39 replies to this topic

[Dolph]

Hi everyone, just had an idea to buy a few F1 books from Amazon. But I don't know what to buy. Perhaps you can help.

I'm interest in the nineties. What I'm looking for is a book with insight into what went on behind the scenes in some. For example I'd like to read from a book what a certain driver or team was thinking after the qualifying and how they planned for the race. Or what a driver did and thought on Friday in Monaco or over the winter time. Therefore I think the book has to at least include the driver/mechanic as an author. IT shouldn't be way too biased, if that is smth realistic

I was thinking about DC's book:
http://www.amazon.co...21776099&sr=8-1

Heared also about this Steve Matchett guy, but I guess that book is no longer for sale!?

http://www.amazon.co...21777657&sr=1-2

EDIT: found another of his books:
http://www.amazon.co...KX0DER&v=glance

Does Alesi or Berger have a book? I'm sure those would be cool.

Suggest other books also please
Thank you in advance

[Gary C]

The Perry McCarthy book 'Flat Out, Flat Broke' is good fun.

[Gary Davies]

Originally posted by Dolph
Hi everyone, just had an idea to buy a few F1 books from Amazon. But I don't know what to buy. Perhaps you can help.

I'm interest in the nineties. What I'm looking for is a book with insight into what went on behind the scenes in some. For example I'd like to read from a book what a certain driver or team was thinking after the qualifying and how they planned for the race. Or what a driver did and thought on Friday in Monaco or over the winter time. Therefore I think the book has to at least include the driver/mechanic as an author. IT shouldn't be way too biased, if that is smth realistic

Heared also about this Steve Matchett guy, but I guess that book is no longer for sale!?

Suggest other books also please
Thank you in advance

I'm sure you'll easily get the Matchett books via www.abebooks.com/ or www.bookfinder.com/

I'm not fond of his work, but I think I may be in a minority.

You express interest in behind the scenes-ness. You may like to search for Bernie's Game by Terry Lovell or The Piranha Club by Timothy Collings.

Both are getting a bit long in the tooth but the history they convey is still, IMHO, instructive.

[john aston]

You will struggle to find an insightful read as most modern books about the sport are dire, the titles referred to above included.The best GP book I have read - but about 70s -is the David Tremayne book about Pryce, WWilliamson and Brise. Peter Revson's Speed with Style is also superb.Damon Hill has the definitive book about modern F1 in him - I just hopes he writes it soon.

[stevewf1]

Originally posted by Gary C
The Perry McCarthy book 'Flat Out, Flat Broke' is good fun.

What the team did to him at Spa...

[dank]

Originally posted by Gary C
The Perry McCarthy book 'Flat Out, Flat Broke' is good fun.

Is this any good then? I've seen it before but never felt the urge to pick a copy up.

[stevewf1]

Originally posted by dank


Is this any good then? I've seen it before but never felt the urge to pick a copy up.

Not really sure what you're looking for, but if you want some insight to what it's like to be at the (very) dull end of the grid, this book certainly provides that.

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by john aston
You will struggle to find an insightful read as most modern books about the sport are dire, the titles referred to above included.The best GP book I have read - but about 70s -is the David Tremayne book about Pryce, WWilliamson and Brise. Peter Revson's Speed with Style is also superb.Damon Hill has the definitive book about modern F1 in him - I just hopes he writes it soon.

A couple of the Christopher Hilton books about Senna are very good, if bordering on the pretentious in parts.

I would agree about Tremayne's "The Lost Generation" - one of the best motorsport books I have ever read.

[kayemod]

Originally posted by dank


Is this any good then? I've seen it before but never felt the urge to pick a copy up.

'Flat Out, Flat Broke' is a lively and enjoyable read, but sadly, it's Perry McCarthy's apparently unshakable belief in his own talents that provide what interest there is, most rational human beings would have bowed to the inevitable and given up long before he did. I don't want to 'diss' the man, he does come across as a nice bloke, but it's hard to see him as much of a lost talent on the basis of this self-penned account of his racing career, and great literature it isn't, I rarely part with a book, but after reading my copy of FOFB, I gave it away a few days later.

Steve Matchett's book I didn't like very much. Apparently the real 'heroes' in F1 are the mechanics, forget team owners, designers and the rest, and the drivers are only there to sit in the car and turn the wheel from side to side, all too often damaging the car by driving without due care and attention, and undoing all the mechanics' brilliant endeavours. This may be unfair, it isn't much to base an opinion on, but I've heard some of Matchett's US TV commentaries, and he comes across to me as a self important know all that you wouldn't want to get stuck in a lift with.

