Peter Alliss’ Reflections On A Life Well Lived — Review
Peter Alliss’ Reflections On A Life Well Lived reads as if the reader is eavesdropping on a chat between two friends reminiscing, with one of them doing most of the talking. But then, this is almost exactly what it is.
Peter Alliss wanted his friend of 40 years standing Bill Elliott, he of this parish, involved in what he thought would be his last book. It was indeed to be his last, as Alliss died during the making of it, leaving Elliott and Alliss’ widow, Jackie, to complete the work in revamped form.
Peter Alliss had requested Bill Elliott’s voice in the book, so Bill often contributes introductions and closing words to the eleven chapters. He also provides a prologue, and Jackie Alliss has written an epilogue. She writes: “When Peter talked of writing the ultimate book, he said he wanted to do it with Bill. My abiding memory is of the two of them giggling away in Peter’s study as they reminisced.”
(Image credit: Lennard Publishing)
Peter Alliss’ trademark style, whimsical, digressive, avuncular but occasionally sharp, is on display here. A PG Wodehouse quote: “That was Florence all over. Even when she patted you on the head she did it with her knuckles,” comes to mind when reading Alliss’ praise of Gary Player:
“I’ve never felt Gary Player received the accolades he deserved. Perhaps it’s because he was always so busy telling us how many miles he had travelled, how many tournaments he’d played in and won, how he wanted to be known as the finest player the world had ever seen and so on that others felt they did not need to add to the Player promotion party.”
A fine golfer, Peter Alliss proved to be a natural commentator, and became far better known for his second career than for his first. This BBC work had also come by way of eavesdropping on his reminisces. Alliss quotes the letter he received from Ray Lakeland, producer of the BBC Open Championship coverage:
‘I was sitting behind you on a plane returning from some tournament or other. You were with Peter Thomson,…
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