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A Different Kind of Life
Frank Williams' team was on the verge of winning the Formula One World Championship for the third time when his life was turned upside down.
The racing car constructor was on his way to Nice Airport on a spring afternoon in 1986 when he lost control of his car, suffering horrific injuries in a crash that left him a quadriplegic. For his wife, Ginny, the accident meant taking on new and unwanted roles as head of the household and family decision-maker, while also struggling to overcome the anger and grief she felt after the accident.
In A Different Kind of Life , Ginny tells her story with honesty and humor, set against the glamorous backdrop of Formula One racing. She documents life before and after the devastating accident - from falling in love with Frank at first sight to learning how to cope with his needs after he became severely disabled but remained fiercely independent.
A testament to the power of compassion and perseverance, A Different Kind of Life is a moving and inspirational story.
The racing car constructor was on his way to Nice Airport on a spring afternoon in 1986 when he lost control of his car, suffering horrific injuries in a crash that left him a quadriplegic. For his wife, Ginny, the accident meant taking on new and unwanted roles as head of the household and family decision-maker, while also struggling to overcome the anger and grief she felt after the accident.
In A Different Kind of Life , Ginny tells her story with honesty and humor, set against the glamorous backdrop of Formula One racing. She documents life before and after the devastating accident - from falling in love with Frank at first sight to learning how to cope with his needs after he became severely disabled but remained fiercely independent.
A testament to the power of compassion and perseverance, A Different Kind of Life is a moving and inspirational story.
278 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 25, 2021
This must be one of the most brilliant books I have read.
Virginia Williams with the assistance of Pamela Cockerill, presents us with a masterpiece of three parts.
The first one centers around the start of Williams F1, the perilla and the joys, as well as all the hard work and dedication which goes into such a huge project as owning an F1 team. The other two parts revolve around Frank Williams' horrible crash which left him quadreplegic and how his and his family's lives changed following this
The story contains a great insight and biographical notes into how Williams F1 team came to be and developed, a lot of trivia on the who, how and when of the sport -after all it is a book which centers around Frank Williams, one of the most prominent and respected names of F1.
However, above this, her memoir is a perfect love letter from a wife to her husband, without any pompousness or pretense - raw, truthful, on occasions bitter, on occasions humorous, but always laced with the purest love I've ever read about - a love stronger and more real than any fairytale, than any fiction.
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Frank Williams is a man, whom I respected deeply before reading this book due to my appreciation for the sport and prior knowledge- reading "A different kind of life" has helped me understand that Williams is a product of devotion and raw feelings, that Williams is more than just an F1 team - it is pure love.
I would recommend this book even to people who have never heard of F1 - in my opinion this is much more than a biography.
Virginia Williams with the assistance of Pamela Cockerill, presents us with a masterpiece of three parts.
The first one centers around the start of Williams F1, the perilla and the joys, as well as all the hard work and dedication which goes into such a huge project as owning an F1 team. The other two parts revolve around Frank Williams' horrible crash which left him quadreplegic and how his and his family's lives changed following this
The story contains a great insight and biographical notes into how Williams F1 team came to be and developed, a lot of trivia on the who, how and when of the sport -after all it is a book which centers around Frank Williams, one of the most prominent and respected names of F1.
However, above this, her memoir is a perfect love letter from a wife to her husband, without any pompousness or pretense - raw, truthful, on occasions bitter, on occasions humorous, but always laced with the purest love I've ever read about - a love stronger and more real than any fairytale, than any fiction.
.
Frank Williams is a man, whom I respected deeply before reading this book due to my appreciation for the sport and prior knowledge- reading "A different kind of life" has helped me understand that Williams is a product of devotion and raw feelings, that Williams is more than just an F1 team - it is pure love.
I would recommend this book even to people who have never heard of F1 - in my opinion this is much more than a biography.
April 20, 2019
What an utterly amazing, heartfelt memoir. God save anyone from this life. Thank you Ginny for sharing it with us.
September 11, 2022
This is a very important book regardless of whether you are a F1 fan or not. Actually there is very little F1 racing in the book. This is a book about pivotal life changes. It describes the life Virginia Williams had with Frank before and after the accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
As such this book is about caregivers; the untrained, totally unprepared family members who are suddenly efforted to be a complete support infrastructure 24x7.
There are many books about disabled persons who overcame and thrived. There are none about caregivers and what it means to them.
I recognized every bit of hope, pain and frustration expressed in the book. Even to the point of (over)using painkillers as a crutch to make it though the day dealing with both the emotional and physical pain.
As such this book is about caregivers; the untrained, totally unprepared family members who are suddenly efforted to be a complete support infrastructure 24x7.
There are many books about disabled persons who overcame and thrived. There are none about caregivers and what it means to them.
I recognized every bit of hope, pain and frustration expressed in the book. Even to the point of (over)using painkillers as a crutch to make it though the day dealing with both the emotional and physical pain.
