- Paperback: 415 pages
- Publisher: Bantam Books; New edition edition (1 Oct 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0553812084
- ISBN-13: 978-0553812084
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.6 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
231,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #56 in Books > Biography > Sport > Formula One & Other Motor Racing
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Ever since Dr Johnson declared 200 years ago that no man travelling at 20mph in a coach could possibly "continue to draw breath", there has been no shortage of nay-sayers. They said it over and over to Richard Noble and his team, but they went ahead anyway and in October 1997 ThrustSSC, driven by RAF Squadron leader Andy Green, smashed through the sound barrier to set the first supersonic land speed record of 763mph.
This absorbing and richly illustrated book tells of Noble's obsessive quest for speed, beginning as a six-year-old watching John Cobb's 200mph jet boat Crusader and ending in triumph in the Nevada desert. There is as much financial as technical detail--Noble imaginatively and profitably stalked the Internet for donations as corporate sponsors fell by the wayside--and a jingoistic subplot as the Brits and Yanks vied with each other to achieve the sonic boom first.
But mostly this is a human story of struggle, achievement and the peculiar meanings of success. "We'd got through this", says Noble, "we'd succeeded. But success can be very sad once you've got over the initial elation. Suddenly it's all over and it can never be savoured again." --Nick Wroe
Product Description
The story of the world's first supersonic car and the entangled human emotions behind this great engineering achievement. It is the tale of Richard Noble's obsession with speed, from his early days with the crude self-built Thrust 1 jet car to the Thrust SSC - the fastest car in the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly inspirational,
By
This review is from: Thrust: The Remarkable Story of One Man's Quest for Speed (Paperback)
A fantastic read, detailing one man's passion to succeed. You don't need to be a car fan, to love this book. I can't recommend this book enough.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome,
By Promor "Promor" (Isle of Man) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Thrust: The Remarkable Story of One Man's Quest for Speed (Hardcover)
This is a fantastic book. A must read for everyone. A wonderful review of the failures and success in going supersonic on land. Want to know how to manage a team successfully ? buy this book and read how it should be done not one of those trashy self help guides. This is real world stuff.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thrust 1,2 and SSC projects, from despair to ecstatic succes,
By A Customer
This review is from: Thrust: The Remarkable Story of One Man's Quest for Speed (Hardcover)
The overwhleming impression that this book leaves is how much a small dedicated team could achieve against the odds of apathy from government departments, many commercial potential sponsors and industry in general. But for the fact that the book actually told a success story, it would have made quite gloomy reading. The team, of which Richard Noble was part, overcame enormous financial and technical problems to, not only break the Land speed record but also to be the first to go supersonic on four wheels. Even the closing chapter of the book left one at a low point when one appreciated that British industry has made almost no capital out of the success story: we should be trumpeting it from the rooftops. My only criticism is the disturbingly large use of the f word in quotes from those involved. It makes it more difficult to recommend the book for a widespread readership.
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