Faster

How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler's Best

By: Neal Bascomb

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

For fans of The Boys in the Boat and In the Garden of Beasts, a pulse-pounding tale of triumph over Hitler’s fearsome Silver Arrows during the golden age of auto racing.

They were the unlikeliest of heroes. René Dreyfus, a former top driver on the international race car circuit, had been banned from the best teams - and fastest cars - by the mid-1930s because of his Jewish heritage. Charles Weiffenbach, head of the down-on-its-luck automaker Delahaye, was desperately trying to save his company as the world teetered at the brink. And Lucy Schell, the adventurous daughter of an American multi-millionaire, yearned to reclaim the glory of her rally-driving days.

As Nazi Germany launched its campaign of racial terror and pushed the world toward war, these three misfits banded together to challenge Hitler’s dominance at the apex of motorsport: the Grand Prix. Their quest for redemption culminated in a remarkable race that is still talked about in racing circles to this day - but which, soon after it ended, Hitler attempted to completely erase from history. 

Bringing to life this glamorous era and the sport that defined it, Faster chronicles one of the most inspiring, death-defying upsets of all time: a symbolic blow against the Nazis during history’s darkest hour.

©2020 11th Street Productions, LLC (P)2020 Recorded Books

Almost perfect, but lousy sound cuts and splicing

Almost perfect on all counts (overall, performance, and story). The sound editor, however, destroyed some important passages with amateurish editing that interrupts the continuity of the narrative. The narrator should not have authorized such mangling of his otherwise excellent performance.

non-race fans won't like it

I loved this book, but I think if you bore of the back and forth in racing, or descriptions of the hairpins and chicanes, you won't like it. I found I cared about the people and lived the racing with them. Good writing and narration.

Great read!

Story was excellent and the narrator did a fantastic job with the car terms and locations!

A must read for any racing fan.

I finished this in less than a week. I made journeys extend to complete chapters. I cannot give this book enough praise. Thank you for an amazing journey through time. This would be a fantastic film.

Via La Delahaye!

A joy to hear

A wonderful journey through racing history beautifully written and lovingly narrated.My only regret is that I never dined at Le Chanticleer and met Rene Dreyfus,

What a great listen

Bascomb's vivid storytelling x Ballerini's masterful narration = most enjoyable listening experience all while learning something new.

Awesome read!!!

Amazing racing story with history. The history of this car and drivers with Indy 500 references

Wow, surprised I’ve never heard this story

More than just a book about racing, this story wonderfully describes the personalities, cars of the golden era of Grand Prix racing, all set against the backdrop of pre-WWII Europe

Amazing story!

interesting but overstated

Great narration but storyline is a bid disorganized and the hypothesis is unproven failing to show Great change in racing with 1 win in a season.

Enthralling Intersection in the History of Racing

Totally engrossing true story with remarkable details of pivotal figures and events in motor racing. Told with a breathless pace which conveys the excitement, suspense, and urgencies of racing and the storm clouds of war.

Probably good if you can get past the narrator

Probably an interesting story and one I'd like to learn - but from elsewhere. I could not get past the ridiculous accents/pronunciation used constantly throughout, More of an annoyance than anything else; could not complete the audiobook.