[Dolph]

Originally posted by kayemod

This may be unfair, it isn't much to base an opinion on, but I've heard some of Matchett's US TV commentaries, and he comes across to me as a self important know all that you wouldn't want to get stuck in a lift with.

Agreed on that one

[john aston]

So...Matchett and JYS in between floors 12 and 14 would feel like hell on earth then ?

[kayemod]

Originally posted by john aston
So...Matchett and JYS in between floors 12 and 14 would feel like hell on earth then ?

JYS is OK with me. As long as he considered that we were both 'appropriately dressed' for the occasion, I'm sure we'd get along just fine.

[petefenelon]

The Lost Generation is not merely one of the best motorsport books I've read, it's one of the best books I've read, full stop.

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by petefenelon
The Lost Generation is not merely one of the best motorsport books I've read, it's one of the best books I've read, full stop.

I wonder what project David Tremayne is currently working on? Whatever is it, I can't wait for the outcome.

[fines]

Originally posted by kayemod


JYS is OK with me. As long as he considered that we were both 'appropriately dressed' for the occasion, I'm sure we'd get along just fine.

And I wonder what 'appropriately dressed' would mean in the context of a stuck elevator!

[COUGAR508]

Other interesting books from the 1990s/2000s era of F1:-


Working The Wheel - Martin Brundle
Racers - Richard Williams
The two books by Prof. Sid Watkins.

[stevewf1]

Originally posted by kayemod


'Flat Out, Flat Broke' is a lively and enjoyable read, but sadly, it's Perry McCarthy's apparently unshakable belief in his own talents that provide what interest there is, most rational human beings would have bowed to the inevitable and given up long before he did. I don't want to 'diss' the man, he does come across as a nice bloke, but it's hard to see him as much of a lost talent on the basis of this self-penned account of his racing career, and great literature it isn't, I rarely part with a book, but after reading my copy of FOFB, I gave it away a few days later.

Steve Matchett's book I didn't like very much. Apparently the real 'heroes' in F1 are the mechanics, forget team owners, designers and the rest, and the drivers are only there to sit in the car and turn the wheel from side to side, all too often damaging the car by driving without due care and attention, and undoing all the mechanics' brilliant endeavours. This may be unfair, it isn't much to base an opinion on, but I've heard some of Matchett's US TV commentaries, and he comes across to me as a self important know all that you wouldn't want to get stuck in a lift with.

I read "Flat out, flat broke" and it was interesting in terms of what he went through, but kind of sad in a way. Certainly must give him an "A" for effort I suppose...

I watch F1 on Speed, and once in awhile, David Hobbs and Matchett get into a brief (light-hearted) sparring match about driver vs. mechanic. I've always liked Hobbs, but to me, Matchett needs to learn to get to the point quicker - sometimes he just goes on too much...

[HDonaldCapps]

Originally posted by petefenelon
The Lost Generation is not merely one of the best motorsport books I've read, it's one of the best books I've read, full stop.

I must be utterly tone deaf then. Make no mistake, I thought it was a good book, definitely far better then what we are usually given to accept as "literature" within the realm of motor racing, but it simply did not cause me to emote or place it on my "special shelf" of books. Maybe I just missed something or simply not tuned into the same frequency others were/are. Again, it was very good, but scarcely in the category of those books I would read again for the pleasure of reading it. Maybe not being a Brit has something to do with it?

[john aston]

I loved the Lost Generation and it is certainly in my top 5 motor sport titles but would be about 567th on the best books ever list.There are sport books and literature and rarely does the former constitute the latter.Maybe HDC is right - it may be a Brit thing .But if you were in your early 20s and a Brit in the early 70s, and you'd seen all of these guys working their way up through F3 etc you'd probably get as emotional as I did , 30 years later, when I read this book.And that is not something I could say about any other motor sport book.

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by john aston
I loved the Lost Generation and it is certainly in my top 5 motor sport titles but would be about 567th on the best books ever list.There are sport books and literature and rarely does the former constitute the latter.Maybe HDC is right - it may be a Brit thing .But if you were in your early 20s and a Brit in the early 70s, and you'd seen all of these guys working their way up through F3 etc you'd probably get as emotional as I did , 30 years later, when I read this book.And that is not something I could say about any other motor sport book.

The Lost Generation is probably the only motorsports book that has made me feel truly emotional, as opposed to merely fascinated or intrigued.

[Barry Boor]

I wonder what project David Tremayne is currently working on?

