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James Hunt was no ordinary racing driver and this is no ordinary sports biography. Hunt was simply the most colourful and charismatic driver ever to have raced in Formula One. Tom Rubython, the author of the best-selling Life of Senna, has written a new biography called Shunt - the story of James Hunt. At 624 pages plus 64 pages of photographs, this promises to be the sports biography of the year. Meticulously planned, enthusiastically researched and passionately written, this is the definitive biography of Hunt for all time. The launch will be accompanied by a press campaign, serialisations and advertising, combined with an 18-city book tour by the author.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
James Hunt's rise and fall is probably one of the most contrasting changes in fortune (quite literally) within the history of Motorsport. Tom Rubython's book captures this in intricate detail but fails to be as entertaining as it should have been. Much of this is due to the lack of new material from previous efforts, notably "Hunt" by Gerald Donaldson. It lacks new contributions, which is entirely legitimate as Hunt has sadly been dead nearly 20 years.
The only new material to my knowledge is the anicdote from Noel Edmonds when they entered a celebrity rally, and a translation of a dutch magazine article from a reporter who was instructed to bed him to rate his performance for a feature article. Rubython explains that he has no idea why this article has not been translated into English previously, well the main reason would be is that it would be pointless to do so, because it was simply vacuous titilation that reveals nothing about Hunt.
Other attempts to freshen up the story include playing up his friendship with Richard Burton and tacking on the story of Burton's own demise which went on for far too long, as did the detail of Nikki Lauda's accident that gets a whole chapter. Such details are interesting to the uninformed but to others like myself it is well worn ground that detracts from Hunt's personal story rather than enhancing it.
Overlooking that, it is very well researched and if you have never read a book on the inimitable James Hunt then this is the one to own. It is just a shame that for fans it fails to offer the fresh perspective that many were looking for.
The only new material to my knowledge is the anicdote from Noel Edmonds when they entered a celebrity rally, and a translation of a dutch magazine article from a reporter who was instructed to bed him to rate his performance for a feature article. Rubython explains that he has no idea why this article has not been translated into English previously, well the main reason would be is that it would be pointless to do so, because it was simply vacuous titilation that reveals nothing about Hunt.
Other attempts to freshen up the story include playing up his friendship with Richard Burton and tacking on the story of Burton's own demise which went on for far too long, as did the detail of Nikki Lauda's accident that gets a whole chapter. Such details are interesting to the uninformed but to others like myself it is well worn ground that detracts from Hunt's personal story rather than enhancing it.
Overlooking that, it is very well researched and if you have never read a book on the inimitable James Hunt then this is the one to own. It is just a shame that for fans it fails to offer the fresh perspective that many were looking for.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I agree, in general, with all the previous reviewers have said. This is a book you won't be able to put down (Careful if you do it's mega heavy). However, it is irritating in some respects. The book jumps around an awful lot, is highly repetitive (even on the same page) and shows no evidence of proof reading. It reminds me of someone writing a school essay where the goal is to max out the pages to 800. I hadn't read the other autobiograhical books on Hunt but suspect some of these might actually be more readable. At £13 it's OK but at £25 I would have felt conned.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
James Hunt ranks alongside the great Jim Clark as a driver in my eyes. I wanted to like this book very much. However it annoyed me because of the terrible editing. Duplication, spelling errors and at times flannel reflected badly on the publishers here. Furthermore, Rubython himself wrote that he wanted the book to read like a novel and it fails on this level too. My final criticism is that it is far too long and could have done without a number of 'added info' chapters. Other reviewers have indicated that Donaldson's book is better as a biography of James and I am inclined to agree.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Vandalised Reviews
Hi I'm the author of Shunt.
Unfortunately the Amazon review pages have been hi-jacked by people who don't write genuine reviews. Read more
Unfortunately the Amazon review pages have been hi-jacked by people who don't write genuine reviews. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Tom Rubython
If you want to learn about James Hunt, buy something else...ANYTHING...
I've never written a book review for amazon before, but having received this book, which amazon's chosen parcel delivery service had opted to leave out in the rain for several... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Moose Harris
The definitive story of James Hunt
Tales of the exploits of James Hunt have abounded for years and I've met a number of people who knew him and had their own stories to tell. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Bonnie Bodrum
Worst book I have ever read
I have only written one other review for Amazon, but this book has "inspired" me to write a second.
The quality of writing and sub-editing is appalling: content is by... Read more
The quality of writing and sub-editing is appalling: content is by... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jonathan Hemus
Fascinating story entertainingly told but let down by appalling...
My parents gave me this book for Christmas. I'm not really a petrol-head but have an interest in the 70s I suppose. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Neil Truby
The most poorly written book I have ever read
I have commented on a book online before but I have felt compelled to do so in this instance. I read a fairly substantial number of books each week, between four and eight. Read more
Published 14 months ago by MiloAppleby
If you only read onebook about 1970's Formula 1 racing...
...then I would recommend this book. Yes, it is the story of James Hunt life, but along the way covers so many other relevant topics, both within and outside motor racing, that it... Read more
Published 14 months ago by John Reddish
I concur...
Donught take the nogative comments from other reviewists with a pinch of pepper - they definitively stock up ! Apart from the lack of proofing though, a brilliant book.
Published 15 months ago by Angus Robertson
Not as good as I had hoped for
When I saw this book the first thought was never mind the quality, feel the width as the old saying goes. Read more
Published 15 months ago by J. J. Bowen
5 star plus
Fascinating! This is the best book, so far, on James Hunt. I have always been a fan since early Hesketh days and I still have the T-shirt(s) to prove it! Read more
Published 15 months ago by G. Riley
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