Customer Reviews

Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way!

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read 15-20 motor racing related books per year, and this one has to be right at the top of the list in entertainment value & a general lesson in life. When I purchased it, I had little knowledge of who the author was; I knew from following Formula One that he had flirted with a drive in that category, and I knew he had some sucess in sports car racing, but I knew nothing else about his career or life.
Mr. McCarthy has a truely unique style of writing that lets the reader re-live all of the ups & downs with him. He writes very freely, just as if he were talking to you; much like the style of Niki Lauda in his autobiography. Parts are as funny as anything I have read in this genre, & parts make you wonder why he keeps going back to bang his head against the wall, literally.
Through the entire book, & it sounds like his entire life, he never looses his sense of humour, or sight of his goal. This guy has perseverance!
I was totally entralled from cover to cover, but I do admit I was surprised that he didn't go into a little more detail concerning his races. I then realized that I could go to one of the many racing annuals & read race detail, but he was giving me a behind-the-scenes look at the sport, not usually available.
This is a great book, & I highly recommend it to anyone who either aspires to a goal, or has driven a car, or wants to drive a car...or has seen a car...

Many people are familiar with the stars of racong. In Formula One today, it's Michael Schumacher. Ten years ago, it was Ayrton Senna. This story is about the people on the other end of the grid.

Perry McCarthy knew very little about racing until a friend took him to a racetrack. Perry immediately became hooked and started on a quest to be World Champion.

You won't believe the hard luck that he has along the way. He does make it to the pinnacle of motor sports, Formula One, in a roundabout sort of way.

There was a baseball book called "Good Enough To Dream" that was written about minor-league players. This is a book about someone that is even closer than that, a fraction of an inch away from realizing everything that he ever wanted.

You might think that someone in that position would be bitter, but McCarthy displays a sense of humor that will keep you turning the pages! And along the way, you meet up with the like of Damon Hill, Johnny Herbert, and other familiar names.

A nice addition to your Formula One library.

Being an F1 fanatic, I had just finished the great book by Murray Walker. Looking for another good book about F1, I found this gem on Amazon. Mad Dog is among other things, a fighter and you have to give him credit; getting into the worlds most expensive sport with no cash is quite a feat.

The book is very well written in a Conversational style that makes you feel like one of the rat pack. Like F1, its paced at the speed of taking Eau Rouge flat out. After reading this story, you certainly wish you were one of the blokes lined up to give him money. He has a charm and whit that is infectious and translates well in print. I strongly recommend this book. Not to learn about F1, but to learn about Perry. To learn something of risk, gambles and the will to succeed at all costs. The parallel stories of his mates; Hill, Blundell and Herbert are equally entertaining. The overall story of his father, who was foreshadowing Perrys own career choices and paths, is a welcome angle to this book as well. In short, this book was a total surprise and treat for anyone that just likes good stories of life and struggles in the motor racing world.

To Perry, I say good luck to you sir. You have had a difficult road to travel but what memories it has provided for you, and now me.

Saying that Perry McCarthy is the world's unluckiest racing driver is definitely an understatement, but his tales are actually pretty inspiring and they show us the importance of hard work and determination to achieve one's goals.

Perry was a very talented driver who could have very well battled for the World Championship had he been given half a chance. He wasn't destined for stardom, however; but his efforts deserve to be praised. Despite having to endure what was arguably the least successful F1 career in history, not to mention the tough times he had to endure to actually get there, he never lost his sense of humor throughout the tough times, and he brilliantly put all those stories together in this book. The result: 250 pages full of black, self-deprecating humor, which actually had me laughing out loud all the time as I read each of them.

Being a racing driver myself, and having had my fair share of misfortune at times, I could somehow relate to many of the stories, and that made it even more enjoyable for me.

I definitely couldn't put this book down. It is absolutely a must-read; very entertaining for racing fans, and a lesson about determination for racing drivers.

I enjoyed this book for the insight into what it takes/took for McCarthy to try to break into F1. In fact the trials he went through to just be racing driver were amazing, he continually got knocked down yet picked himself up and pushed on. That was admirable, and I found it amazing his family/wife stuck with him. That part of this book was fun and interesting. But I found the writing boring and definitely not as humorous as other reviewers, there are some humorous moments at the beginning but I kept looking for all the "funny" that other reviewers talk about...and just couldnt find it.

I adopted McCarthy's ethic and pushed on, but I could have just as easily put it down and forgot all about it. Instantly forgettable is not a quality I like in a book. As for the author himself, what some interpret as tenaciousness I found to be more like entitlement. Maybe its a cultural difference but I found myself not really liking McCarthy the more I read. I dont find him to be a very good story teller or writer, but maybe he just needed a little editing help. I bought this because of all the positive reviews, but I disagree. As an insight into the politics and dog eat dog of the racing world its pretty good, but as a well written book and a good read...not so much. There is a difference. Steve Matchett's books are far more interesting and well written then this.

McCarthy is a determined guy before anything.
I read the book with great pleasure, and recommend for everybody interested in racing.
The laughs are loud !

If your looking at this book and obviously into F1... Just buy it. It's a great discussion of the behind the scenes peak into what F1 used to be (no doubt very different now). It's full of great stories. Perry is just plain funny.

I am not a casual reader but this book had me coming back for more with every single page. It's a great story and I could really relate to his struggles and what it takes to get into the world of Formula one. Perry had me laughing out loud the entire time, from his visits with potential sponsors to his time with "Top Tier" Formula One team Andrea Moda and the times in between. This is a great book and would recommend it to any racing or Top Gear fan.

...and ever wished you could have raced, you'll likely enjoy this book. The Stig rules.

This book was a great read and very enlightening about what it takes beyond talent to be a professional race driver (especially Formula 1). You must admire this guy even more than some of the "winners" just for his sheer tenacity! Perhaps writing books will be more fiscally rewarding for him. I sure hope so because I think the guy deserves better than he got out of racing. His writing style and humor reminds me a lot of Bill Bryson.