I read my second ever Formula One book just a few weeks ago. I got it from my local library; this book being one of the only books that are available in my area. The book is entitled Burning Rubber and was written by Charles Jennings back in 2011. Overall, this book was really informative and was an interesting read and is something that I would recommend this book to my friends.
I was a little sceptical on reading this book, since many of the online reviews that I read prior to ordering the book said that it was a dull read and that you had to be a really big fan of the sport to enjoy it. I decided that since there is no fee for ordering books at the public library, I would go ahead and check it out. If I didn’t like it, I would just take it back. As it turns out, I am glad that I didn’t pass up the opportunity to read this book. Whether it’s because I am a giant Formula One fan or if it is just because the reviews were fake, but I didn’t find it dull or uninteresting at all. As a matter of fact, there were a few times that I had difficulty putting in down.
I loved the author’s writing style, as it seems very unique. The text is formal, but yet the author’s voice just seems casual. It isn’t like the narration of a documentary, but rather having a conversation with the author himself. They even add their opinions and some extra details in brackets throughout the book. However, in some areas, I found the author’s opinion to be a bit harsh, like when they called the marshals involved with Roger Williamson’s death incompetent because they were unable to help.
I also loved the amount of detail that the book goes into. It was really interesting to read about this small little details that often get excluded from documentaries and other historical material. At one point in the book, the author even goes into so much detail, as to describe Alfred Neubauer’s breakfast list. In addition, the chapters all involved a variety of different topics. Whether you want to learn about a driver, Grand Prix event, constructor or person, you name it and this book has it. It even has a chapter just for Gilles Villeneuve. That was my personal favourite chapter because I am Canadian.
Despite the fact that every chapter in the book is about a different topic, the author did an amazing job to make sure that the chapters are connected in some way. This just really enhances the flow of the book and keeps the reader interested. This must have been a difficult task, considering that the book begins way back in the 1930s and goes up to 2010. The only downside to having a book with so much content to cover, is that the final few years of information is all cramped into the final chapter of the book. It is upsetting, since the read of the book was so evenly covered.
Another great aspect of this book are the two picture segments. I am not sure if every copy of this book has been published with picture sections or if I borrowed a special edition copy. The photo sections were filled with some great, full colour images from the past. Each image also had an informative caption.
Overall, this book was great and I would recommend it to anyone who has any interest in Formula One history. It was very well written and has some really interesting content. Check it out.
