My speed king

by Tonia Bern-Campbell ISBN 7509 2931 6 Published by Sutton Publishing, £17.99

Donald Campbell’s private life could have fuelled the tabloids of today and completely overshadowed his record-breaking exploits. But he was famous when the public craved stories of achievement, not adultery, when the press enjoyed building a hero. When they eventually turned on him, it was for lack of results, not morals.

Tonia Campbell, his third wife, reveals the stress of living with a driven man. At first her frankness about their many affairs looks a little sensational, but gradually she makes it plain that this irascible, yet understanding man would never have fitted into an ordinary marriage. This is not Campbell’s biography, together; yet it shows why but the story of their life th his supporters became devoted to him and how she learned to handle a tough job.

Gordon Cruickshank