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The Downhill Racers
The ski world - glory seekers, bums, and bunnies - the hangers-on and the has-beens - the rich patrons and the fading patronesses who move with the snow, trying to make it any way they can.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published January 4, 1962
About the author
Oakley Hall
35 books105 followersOakley Hall also wrote under the nom de plume of O.M. Hall and Jason Manor.
Oakley Maxwell Hall was an American novelist. He was born in San Diego, California, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and served in the Marines during World War II. Some of his mysteries were published under the pen names "O.M. Hall" and "Jason Manor." Hall received his Master of Fine Arts in English from the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa.
Oakley Maxwell Hall was an American novelist. He was born in San Diego, California, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and served in the Marines during World War II. Some of his mysteries were published under the pen names "O.M. Hall" and "Jason Manor." Hall received his Master of Fine Arts in English from the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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February 14, 2018This is not the review I intended to write.
Let me say right off that the late Oakley Hall could write and that three of his novels are favorites of mine. All three are sprawling epics set in the American West in which he writes about some enduring legendary characters.
However, he adopted an interesting approach in all three books. He changed all the names – even though they are easily recognizable as actual historical characters.
For example, Warlock (published in 1958) is a re-telling of the Wyatt Earp-Doc Holliday legend, but the protagonists are renamed Clay Blaisedell and Tom Morgan. And the town of Warlock stands in for Tombstone.
It is also his best known work, receiving far more reviews and ratings here on Goodreads than his other novels because the New York Review of Books rescued it from the dust heap of forgotten novels and thereby introduced it to a new generation of readers, just as it did with John Williams and his two novels: Stoner and Butcher’s Crossing.
The two other Hall Westerns have experienced no resurrection, which is clearly indicated by the low number of ratings and reviews on GR’s. The Bad Lands (1979) is obviously the story of Theodore Roosevelt’s experience as a rancher in the Dakota Bad Lands. But here he is called Andrew Livingston.
Finally, there is Apaches (1986) which combines the story of Billy the Kid, who is renamed Johnny Angell, with that of Cochise and Geronimo, who become the composite character Caballito. Instead of the Lincoln County War there is the Madison County War.
Why did Hall change the names? Why didn’t he simply write novels based on the actual lives of his subjects?
He changed the names because it allowed him to shape and mold the characters and the plot in ways that he would not have been able to if he had stuck with their actual names. When novelists base their story on real characters there are always going to be readers who will say that didn’t happen or that couldn’t have happened or that saloon didn’t exist on that corner in Tombstone, for example. But these things could have occurred in the experiences of Clay Blaisedell and Tom Morgan and that saloon could be on that corner in Warlock and nobody could object.
Why am I spending so much time on these three books when I am supposed to be reviewing another book? For one thing it is because I have read each of them twice, but never wrote a review of either. But it is also because I don’t want to review the book that I am supposed to review and this is a way of putting that off.
As much as I like Hall’s Western novels, I just don’t have much regard for the other two novels of his that I have read.
One is Love & War in California which was also published in 2006, just two years before his death. I don’t remember much about it except it was about love -- and war -- and it was set in California. I gave it a 3 rating which is what I give books that I read years ago and that I have trouble remembering.
The other is the book I’m supposed to be reviewing: The Downhill Racers. This is a book that I purchased at a library book sale a looooong time ago. I didn’t buy it because I had any interest in skiing and, in fact, I have never skied – or had any desire to ski. Where I grew up it would have had to be cross country skiing because the only elevations we had were ditch levees and railroad embankments. And cross country skiing wasn’t much of an option since we never received much snow. And, anyway, it looked too much like work.
The simple truth is I bought the book because it was written by Oakley Hall.
Since it is the year of the Winter Olympics, I thought this would be the ideal time to read a book about skiers. Maybe not. I am half-way through it and I. just. can’t. finish. it. There’s a lot of technical information about slaloms, giant slaloms, and downhill racing, but I’m just not interested in knowing that much about the sport -- or the story’s characters. Both bore me.
