Full Throttle, kicks up dirt on NASCAR's juiced-up early days." (New York Times)

Excellent story of a man before my time

I was 3 years old when Curtis Turner died and I only became a “motor head” in the last five years. I wish I would have been around in the early days of stock car racing. It sounds far more fascinating than what I no longer can watch in NASCAR. His story is absolutely exhilarating and he squeezed every ounce of life he could out of his 46 years. Definitely worth the read and the narrator is perfect!

Not a nascar fan…but this story!!!

Amazing Outstanding and Captivating…
Ya don’t know what ya don’t know and this book proves that. Gave it try and thank God I did!
Don’t hesitate to put an ear on this one…

great book!

Filled with amazing stories of his crazy life and a lot of history on how Nascar got started. Definitely worth a listen.

Great book, excellent narrator

I'm 35 and I followed NASCAR my whole life but I had no idea what all was going on behind the scenes in those days. It is so great to get the information together and hear all the stories of the old days. I loved it and I'm glad I now know who Curtis Turner was. It reminds me of stories my dad would tell about his youth.

Excellent book. Surprisingly good.

I don’t write reviews but this book really moved and captivated me.

It captured a long-gone era and of a man that might have been the best “Just go for it, no fear, enjoy life” person in NASCAR & American history.

It is read well, but I needed to get used to the narration because at first I thought it was too slow. But shortly after starting this book I truly enjoyed his accent, which added to the southern landscape this book is mostly set in.

Written in short, easy to listen to bursts of factual, researched, and entertaining material, bringing in all aspects of Curtis’ life.

Great Story & Great Narration

If you are a NASCAR fan or if you just like a great story than this is worth the download. Narration could not be any better for the tone of the book.

Great Story

Really enjoyed the book. Lot's of life lessons. Really interesting guy on how he approached life.

Great Story

Curtis Turner was outrageous! He lived his life to the fullest with no fear, and drove the way he lived. From the early days of running from the law, to the dirt tracks, to the super speedways, Curtis was the ultimate competitor. It is a must read for anyone with interest in the history of NASCAR, but would appeal to a much wider audience. The reader's voice is perfect for the book.

loved it!

this is a true must-read for any Motorsport enthusiast. Curtis Turner embodies what NASCAR was and is, and this book does a wonderful job of telling his story. I highly recommend this to anybody who has even the slightest interest in Motorsports

Excellent book!

Great book for learning more about the late Nascar legend, Curtis Turner and early Nascar history.