The 1000 Mile Dream – Book Review

By Will Silk
James Fontana’s new book The 1000 Mile Dream is a fictional piece that parallels the actual running of a Mille Miglia event during those glorious days of the early 1950s.  While purists and historians will have to take a moment to perhaps adjust from time to time in reference to how close the author gets to the actual event, the story is nonetheless very entertaining and filled with action and drama.
The story centers on a young, up and coming, Italian race driver by the name of Sergio Delbello who comes from a more rural lifestyle in Italy’s agricultural community.  Delbello becomes involved with a viscontessa who promises the young driver that her love and wealth will be all his provided he does her the favor of killing her husband who also happens to be racing in the Mille Miglia that year. 
The story goes on to be filled with several sub-plots with an array of supporting characters, all of which Fontana does a good job of developing in a true international sense to lend more credibility to his fictional tale about Italy’s greatest race.  The story doesn’t simply end at the finish line in Brescia however, as Fontana includes a little tale at the end of the book that tells of Sergio showing up at his uncle’s tire shop on a Moto Guzzi and relaying some shocking news to his old employer.
Fontana’s wealth of knowledge on the true Mille Miglia is relayed by being able to connect the reader with the actual course through the cockpit of Sergio Delbello’s Lancia.  For fans of the Mille Miglia, this book certainly would be a must to add to their collection.
For more information, visit Borealis Press.
The 1000 Mile Dream – Information
Author: James Fontana
Publisher: Borealis Press
Format: Hardcover, 8.75” x 6”, 331 pages
ISBN: 978-0888874177
Price: $29.95