Fay Taylour, 'The World's Wonder Girl' is an intricately crafted, honest (sometimes brutally so), and fascinating memoir and biography of early motorsports icon Fay Taylour by Dr. Stephen M. Cullen. Released 13th Aug by Pen & Sword on their History imprint, it's 248 pages and available in hardcover and ebook.

The point with biography is that the book captures the essence of the subject. The author does an impressive job of context, the social realities of entrenched sexism of the time period, whilst at the same time rendering Ms. Taylour's accomplishments and her life accessible and understandable to modern readers.

The biography format is chronological, setting the subject's early life, growing up in Ireland, move to England, learning to ride a motorbike, and progression into motorsports. It's very often poignant and each successive victory on the part of Ms. Taylour comes *despite* every obstacle (and they were legion) thrown in her way. The author has a knack of remaining academically rigorous and factual, whilst conveying the pathos and frustration of her life. The author also doesn't shy away from the WW2 period and her association with Mosley's brown shirts and the British Union of Fascists, as well as her subsequent detention and incarceration.

Although it's very well annotated and rigorously supported throughout, the language is layman accessible and the whole is readable and easily understandable by non-academics. The links and resources are comprehensive and will provide many hours of further reading. The book includes a modest number of archival photographs from the Fay Taylour archives as well.

Five stars. I recommend it unreservedly to lovers of biography, motorsports history, nonfiction, etc.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Helen Frances "Fay" Taylour (5 April 1904–2 August 1983),aka Flying Fay, was an Irish motorcyclist and a champion speedway rider.She was born in Birr, County Offaly, to Helen (d. 1925) and Herbert Fetherstonhaugh Taylour (d. 1952),a former colonel in the British army.Her father was a district inspector in the Royal Irish Constabulary, and they lived at Oxmanton Hall.One of her maternal aunts,Hilda Webb,was an active suffragette,and Fay was taken to visit her when she was imprisoned in Holloway gaol.Her maternal uncle George Webb was a mathematician and fellow of Trinity College Dublin, married to paediatrician Dr Ella Webb, founder of the Children's Sunshine Home in Stillorgan,Dublin.Taylour was educated at Miss Fletcher's boarding school in Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, and in 1919 went to Alexandra College.She left school in 1922 and joined her family in Berkshire, where they had moved following the creation of the Irish Free State which had led to the end of her father's employment with the RIC.Her mother was terminally ill,and Taylour looked after her and the home.She had learned to drive a car at the age of 12 and learned how to ride a motorcycle in her new home.During the 1920s, she took up motorcycle trials and grasstrack racing and became a major attraction.Then she changed track, going for speedway racing, which was more spectacular and paid better. She travelled the world, becoming a familiar speedway competitor and a big attraction for the crowds everywhere she went.In the late 1930s, she became a follower of Oswald Mosley,and joined the British Union of Fascists.She was interned in Britain between 1 June 1940-5 October 1943.She was held without trial, first at Holloway gaol,just like her aunt,then in 1942 at the Port Erin internment camp on the Isle of Man.Taylour became the only leading woman driver from pre-war days to resume racing postwar,on international circuits.In 1949,she moved to the USA, where she sold British cars.She then discovered the popular sport of midget car racing on dirt tracks.In the late 1950s to her death, she struggled with her finances,health and relevance.She lived life on the fast lane.

Fay Taylour is someone who deserves far greater recognition in the world of Motorsport. From shaking the male-dominated world of Speedway in its formative years of the 1920's and 1930's and later enjoying considerable success in several branches of motorsport on 4 wheels. Never a token presence Ms Taylour consistently broke records and beat the leading male riders and drivers in their fields.

This excellent book by Dr Stephen M Cullen tells the full story of a fascinating woman, often in her own words from her diaries. A strong woman she held her ground,whether on the Motorsport track or under pressure from the authorities when her views got her into trouble during the Second World War,leading to her incarceration. Far from boring the part of the book detailing her political leanings is a fascinating insight into the quite surprising level of support for the Nazis in Britain during WW2,and even just afterwards. That support came at a cost for Ms Taylour and she was under surveillance by the security services until well into old age.

This is far more than a mere list of Fay Taylour's Motorsport achievements,impressive though they are, it's a well-written and quite riveting autobiography of a fascinating life.