As a Scot I really wanted to read this book because I was a fan of Coulthard....but it wasn't all I hoped for.
I actually look at him in a different light. Not necessarily a bad light, but he's not up where I used to place him. I've always classed him as a mediocre driver with occasional sparks of brilliance. His book seems to show this, but then contradicts itself by saying he is brilliant. How HE got big names to go to Red Bull.
He came across as arrogant and yet humble. Normal and yet a legend. His dismissal of "normal" people (he mentions how it annoys him that his friend says "you have to try Skateboarding" or "you have to try snowboarding "- why would you let it annoy you that someone says that??) seems to come from the fact that a chunk of his childhood is missing. He doesn't seem to know how to interact with normal people and doesn't seem to be comfortable outside F1. I guess this is normal as he's been in racing for so long...but it's a shame that he's missed his childhood. Also his dad seems to come across as a "US mother of a pageant beauty queen"...pushing, pushing, pushing. But I guess if you're going to invest that kind of money in your son, then maybe you would be that pushy. Seems a shame though.
The main gripe I had with his book is his constant insistence to advertise it to me...there's no need David...I've got it...that's why I'm reading it. It just irked me almost the whole way through the book (and therefore made it an uphill struggle to enjoy it) that he continually says "It is what it is"...it's a simple thing and I'm sure it won't bother many people...but it amazed me how much it got on my nerves. From then on (well before halfway through) I was fighting to enjoy it.
Don't go expecting any inside info into the paddock world or F1...it's Coulthards book and he's writing about himself. This didn't annoy me because I knew it was going to be about him...just letting you know.
I have to give him credit though. Normally if I am disliking a book, I have no problems putting it down. But something about it made me want to read to the end. And I did - so I don't know...it is what it is, I guess!
I gave it 3 stars - took one away for his annoying promotion of the book within the book, and one away for seemingly being so contradictory in places.