Scan barcode
salim888's review against another edition
5.0
Really fun to read, I loved reading a chapter and then seeing the TG episode. And I don't agree with people that say the army chapters are boring, I believe it was a way for him to explain a phase in his life he loved and how it could marry with the idea of nothing is impossible.
samstillreading's review against another edition
3.0
I purely read this book because I wanted to know more about The Stig and Top Gear. I didn’t really know anything about Ben Collins prior to this.
This book reads more like an autobiography of Ben Collins up to his departure from Top Gear (although it is VERY sketchy on the details and reasons why this happened). We learn about his childhood (interesting), younger days riding karts and various cars (interesting), army days (quite boring) and then we hit Top Gear days. This was by far and away the best part of the book for me. It was interesting to learn that Collins was actually being the Stig on the tube (public transport vs car vs bike vs boat), I would have thought someone else would do that. Riding with Tom Cruise, teaching a blind man to drive the Top Gear track and Richard Hammond’s crash (covered by the man himself in On the Edge), it’s all there. Ben Collins can cover how to drive very fast really, really well. The stories about Top Gear were very entertaining and witty. But towards the end of the book, we suddenly hear about how he is tired about the extreme secrecy he must maintain in his role as The Stig, how he’s getting a bit tired of the whole thing and then…it’s over. Given that the BBC tried to put an injunction on the publication of this book, there must be more! Why does Jeremy Clarkson react so negatively when questioned about Collins as The Stig? Why does Collins himself seem so jealous when a decoy in the form of Michael Schumacher appears on the show? The ending, the leaving is tied up so quickly and perfectly in a big red bow you just know that it’s hiding a dirty big coffee stain underneath.
A fairly interesting and light read, this would appeal to Top Gear fans (obviously) and boys interested in cars and racing. I’d also be interested in hearing about what Collins is doing now (surely being on Fifth Gear is incorrect?) but not enough to read another book.
This book reads more like an autobiography of Ben Collins up to his departure from Top Gear (although it is VERY sketchy on the details and reasons why this happened). We learn about his childhood (interesting), younger days riding karts and various cars (interesting), army days (quite boring) and then we hit Top Gear days. This was by far and away the best part of the book for me. It was interesting to learn that Collins was actually being the Stig on the tube (public transport vs car vs bike vs boat), I would have thought someone else would do that. Riding with Tom Cruise, teaching a blind man to drive the Top Gear track and Richard Hammond’s crash (covered by the man himself in On the Edge), it’s all there. Ben Collins can cover how to drive very fast really, really well. The stories about Top Gear were very entertaining and witty. But towards the end of the book, we suddenly hear about how he is tired about the extreme secrecy he must maintain in his role as The Stig, how he’s getting a bit tired of the whole thing and then…it’s over. Given that the BBC tried to put an injunction on the publication of this book, there must be more! Why does Jeremy Clarkson react so negatively when questioned about Collins as The Stig? Why does Collins himself seem so jealous when a decoy in the form of Michael Schumacher appears on the show? The ending, the leaving is tied up so quickly and perfectly in a big red bow you just know that it’s hiding a dirty big coffee stain underneath.
A fairly interesting and light read, this would appeal to Top Gear fans (obviously) and boys interested in cars and racing. I’d also be interested in hearing about what Collins is doing now (surely being on Fifth Gear is incorrect?) but not enough to read another book.
skybalon's review against another edition
3.0
If you like Top Gear and want to read some (but maybe not enough) about the behind the scenes stuff, this is worth reading. The author certainly writes some fairly purple prose for a race car driver and then follows up with not just racing jargon, but English racing jargon which almost makes parts of the book unreadable. Not a bad read, just not a great one.
gvdwatt's review against another edition
4.0
I was pleased to learn more about the Stig and what he did outside of Top Gear. The ending was a bit unsatisfying as I wanted to know more about why he left and how it went down. I loved the behind-the-scenes parts from Top Gear and getting the point of view I would never have imagined.
sbaunsgard's review against another edition
3.0
A biography of Collins up to the point that he left Top Gear. Racing, the army, stunt work, and behind the scenes at Top Gear. The book is chaptered by topics so that you can skip what you aren't interested in. I would recommend this only if you are a fan of Top Gear or want to learn more about what it is like to be a race car or stunt driver.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
‘The difference between the exceptionally brave and the plain stupid is a fine line.’
Ben Collins, born in 1975, has competed in motorsport since 1994. He worked with Top Gear (both as the anonymous ‘tame racing driver’ -The Stig - and also as himself since December 2003.
This is his story.
Ben Collins was born in Bristol, has competed as a junior Olympic standard swimmer while living in California and wanted to be a fighter pilot. When this career was ruled out because of his eyesight, he switched to cars. Ben won races in nearly every category he competed in: from Formula Three to LeMans Sportscars, and GT. In 2003 he won the European ASCAR title while racing for RML Motorsport. When his racing career was temporarily curtailed by a lack of funding, Ben joined the Army reserves. He also began a new venture working as a Hollywood stuntman.
In 2003, Ben became the fourth presenter on BBC TV’s ‘Top Gear.’ As ‘The Stig’, he test drove exotic cars, coached celebrities how to get the best out of the ‘reasonably priced car’ around the now legendary Top Gear test track. As ‘the man in the white suit’, he was recognised by millions of Top Gear fans around the world.
This book makes for interesting reading both for Top Gear fans curious about the identity of The Stig, but also for those interested in Ben Collins as an accomplished racing driver.
I found this an easy and interesting read, especially the descriptions of his driving experiences. As an Australian, I enjoyed his reference to the yellow flags (specifically in relation to kangaroos) at Bathurst.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Ben Collins, born in 1975, has competed in motorsport since 1994. He worked with Top Gear (both as the anonymous ‘tame racing driver’ -The Stig - and also as himself since December 2003.
This is his story.
Ben Collins was born in Bristol, has competed as a junior Olympic standard swimmer while living in California and wanted to be a fighter pilot. When this career was ruled out because of his eyesight, he switched to cars. Ben won races in nearly every category he competed in: from Formula Three to LeMans Sportscars, and GT. In 2003 he won the European ASCAR title while racing for RML Motorsport. When his racing career was temporarily curtailed by a lack of funding, Ben joined the Army reserves. He also began a new venture working as a Hollywood stuntman.
In 2003, Ben became the fourth presenter on BBC TV’s ‘Top Gear.’ As ‘The Stig’, he test drove exotic cars, coached celebrities how to get the best out of the ‘reasonably priced car’ around the now legendary Top Gear test track. As ‘the man in the white suit’, he was recognised by millions of Top Gear fans around the world.
This book makes for interesting reading both for Top Gear fans curious about the identity of The Stig, but also for those interested in Ben Collins as an accomplished racing driver.
I found this an easy and interesting read, especially the descriptions of his driving experiences. As an Australian, I enjoyed his reference to the yellow flags (specifically in relation to kangaroos) at Bathurst.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
friedatweehuysen's review against another edition
4.0
I was entertained by Collins' autobiography. Not so much the army stuff which really convinced me it would be terrible for me. I enjoyed his racing stories, but adored his Top Gear stuff which I remembered as he was talking. Although I didn't realise how long those clips actually took.