Title: On the Edge
Author: Richard Hammond
Type: Non-Fiction
Page Count/Review Word Count: 309
Rating: 7/10
Richard Hammond – On the Edge
Now, I should preface this by pointing out that I’m not exactly a massive Richard Hammond fan – I don’t hate the guy, and he doesn’t annoy me as much as Jeremy Clarkson, but neither do I worship his every move and catch every programme that he creates. In fact, I’m not even sure how I came to own this book – I probably bought it on a whim at a charity shop.
And really, it does exactly what you’d expect it to – it covers the majority of Hammond’s life, with a particular focus on the car crash that almost killed him. Along the way, he receives a helping hand from Mindy, his wife who also happens to be the more talented writer of the two, and so you get to see two sides of his story.
That said, I didn’t find it particularly interesting, and it’s pretty much average for a celebrity autobiography – there are many worse examples and there are many better ones, and so unless you’re a particular fan of Hammond’s then you may as well go and read something else. Gordon Ramsay’s autobiographies, for example, are phenomenal, and I can say that because I’m not really a foodie.
Still, there are plenty of redeeming factors too, like the glossy photographs inside and the quality of the writing and editing, both of which are professionally done. Even now, when the book is a little out of date, it does at least offer up a snapshot of how the hamster got where he is today, and there’s also plenty of juicy details for petrol-heads and Top Gear fans who are more interested in cars than people. Hopefully that helps you to figure out which audience you belong to.
Richard Hammond
