Customer Reviews

James Hunt: The Biography

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

 

 

As most motorsport fanatics will know Gerald Donaldson has written some of the best motor racing books ever written, and this could be his best. I expected a style similar to that in his popular Gilles Villeneuve biography, but instead found a very candid and sensitive coverage of all of James Hunt's life that by itself makes a great tribute to James. Painstakingly written and researched aswell. If you liked the Villeneuve book I would say buy this, it will make you laugh and cry.

First of all, I give this book 3 stars as it was not really one of those "can't put down" books. However, it was a good and entertaining read about the life of James Hunt. When you read this kind of book, you never realize what kind of life these drivers lead away from the track. Donaldson describes James' pursuit of racing glory from local club racer, through the F3 ranks and his entry into F1 via the Hesketh squad. This book certainly shows what racing used to be like in the "good ol' days". It's a far cry from today's sanitized life styles on the current F1 circuit. I recommend this book as well as Donaldson's book on Gilles Villeneuve.

I bought this book becuse I wanted to relive the era when car racing was fun. This book is too clinical for me, just what I would expect from an Englishman. Too much amateur psychology and not enough of the fun stuff.

I didn't know much about James Hunt before reading this book, though I am a fan of racing and F1. The stories of his partying and success were the reason I bought the book, but the its focus on James' entire life is what kept me reading. The author Donaldson doesn't just report what happened but he does a great job developing James' character through his entire life, by all accounts, accurately. I particularly enjoyed the abundance of his contemporaries' viewpoints. I plan to read more of Donaldson's biographies and have recommended him to friends and family.