I can only conclude that I enjoy watching downhill racing much more than I like reading about it. Since it has received only one rating and no reviews on Goodreads I’m fairly certain that The Downhill Racers will never be re-published by NYRB.
Deep-Sixed.
Let me say right off that the late Oakley Hall could write and that three of his novels are favorites of mine. All three are sprawling epics set in the American West in which he writes about some enduring legendary characters.
However, he adopted an interesting approach in all three books. He changed all the names – even though they are easily recognizable as actual historical characters.
For example, Warlock (published in 1958) is a re-telling of the Wyatt Earp-Doc Holliday legend, but the protagonists are renamed Clay Blaisedell and Tom Morgan. And the town of Warlock stands in for Tombstone.
It is also his best known work, receiving far more reviews and ratings here on Goodreads than his other novels because the New York Review of Books rescued it from the dust heap of forgotten novels and thereby introduced it to a new generation of readers, just as it did with John Williams and his two novels: Stoner and Butcher’s Crossing.
The two other Hall Westerns have experienced no resurrection, which is clearly indicated by the low number of ratings and reviews on GR’s. The Bad Lands (1979) is obviously the story of Theodore Roosevelt’s experience as a rancher in the Dakota Bad Lands. But here he is called Andrew Livingston.
Finally, there is Apaches (1986) which combines the story of Billy the Kid, who is renamed Johnny Angell, with that of Cochise and Geronimo, who become the composite character Caballito. Instead of the Lincoln County War there is the Madison County War.
Why did Hall change the names? Why didn’t he simply write novels based on the actual lives of his subjects?
He changed the names because it allowed him to shape and mold the characters and the plot in ways that he would not have been able to if he had stuck with their actual names. When novelists base their story on real characters there are always going to be readers who will say that didn’t happen or that couldn’t have happened or that saloon didn’t exist on that corner in Tombstone, for example. But these things could have occurred in the experiences of Clay Blaisedell and Tom Morgan and that saloon could be on that corner in Warlock and nobody could object.
Why am I spending so much time on these three books when I am supposed to be reviewing another book? For one thing it is because I have read each of them twice, but never wrote a review of either. But it is also because I don’t want to review the book that I am supposed to review and this is a way of putting that off.
As much as I like Hall’s Western novels, I just don’t have much regard for the other two novels of his that I have read.
One is Love & War in California which was also published in 2006, just two years before his death. I don’t remember much about it except it was about love -- and war -- and it was set in California. I gave it a 3 rating which is what I give books that I read years ago and that I have trouble remembering.
The other is the book I’m supposed to be reviewing: The Downhill Racers. This is a book that I purchased at a library book sale a looooong time ago. I didn’t buy it because I had any interest in skiing and, in fact, I have never skied – or had any desire to ski. Where I grew up it would have had to be cross country skiing because the only elevations we had were ditch levees and railroad embankments. And cross country skiing wasn’t much of an option since we never received much snow. And, anyway, it looked too much like work.
The simple truth is I bought the book because it was written by Oakley Hall.
Since it is the year of the Winter Olympics, I thought this would be the ideal time to read a book about skiers. Maybe not. I am half-way through it and I. just. can’t. finish. it. There’s a lot of technical information about slaloms, giant slaloms, and downhill racing, but I’m just not interested in knowing that much about the sport -- or the story’s characters. Both bore me.
I can only conclude that I enjoy watching downhill racing much more than I like reading about it. Since it has received only one rating and no reviews on Goodreads I’m fairly certain that The Downhill Racers will never be re-published by NYRB.
Deep-Sixed.
January 27, 2025
If there was more justice in this world, Oakley Hall would be a household name. The Downhill Racers is the second book of his I’ve read, after the exceptional Warlock. This ought to be a staple of American literature; instead, I could only get hold of a copy through inter-library loan.
