[Books] Best Books - Your Recommendations

[S griffin]

I saw Damon talking about it at the AI this year and also read an article about it in the Guardian and it certainly sounds like the honest Damon we always got

[VIVA GT]

Mrs Viva bought me Damon's book for my birthday last month. I'm awaiting the chance to read it. but all these comments are making me impatient!

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by coppice

The Redman book is excellent - despite its awful title and terrible cover.

Mark Hughes was involved with the ghosting , it appears , and it is beautifully written , insightful , hugely informative and with a lovely dry wit. The photos are superb- some I have seen before but many were new to me. The most bizzare is the Gerhard Mitter funeral cortege ; seven works Porsche drivers in race overalls walking by a 911 with a coffin on top- with poor Mitter's race helmet on the front of the bloody coffin. Surreal and ghastly.

But a great book from a great driver- and so much nicer to read than either the near paranoid ramblings of the moustachioed one or the simply woeful effort from our kilted friend ...

There are two Mark Hughes, the chap who works for EVRO, the publishers of the Redman book, is not the F1 Mark Hughes. Both have worked for Autosport..........just at different times.

And yes, you are right, the Redman book is great.

[stevebrown]

Originally Posted by coppice

Damon Hill's recently published autobiography is outstanding. I have reviewed it for speedreaders.info - if not on front page search by reviewer -John A.

Anyway- just a great book, very personal and a real contrast to the drivel we have seen from some drivers . To his great credit 95% +of the book is written by Damon himself.

Our local bookshop has got Damon coming to talk about his book next Monday. I managed to get a ticket.

[BertMk2]

Johnny Herbert has a book out too - I may stick that on my Christmas list. Has anyone read that yet?

[Samoan Attorney]

Tomorrow will see the launch of this history of Maserati


I am looking forward to the event.

[S griffin]

That's the first time I've heard Johnny has written a book

[Speedblood]

Originally Posted by stevebrown

Our local bookshop has got Damon coming to talk about his book next Monday. I managed to get a ticket.

Went to a talk he did a couple of months ago when it came out, got myself a personal signed copy! Great read, like others have alluded, a very personal account and lots of honesty as ever.

Adding to the list I will recommend "Beast" by Jade Gurss (Story of Ilmor/Penske Stock Block 94' Indy engine). Feels more like a spy thriller at times than a technical read!

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by S griffin

That's the first time I've heard Johnny has written a book

Link here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/05930783...I34DFHYI0KH0NQ

The wife has asked me what I want for Christmas - in the absence of any other ideas (realistic ones at least) I may ask for this.

[S griffin]

Seems like you've asked for a good present for xmas, the sample is well worth a butchers

[Samoan Attorney]

For those interested in the Maserati book I produced a brief account of the evening, Surtees was mighty, sharp and full of stories, we could have gone on all night.

[HighParker]

I'm going through the book Can-Am: 50th Anniversary, by George Levy. It's relatively new, and I think I'm probably one of the first to borrow it from the Toronto Public Library.
It's a large book filled mostly with many great photos. Although the chapters are arranged by year, it is not a recounting of every single race (like the 1995 Can-Am book by Pete Lyons), but stories the author compiled from interviews with over 75 people.
Btw, Martin Revson, father of Peter, Doug, and their sister Jennifer (the book has a brief interview with her), died in May at the age of 105.

[coppice]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Johnny Herbert has a book out too - I may stick that on my Christmas list. Has anyone read that yet?

Yes- my review is on speedreaders.info . Sadly , I found it an amateurish work -but with some interesting insights . Compared to Damon Hill's superb book Johnny's is lightweight and also in serious need of a thorough edit.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by coppice

Yes- my review is on speedreaders.info . Sadly , I found it an amateurish work -but with some interesting insights . Compared to Damon Hill's superb book Johnny's is lightweight and also in serious need of a thorough edit.

You mean each book matches each other's height?

[tator2001uk]

Totally agree, I was lucky to meet Damon at one of his book signing evenings before Christmas and am halfway through the read -very impressed, more so than the evening booksigning.
I also have the same form nigel Mansell after meeting him personally, this book is written more from a me to you side where it has not been overl modded and re-written, more pick up a pen and write your thoughts down, more that he s talking to you (weirdly described) sorry!!
Overall I would recommend Damon's first.

[VIVA GT]

I really enjoyed reading Damon's book and am currently enjoying reading Johnny's. Of course the books are different, they're written by (and about) different people. Damon's is more serious, and Johnny is his usual cheeky chappy self. Both are quite harrowing and detailed in places, but are very interesting incites into their lives.

[wolfhound]

Has anybody read Ross Brawn's book Total Competition, if is it worth getting?

Thanks for your help in anticipation.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Has anybody read Ross Brawn's book Total Competition, if is it worth getting?

Thanks for your help in anticipation.

I'm working my way through it at the moment and finding it another interesting read. (Especially as I was able to pick up a copy for only £6.00 brand new!) Lots of behind the scenes information (but also, fo me, a bit too much philosophy...)

[BertMk2]

Well I got the Johnny Herbert book and the Mark Webber book - not started either yet (finishing off the book I'm currently reading). Looking forward to both.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Well I got the Johnny Herbert book and the Mark Webber book - not started either yet (finishing off the book I'm currently reading). Looking forward to both.

I can strongly recommend both Bert, I enjoyed reading them anyway!

[S griffin]

One person I'd love to see write an Autobiography is Derek Warwick. He has so many stories to tell. Being a star in F3 and F2, his heroics in the Tolemann, disappointment at Renault, Senna's veto at Lotus, various accidents he walked away from, the tragic death of his brother, winning the WSC, his time in the BTCC, running 888 and his own Honda dealership, moving to the Isle of Wight, being a driver steward and now running the BRDC

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by S griffin

One person I'd love to see write an Autobiography is Derek Warwick. He has so many stories to tell. Being a star in F3 and F2, his heroics in the Tolemann, disappointment at Renault, Senna's veto at Lotus, various accidents he walked away from, the tragic death of his brother, winning the WSC, his time in the BTCC, running 888 and his own Honda dealership, moving to the Isle of Wight, being a driver steward and now running the BRDC

Yes, that would make for an interesting read. A fighter and someone who's raced in a diverse number of categories, wasn't he also World Stock Car Champion once too?

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Yes, that would make for an interesting read. A fighter and someone who's raced in a diverse number of categories, wasn't he also World Stock Car Champion once too?

Yes that's right, back in the 70s before he switched to single seaters

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Well I got the Johnny Herbert book and the Mark Webber book - not started either yet (finishing off the book I'm currently reading). Looking forward to both.

There's a quite a few inaccuracies in Johnny's book which may well be the writer getting a few things muddle up but all the same it is a good read.

[coppice]

Johnny's claim that , with Gachot and Hulkenberg, he was the only F1 driver to win Le Mans wasn't even nearly wrong.. ever hear of Rindt, G Hill , Gurney, Amon, Pescarolo etc, etc?

Sadly , it is a sloppily written book but still one which, with some rigorous sub editing , might just have been the book its subject deserved .