Car Books

[st3ph3n]

I've been reading, and I like it.

I finished a Clarkson book called "I know you got soul" last week and got a new book yesterday which I didn't really mean to start but this evening I actually finished all 320 odd pages of it because it was utterly fantastic. The new book is called "The Driver" and is by a guy called Alex Roy who you may or may not know as the guy who does the Gumball etc. in the police liveried BMW M5 (and others). The book details how he got into it (he's not a multi-millionaire playboy) and then details his attempt in late 2006 to break the record for crossing america by car. Like they did in the Cannonball Run movie, which is actually based on true events of the original Cannonball Baker memorial races. These are chronicled in another book I read lately called Cannonball! by Brock Yates who organised and competed in those events. Again well worth a read.

But now I'm kind of stuck. Anyone got any other recommendations? I could try learning Japanese so I could understand my copy of Hyper Rev I suppose.

[~ ~ Cal ~~]

Not a book but it'll make you think about life :- http://www.westland.net/venice/art/cronk/consumer.htm

[micra_wrc]

how about Richard Hammond's book "On the Edge: My story"?

describes his TG days and jet car accident and recovery, his wife co-wrote the bits when he was recovering in hospital and its moving stuff.

can lend you my copy if you want?

[Big Gordon]

how about Richard Hammond's book "On the Edge: My story"?

describes his TG days and jet car accident and recovery, his wife co-wrote the bits when he was recovering in hospital and its moving stuff.

can lend you my copy if you want?

Got that for xmas but havn't read it yet........not much of a reader

[st3ph3n]

I'm a bit wary of the cash-in autobiographies of people so young. Like Lewis Hamilton too. How much can he have lived? He's only what, 14?

Anyone read anything good about the golden age of drag racing?

[little vodka goblin]

how about Richard Hammond's book "On the Edge: My story"?

describes his TG days and jet car accident and recovery, his wife co-wrote the bits when he was recovering in hospital and its moving stuff.

can lend you my copy if you want?

Can definately recommend this, I couldn't put it down and it's worth its cost just to see the dodgy pics of Hammond in his "youth" (even though he still only looks about 8 years old now)!

[john mac]

I've got to recommend Nigel Mansell's autobiography as it's a brilliant read and even if you aren't a fan you have got to appreciate a guy who won an F1 championship in "92 and went on to win a CART championship the next in his debut year. I always remember him after winning the British gp at Silverstone in "91 and then stopping on his victory lap to give Ayrton Senna a lift after he ran dry. An amazing driver with some great stories to tell.

[thewelsho]

Stephen. When I read your review of the book you were reading, it was enough to send me to sleep! Sorry, I'm not much of a reader, I don't have the concentration for it. That said, I read DCs autobiography cover to cover in a couple of days which is quite a feat for me. It's a decent read I suppose. I like fast cars, I like him and I like Scotland; therefore synergy of these factors were enough to overcome the fact that I hate reading.

Anyone want it, they can have it.

Edited January 30, 2008 by TheWelsho

[st3ph3n]

Perhaps I never sold it well John. The book is about driving across America at a sustained average of over 90mph. That obviously means driving faster than 90 because of the stops required for fuel, and for the slow bits where you might hit heavy traffic. To to this at night time you use things like thermal cameras setup to watch for the police up ahead. Using a spotter plane during the daylight running to alert you of what's coming up ahead. Running a myriad of rader and laser detectors. That plus good old fashion cojones.

Very enjoyable read, which had to be released over a year after the event took place because of the laws that had been broken doing it.