Can't remember where I heard it but SOMEONE is currently working on a book about Jochen Rindt. I have a vague feeling this may be D.T.

Perhaps somebody could correct me if I am wrong, again...

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by Barry Boor

Can't remember where I heard it but SOMEONE is currently working on a book about Jochen Rindt. I have a vague feeling this may be D.T.

Perhaps somebody could correct me if I am wrong, again...

If that is true, it is wonderful news. I cannot recall seeing or hearing about a comprehensive English-language biography of Rindt. We can rest assured that with Mr Tremayne, the task is in safe hands.

[wolf sun]

Originally posted by Barry Boor

Can't remember where I heard it but SOMEONE is currently working on a book about Jochen Rindt. I have a vague feeling this may be D.T.

Perhaps somebody could correct me if I am wrong, again...

Wow, that´s quite an intriguing prospect, isn´t it?

[jumperjarier]

Originally posted by Barry Boor

Can't remember where I heard it but SOMEONE is currently working on a book about Jochen Rindt. I have a vague feeling this may be D.T.

Perhaps somebody could correct me if I am wrong, again...

Yes Barry you are right, I saw David at the british Grand Prix and he confirmed to me he was doing a book
on Jochen Rindt.But he could not confirm a release date

[Barry Boor]

Oh joy! I actually got something right at last!

[ensign14]

Originally posted by COUGAR508


If that is true, it is wonderful news. I cannot recall seeing or hearing about a comprehensive English-language biography of Rindt. We can rest assured that with Mr Tremayne, the task is in safe hands.

Heinz Pruller's was translated into English, but that was 35+ years ago.

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by jumperjarier

Yes Barry you are right, I saw David at the british Grand Prix and he confirmed to me he was doing a book
on Jochen Rindt.But he could not confirm a release date

No doubt he will take his time to ensure that the finished product is of the quality which we have become accustomed to from him.

[stevewf1]

Originally posted by ensign14

Heinz Pruller's was translated into English, but that was 35+ years ago.

I have that book. Heinz Pruller, 1970, SBN 7183 0162 5 (if that number is even valid anymore)...

[wolf sun]

Originally posted by stevewf1


I have that book. Heinz Pruller, 1970, SBN 7183 0162 5 (if that number is even valid anymore)...

Would you recommend it? (I´ve just noticed that I´ve never read one of Prüller´s books...strange!)

[stevewf1]

I liked it. But it might be hard to find now.

[COUGAR508]

Does anyone know whether any of Pruller's other books were translated into English? Didn't he used to write yearly seasonal reviews in the 1970s, called "Grand Prix Story"?

[wolf sun]

I think he still does - or did until fairly recently, 2005 at least.

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by wolf sun
I think he still does - or did until fairly recently, 2005 at least.

Thanks for confirming that. I'd love to get hold of some of those from the 1970s. A search on the Internet may be my best hope.

[wolf sun]

This bloke in Zürich still has some, although only German-language versions:

http://www.sportantiquariat.ch/


A nice shop btw, for those on the hunt for old books and magazines, rather pricey though.

[COUGAR508]

Originally posted by wolf sun
This bloke in Zürich still has some, although only German-language versions:

http://www.sportantiquariat.ch/


A nice shop btw, for those on the hunt for old books and magazines, rather pricey though.

Thanks for the information.

[wolf sun]

stevewf1, just out of curiosity, what´s the English title of Prüller´s biography?

[kayemod]

Originally posted by wolf sun
stevewf1, just out of curiosity, what´s the English title of Prüller´s biography?

'Jochen Rindt. The story of a World Champion'. My copy is elsewhere though, so that's just from memory.

[ensign14]

*jumps in*

Jochen Rindt - Story Of A World Champion. Published by William Kimber.

[stevewf1]

Originally posted by wolf sun
stevewf1, just out of curiosity, what´s the English title of Prüller´s biography?

Here's what's in the book:

JOCHEN RINDT
The Story of a World Champion

by Heinz Pruller

in collaboration with
JOCHEN RINDT

William Kimber
London

First published in England in 1971 by
William Kimber & Co. Limited
Godolphin House, 22a Queen Anne's Gate, London, S.W.1

First Impression June 1971
Second Impression January 1972

Heinz Pruller, 1970
SBN 7183 0162 5

(copyright notice here)

Translated from the German by
Peter Easton

Made and printed in Great Britain by Purnell and Sons, Ltd.
Paulton (Somerset) and London

[wolf sun]

Thank you all - Prüller apparently had two books about Rindt out in the early seventies, one in ´71, and another in ´74.