May 13, 2014
This is a true story which I thought was written with believable honesty. It helped me to understand quadriplegia. It also gave an insight into the people in the Motor Grand Prix World.
I enjoyed reading Virginia's account of how their lives were totally changed following Frank Williams' tragic accident that left him confined to a wheelchair. This is a book worth reading a second time.
I enjoyed reading Virginia's account of how their lives were totally changed following Frank Williams' tragic accident that left him confined to a wheelchair. This is a book worth reading a second time.
January 20, 2020
An amazing story...
I want so much to see Williams F1 team come back to the front.Claire Williams is working so hard to get back to the competitive position they used to be.I wish them all the best.
I want so much to see Williams F1 team come back to the front.Claire Williams is working so hard to get back to the competitive position they used to be.I wish them all the best.
January 8, 2023
I'm an F1 fan and was keen to read it having seen the 'Williams' documentary after the death of Sir Frank Williams where mention is made of this book. His wife, Ginny, wrote it a few years after Sir Frank became a quadriplegic after a motoring accident in 1986. She writes honestly about the effect of Frank's accident on her family and her in particular, and how life changed immeasurably for all of them. She is heart-searingly honest, to the point where sometimes I lost sympathy for her but this was short-lived and is testament to her honesty. In parts, the tears flowed for her plight. Here lies a lesson for us never to take our health for granted.
Virginia wrote this book without her husbands knowledge, he only learnt of it when it was released and he didn't approve. He was a strong-minded, no-nonsense, 'get on with it' sort of man who showed very little emotion and certainly no self-pity. I have nothing but admiration for this woman who stood by her husband and fought for his life when hope seemed lost and others had given up on him.
Virginia wrote this book without her husbands knowledge, he only learnt of it when it was released and he didn't approve. He was a strong-minded, no-nonsense, 'get on with it' sort of man who showed very little emotion and certainly no self-pity. I have nothing but admiration for this woman who stood by her husband and fought for his life when hope seemed lost and others had given up on him.
May 20, 2020
A fantastically candid, and engaging, account of the intertwined lives of Virginia (Ginny) & Frank Williams. The story is non-linear but appropriately so, with events brought together in a coherent manner that would not alienate anyone lacking interest in Formula 1, or sport in general.
Ultimately it's a story about two people and, as the title suggests, the different lives they lived together. Pamela Cockerill has such a deft touch that it's incredibly easy to imagine being in the room listening to the recorded conversations that the book is adapted.
A fabulous book about a fascinating woman.
Ultimately it's a story about two people and, as the title suggests, the different lives they lived together. Pamela Cockerill has such a deft touch that it's incredibly easy to imagine being in the room listening to the recorded conversations that the book is adapted.
A fabulous book about a fascinating woman.
May 10, 2021
I deeply respect Frank Williams and his team for all they achieved in Formula 1 and changed the sport for the better. In my mind, Frank was once a very energetic and sporty enthusiast, and then he wasn't anymore. The book is a highly intimate and detailed story about what I'm sure is the most challenging period in Franks and Ginny's life in that period most fans probably ignore - when this changed dramatically. Book helped me appreciate Frank, his family, and the team even more and think hard and long about what we, "normal" people, take for granted but can be cruelly taken away from us in a split second.
December 27, 2017
This is a book that I have wanted to read for a long time. Having read a lot about this book over the years I thought I knew what to expect; but I was blown away by how real, raw, and honest this book is. It’s apprarent that Virginia Williams hopelessly loved Frank, and that his car accident in 1986 that left him a quadriplegic changed their lives in ways that I would never be able to imagine.
January 29, 2023
An open and honest account of life with a husband who suffers an accident and is left paraplegic. It was written without her husbands knowledge and is a moving account of how shattering an event, and it's aftermath, are for a marriage and family.
April 3, 2021
My heart absolutely aches for Ginny Williams reading this - the anger, sadness and occasional bursts of joy that punctuate the story of how she and Frank lived before and after his life-changing car accident are torturously tragic. It flows well, keeps you reading, blends the personal drama with the F1 history just enough to keep racing fans interested, and serves as a touching memoir of living with disability that should be read by all.
October 22, 2016
A very powerful book by the wife of F1 team boss Frank Williams, documenting their life together before and after the car accident which left him quadriplegic. The practical and emotional difficulties are told from the late Ginny's perspective but this book has left me not just with admiration for her plight but also for Frank, who continues to run a successful racing team to this day.
April 28, 2019
A Great Read
What a great family. A heart breaking story showing that true love can be a stronger then any broken body
What a great family. A heart breaking story showing that true love can be a stronger then any broken body
April 29, 2019
Brutally honest book done with sincerity.
October 7, 2022
Amazing read from a wife's point of view so sad Ginny is no longer with us and Frank is still alive
March 2, 2022
Loved the story. Well written
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews