17 replies to this topic

[Nemo1965]

Just now finished reading Damon Hills autobiography (on the e-reader). Not a particular well-written book, in my eyes, but a very interesting light on Damon AND the Williams-team. It is boring at times but it all rings very true and sincere. I was wondering if other posters here have read the book already. What is your opinion?

 

 

[Tim Murray]

You'll find some useful discussion on this book in the books thread.

[Nemo1965]

You'll find some useful discussion on this book in the books thread.

 

Oops. I think this merited it's own thread... and could not find a recent topic with Hill in the title.

[MargaretM37]

Do you have a link to the thread please, Tim? I can't find it.

[john winfield]

Do you have a link to the thread please, Tim? I can't find it.

 

Margaret, it's the book thread at the top of the topic page. I think the discussion starts at post 8433 on page 169, currently the last one.

 

http://forums.autosp...69#entry7701325

[timbo]

Damon Hill has a book out. I notice that Nigel Mansell has an autobiography out.  Not the most exciting people on the earth, but they have achieved something that everybody on this website would love to achieve, so good on them for putting a book out.

In Australia, and possibly other parts of the world, it seems like you only have to play a few games of football or cricket and you are eligible to bring out a book telling everybody of your life story.

Actually, this has probably posted before, but are there autobiographical books that are "must read" or "best avoided" in the motorsport world?

[Vitesse2]

In Australia, and possibly other parts of the world, it seems like you only have to play a few games of football or cricket and you are eligible to bring out a book telling everybody of your life story.

Sporting fame has always been transient - and often brief. So if publishers are prepared to throw money at you, then why wouldn't you? The fundamental difference with Damon's book is that - unlike most sporting personalities - he has written it himself, with minimal input from ghostwriters, who tend to write to a formula set by the publisher. When Frank Bruno's autobiography 'Know What I Mean' - which did acknowledge his ghost as co-author - was published he was asked at a press conference if it was a good book. "I dunno, I 'aven't read it yet ..."

Actually, this has probably posted before, but are there autobiographical books that are "must read" or "best avoided" in the motorsport world?

The Worst Book on F1 thread is a good (bad?) place to start.

[john winfield]

 

The Worst Book on F1 thread is a good (bad?) place to start.

What a thread! Tears running down my face......

Must update my Christmas wants list.

[Nemo1965]

Damon Hill has a book out. I notice that Nigel Mansell has an autobiography out.  Not the most exciting people on the earth, but they have achieved something that everybody on this website would love to achieve, so good on them for putting a book out.

In Australia, and possibly other parts of the world, it seems like you only have to play a few games of football or cricket and you are eligible to bring out a book telling everybody of your life story.

Actually, this has probably posted before, but are there autobiographical books that are "must read" or "best avoided" in the motorsport world?

 

Well, in the Netherlands the book-business is plagued by ex-soccer-players writing their autobiography (of course with a co-author, one of their 'journalist'-friends who have been sucking their balls during their career.) It is really awful. You can't avoid them, as well, because all the TV-programs and newspapers and magazines lend a helping hand to sell a quarter of million of yet another 'gone from rags to riches and back to rags and back to riches'-shite.

 

Sorry for the rant. Damon Hills book is not one of those books. It is not as good as The unfair advantage but it really seems a sincere attempt of an intelligent to tell his story.

[TerryS]

I see that Damon Hill's book is subtitled "My autobiography. How stupid. Who else's autobiography would it be.

I recall Nigel Mansell started this nonsense with his first book years ago.

In my view "my autobiography" is an oxymoron.

[Collombin]

Ray Davies' book was subtitled "an unauthorised autobiography".

[Glengavel]

I see that Damon Hill's book is subtitled "My autobiography. How stupid. Who else's autobiography would it be.

I recall Nigel Mansell started this nonsense with his first book years ago.

In my view "my autobiography" is an oxymoron.

 

It's a tautology, not an oxymoron; that would be me writing "Damon Hill: His Autobiography" (I think). Odd given that Damon's got a degree in English. Maybe it's an acceptable term, who knows the vagaries of the English language? Not me, and I've only been speaking it for 50-odd years.

 

But Nige didn't start it, there are earlier examples, albeit outwith the realm of motor sport.

[GreenMachine]

It's a tautology, not an oxymoron; that would be me writing "Damon Hill: His Autobiography" (I think). Odd given that Damon's got a degree in English. Maybe it's an acceptable term, who knows the vagaries of the English language? Not me, and I've only been speaking it for 50-odd years.
 
But Nige didn't start it, there are earlier examples, albeit outwith the realm of motor sport.

Probably nothing to do with the author(s) - think publicists, editors, publishers ...

Edited by GreenMachine, 28 September 2016 - 09:49.

[Dick Dastardly]

Johnny Herbert's "What doesn't kill you...My life in Motor Racing" is about to be published if not already out...

[D-Type]

I see that Damon Hill's book is subtitled "My autobiography. How stupid. Who else's autobiography would it be.

I recall Nigel Mansell started this nonsense with his first book years ago.

In my view "my autobiography" is an oxymoron.

Read it as "My autobiography",  ie not what a publicist said I should say, not what a ghost writer thought I wanted to say, but what I really want to say'

 

Alex Zanardi got it right - he didn't mess around and simply called his autobiography "My story". 

 

 

 

Edited by D-Type, 04 October 2016 - 18:41.

[Zmeej]

TerryS

 

In my view "my autobiography" is an oxymoron.

 

Glengavel

 

It's a tautology, not an oxymoron; that would be me writing "Damon Hill: His Autobiography" (I think). ... Maybe it's an acceptable term, who knows the vagaries of the English language? Not me, and I've only been speaking it for 50-odd years.

 

It's not an oxymoron, which is the juxtaposition of two words with opposing meanings.

 

It's not a tautology either, just a flatly accurate statement of presentation, akin to the former F1 driver handing someone a copy of the book and saying "This is my autobiography."

 

"Damon Hill: My Autobiography" and "Damon Hill: the autobiography" and Damon Hill: an autobiography," would all be correct.

 

The distinction between them is that in the first version, the author's voice is present.

 

The second and third would be "publisher's titles" with the author's voice absent, with the distinction that

- the second is a statement implicitly asserting exclusive authority with an expectation that no other autobiography would be forthcoming and/or that previous texts purporting to be an autobiography are not;

- the third presents the possibility that another autobiography either was or will be written or published.

 

"Damon Hil: his autobiography" is actually the variant that could be considered tautological, given that if it's an autobiography of Damon Hill's, it couldn't be anyone else's, but it can more readily be treated as another "publisher's title," containing a flat statement of accurate presentation.

 

Odd given that Damon's got a degree in English.

 

Nah. There are plenty of folks with a degree in English who make mistakes in style, grammar, etc. Their copy editors are supposed to catch them, but not all such errors are caught.

 

They end up in titles more rarely than they do in the body of texts, but they do so often enough to cause memorable moments of hilarity and/or embarrassment.

 

Oddly enough, a quick search revealed not a single one, nor even a list, which I find kinda perplexing.

 

Tangentially, there's an interesting book (haven't read it) whose title is:

"There Are Two Errors in the the Title of this Book"

https://www.goodread...le_of_This_Book

 

Even more so, my search did prompt this excellent collection of amusing titles with nothing grammatically incorrect about them:

http://www.boredpand...-titles-covers/

Edited by Zmeej, 04 October 2016 - 19:23.

[john aston]

Meanwhile, semantics apart , there is a hell of a good book to read.Outstanding - my review is on speedreaders.info if anybody's  interested . 

[charles r]

I enjoyed it very much and it certainly gives a great insight into living with NGH as a father, warts and all...

It is painfully honest in parts and it is amazing how Damon got there in the end, through sheer doggedness, despite the false start. A thoroughly decent man.

Recommended.