A Life's Calling
The Voice Behind the World's Greatest Horse Races
Paul Volponi author Lenny Shulman author Tom Durkin author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publishing:28th May '26
£22.99
This title is due to be published on 28th May, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
The compelling autobiography of retired American sportscaster Tom Durkin, known for his identifiable voice and storytelling style as he called Thoroughbred horse races to a national audience for decades.
The riveting autobiography of iconic American sportscaster Tom Durkin
Sports have become indelibly linked to the voices that describe the action, from Al Michaels at the Olympics to baseball’s Vin Scully and basketball’s Marv Albert. In horseracing, perhaps no single voice did as much to reshape, modernize, and improve the soundtrack of the sport as Tom Durkin.
In A Life’s Calling: The Voice Behind the World’s Greatest Horse Races, Tom Durkin, alongside longtime turf writers Paul Volponi and Lenny Shulman, shares his fascinating story. Readers will revel in his tales of life in the backwater stops of the Midwest learning horse racing among rickety grandstands and local hustlers, and of the day when he called the first Breeders’ Cup and ended up at an after-party surrounded by Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Cary Grant. Durkin also candidly recounts how the pressure to describe each race with flawless accuracy became too much, leading him to step away from the spotlight while still at his prime.
Durkin’s life is as colorful as his description of a come-from-behinder weaving his way through horses toward a photo finish. A Life’s Calling is a must-read for anyone wanting to learn more about the voice behind many of horse racing’s greatest calls.
Anyone familiar with Tom Durkin knows that his is a unique world packed with excitement, humor, and epic race calls. But I assure you, A Life's Calling will far surpass your expectations. Each page harbors rollicking adventures and revelations. This is storytelling at its very best. -- Steve Haskin, author and Hall of Fame turf writer
Tom Durkin delivers in this riveting ride through his life as one of America’s most iconic race callers. From the how-he-did-it prep work to people who influenced his calling style—everyone from Talking Heads’ David Byrne to composer Maurice Ravel—the magic of Durkin is all here, amped up Durkin-style in the memorable storytelling that defined his calls. A terrific read that embraces the moments in history that Durkin helped define. -- Kim Wickens, author of Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America’s Legendary Racehorse
Tom Durkin elevated the craft of racetrack announcing, and in A Life’s Calling, you’re brought behind the scenes and on every step of his life’s journey. As Durkin tells you about his favorite race calls, you can almost hear them echo off the pages while remembering where you were when you first heard them. -- Dave Grening, Daily Racing Form correspondent
Tom Durkin made every race interesting and many unforgettable. He was a master of the craft—a virtuoso of words, language, and drama. This book is as eclectic and entertaining and exciting as the races he called. He changed my life and reading this could change yours too. -- Travis Stone, Churchill Downs track announcer
‘Energy, energy, energy!’ is the mantra Tom Durkin lives by, and he brings just that to this delightful memoir. Learn the stories behind the unrivaled race calls and get to know the man behind the most iconic voice in horse racing. -- Maggie Wolfendale, racing commentator
ISBN: 9798881842598
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
216 pages