From the opening pages, I knew I was onto something good. Hall lets you know right away that you’re going to have to do a little bit of work as a reader, but it’s never hard work, as Hall encourages you to read in a way that enhances engagement and never feels like drudgery. The Downhill Racers is a novel about love and friendship, family and individualism, community and competition—and how they interact.
The book centers on a group of four ski racers over a period of about a year, focusing on their triumphs, disappointments, and relationships, as well as their interactions with a colorful cast of secondary characters from the world of ski racing. Hall is adept at showing more than he tells; all the subtleties and details combine perfectly to give the reader a sense of the characters’ feelings and concerns, without ever being heavy-handed. The atmosphere is vivid, with interesting geographic detail and good verisimilitude. As you might expect, this isn’t a plot-driven novel, but the narrative takes some unexpected turns. I wasn’t thrilled with the ending, but I didn’t hate it, either. On the whole, The Downhill Racers is enjoyable, thought-provoking, and insightful. Get yourself a copy of this, even if you have to scour used book stores or fill out a form at the library.
From the opening pages, I knew I was onto something good. Hall lets you know right away that you’re going to have to do a little bit of work as a reader, but it’s never hard work, as Hall encourages you to read in a way that enhances engagement and never feels like drudgery. The Downhill Racers is a novel about love and friendship, family and individualism, community and competition—and how they interact.
The book centers on a group of four ski racers over a period of about a year, focusing on their triumphs, disappointments, and relationships, as well as their interactions with a colorful cast of secondary characters from the world of ski racing. Hall is adept at showing more than he tells; all the subtleties and details combine perfectly to give the reader a sense of the characters’ feelings and concerns, without ever being heavy-handed. The atmosphere is vivid, with interesting geographic detail and good verisimilitude. As you might expect, this isn’t a plot-driven novel, but the narrative takes some unexpected turns. I wasn’t thrilled with the ending, but I didn’t hate it, either. On the whole, The Downhill Racers is enjoyable, thought-provoking, and insightful. Get yourself a copy of this, even if you have to scour used book stores or fill out a form at the library.
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February 12, 2025. . .
June 7, 2023
Good and easy read. This book kept me very engaged. The characters were written very well. The writing is very good. The ending could have been better. But as usual the characters that Hall creates always have to confront their own value systems and either change or become more so.
June 9, 2019
I didn't actually read the book. The book is out of print and used copies from 1965 start at $45 a piece on Amazon. I actually found the 1969 movie adaptation on PlutoTV. It stars Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, and Dabney Coleman, and it's a real gem. Redford is fantastic as the arrogant and reckless Olympic downhill skier, David Chappellete. Hackman does not disappoint as his ski team coach. I would have liked to read the book but the movie will suffice. I really enjoyed it.
The movie has an 84% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4/4 review from Roger Ebert in 1969. His review is a great read. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/do...
The movie has an 84% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4/4 review from Roger Ebert in 1969. His review is a great read. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/do...
January 1, 2022
Gives you an inside look at alpine ski racing in the fifties-early sixties . This may share the same title at the movie Downhill Racer with Robert Redford, the book and the movie only have ski racing in common. The book is focused on the journey of amateur ski competitors trying to make on the National scene traveling on their own, race to race trying break through. I liked the book, but I’m biased, a skier at heart. My copy was used, a 1988 reprint from Scribner’s , the original was published in 1963.
April 19, 2022
As a skier I found this an interesting time capsule of an era that won't be repeated. Furthermore, there are not many ski books and the sport is one that seems to have reached its peak pop culture appeal long ago.
The book itself was bizarre and a bit disappointing. No characters or relationships pulled me in. I finished the last page thinking, "so what was that all about?"
The book itself was bizarre and a bit disappointing. No characters or relationships pulled me in. I finished the last page thinking, "so what was that all about?"
July 28, 2020
A not so interesting book about the American ski team training for the Olympics.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews