On the Road: Growing Up in Eight Journeys - My Early Years

by Richard Hammond

An autobiography of Top Gear cohost Richard Hammond, told through 20 significant road journeys he has takenIn a new and very appropriate form of autobiography, Richard Hammond tells his life story through a series of significant driving episodes. He's a child in the back seat of Dad's car on the way to the seaside in Weston-Super-Mare. He's on his first bike, a red one, in Solihull; then on his first motorcycle, a Honda MTX50. He's at the wheel of his first car, and with his first girlfriend. He is driving a furniture delivery van as part of his first job in and around Ripon. Now he is showing off with a friend, risking everything. Then he is surging ahead in an open-top, a successful TV star. Next, a car crash that made national headlines. This is an emotional road map in which each chapter has its own registration number, and its own distinctive interior. This memoir surges on to its destination, reversing or moving quickly through the gears, reliving the central episodes and conflicts of Richard's life. Although there are precious few road-rage monologues against four-wheel drivers and men in vests in white vans, Richard Hammond's readers will quickly recognize the funny, self-deprecating, and balanced ease that has made him one of Britain's best-loved writers and television hosts.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Cars, Autobiography

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Richard Hammond is a British TV presenter, most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky1, Should I Worry About...? on BBC One and Total Wipeout, also on BBC One and Richard Hammonds Blast Lab on CBBC. He has also presented several one-off specials such as ITV's The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding The Legend and the annual Crufts awards.

In 2006, Hammond suffered a life-threatening crash at speeds of over 280mph in a jet engine powered dragster racing car. He recovered months later and continued his presenting work.

Reviews

[Sunnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll state it now, loud and clear. I am an unabashed fan of Richard Hammond. I like his looks and his humour appeals to me greatly. I also love the unexplainable chemistry he has with with his Top Gear co- presenters, Jeremy Clarkson and James May. So I am going to be predisposed liking any of his endeavours.

On the Road is different from anything he's written before. On the Edge which he co-wrote with his wife Mindy was both funny and very moving as they told their story of the catastrophic crash that came so close to ending his life and his struggle to regain it after suffering brain injury. His other two books were light hearted anecdotes about his life and his self deprecating humour does portray him as bumbling his way through life.

This latest book though reveals a more thoughtful and perhaps deeper thinking character than his public persona indicates. He describes various stages of his life through a series of journeys has made during his formative years.

The first chapter, the 8 year old is in the back of his parent's car on his way to visit his grandparents. He does a great job of describing the boredom at that age of such a trip and his description of fighting with his brothers in the back seat and his father's reaction I'm sure will resonate with many.

He also reveals himself to be a rather tortured teenager, full of uncertainty and angst, unsure of himself and his place in the world. His lack of height, baby face and late maturing all contributing factors. One story in particular illustrates that. Dancing at a club with a girl one night Richard found himself being approached by a large man, probably a soldier. He describes how he immediately tensed, preparing to perhaps fight. However the squaddie took his face in both hands and planted a big wet kiss on the sixteen year old's cheek, said, "I love you," and marched back to his laughing mates. It was clearly a dare which everyone in the club saw and which left Richard standing humiliated with no idea what to do or say.

If you want funny anecdotes this isn't for you, but if you are interested in perhaps getting a glimpse of the journey that formed the man, you may enjoy On the Road. Hammond isn't always kind to himself and doesn't shy away from the odd story that doesn't paint him in a positive light. He also has a gift for description and if at times those details of the workings of a bicycle or a car lose the reader than that's Ok because in those passages his passion for things mechanical shine through.

[LauraJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

i like you Hammond, but this was not a novel for me. there was no point to the stories. which i think you tried to warn me of at the beginning, but still. some of the drives you didn't even get to the end of.

bleh.

[Kristina Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a book to endear you to Richard Hammond. He comes across as obnoxious in many ways, although he is writing from his younger perspective so perhaps we should forgive young hooliganism. Worth reading if you're really a fan but best avoided otherwise.

[Ben Twoonezero · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a hit and miss collection, will read more by him but he needs to engage the reader more.

[Kifflie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin, really.

This is a very clever way of throwing together a memoir; or perhaps it could be considered eight different memoirs, because each story stands alone pretty darn well.

Richard Hammond has done a lot of travelling in his lifetime, and he got around quite a bit before he even joined the Top Gear team. Starting with a family trip to the seaside when he was just eight years old, Hammond takes the reader through all sorts of poignant childhood and adolescent moments -- moments that most of us can empathize with if we just let ourselves go back to those times. He writes as an adult, but the emotions and reactions are those of a young person struggling to make sense of a sometimes unfathomable world. It's a world of dodgy vehicles, dark workshops, an ordinary visit to the dentist, the rugged beauty of Yorkshire and the Lake District, art school crushes, and musical dreams.

It's a book that makes me think I could almost write something similar about my own travels, were I as talented a writer.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Richard Hammond will like this book. In "On the Road...." Richard takes a trip down memory lane remembering his first motorbike, his first car, his Jago Jeep and his first company car. It's a nostalgic trip and parts of it will resonate with anyone who remembers the joy of taking possession of their very first car.

[Ian Heap · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good read.
A little flowery in places. But I guess that was Richard being in character of his youthful self.

Reading it brought back memories of my own childhood and teenager years. Some it was scarily similar!

For someone who great up in the UK through the 70's and 80's this is worth a read.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, Really, REEEEALLLY good book! It was one of those books that kept me engaged and entertained. Hammond gives you a detailed look into his childhood and teenage years, and it was thought provoking, witty, and at some points, relatable. It was a different kind of memoir/biography. Makes me love Richard Hammond even more! haha

[John Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, but I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped that I would. I think that this was probably a generational thing and purely a personal view. For those of a similar age to Mr H I think that it will trigger many personal recollections of their own growing up and early adulthood.

Nice to fead something written with style though, and very open about the way he sees the world.

[Muhammad Ridha Ar-Rasyid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do forgot that I read this book, and leaving a few pages. Fortunately I remembered it, and decided to finish it, as soon as possible.

On The Road is a "freshly" memoir, and by "fresh", I mean it's new style of writing a memoir. Hammond did a very good job here. I like how he pay attention to some details without leaving a narration.

[Jim Dennison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The prose is very good and you can easily imagine Hammond reading it in an audio book - quite touching and turns out I'm exactly the same age as him so similar memories. Overall worth a quick read but nothing mind-blowing

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a Top Gear fan you would probably enjoy this book. You can see so that so much about Richard Hammond has not changed from his childhood to his days on Top Gear.

Read it for a bit of fun!

I would like to know what happened once he got the Buttermere Valley though - is there a sequel?

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing in places - a quick read.

[Karen Purcell · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK if you like engines, bikes, etc.

[Bill Conrad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I liked Richard's other works. This book is about his early life, and it is told though a series of driving adventures. A creative autobiography, and I liked the style. The reader gets to see the struggles, success, and stories of an interesting person. I especially liked the delivery van, an unexpected hero of the story.
For me, the best part was the pictures; they really added to the scene. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I would have preferred more information. Perhaps 30% more pages to explain some details. Also, the style seemed a bit rushed. Perhaps if Richard put this book down for two months and then hw would have had the perspective to smooth over some sections and polished the descriptions. Still, a recommended read if you would like to learn more about the Hamster.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read quite a few of Richards books and enjoyed them. This one however was a bit hit and miss. "Growing up in eight journeys", that maybe but he never actually arrives at the destinations he talks about. One minute were in the car on a family holiday, then boom! We're at secondary school. It all seems a bit jumbled up. I did learn some interesting facts about his first job etc, but that mostly it. He does go a lot in depth about fixing his bike, which to be honest was a bit long for me. All the same doesn't put me off the man 😉.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard Hammond relates his early years in terms of vehicles - family car, bicycle, motorbike, assorted other vehicles. Most of the time he's pretty engaging - rather lost me in the detailed descriptions of how gears and engines work. It's interesting in terms of how different English youth is compared to American. They turn 'em out earlier, and it's just odd to realize a 16 year old doesn't have at least two more years of school to complete.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an autobiography or memoir, just a series of snapshots of Hamster's early life. Encapsulated by the first of the photos included - a very young, toddler, Hammond, with his peddle car, which he is meticulously cleaning.

[Lottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't get enough of the way Richard Hammond speaks, and naturally I cling to his every written word. This was deeply atmospheric, immersive, and engaging. Even when he was talking about cars and I didn't have a clue what was happening, I enjoyed it.

[Tamara Abrosimova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently reading it and at times, it's hard to keep up and some words I have to Google (due to it being in English, instead of American-English language). I like it though!
It's a nice read if you're a fan of Richard Hammond :)

[Jada Pfeifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favourite Richard Hammond book but a good read about his early life.

[Nathan Herat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Richard's bike adventures during his childhood; this book is a more serious, reflective side of him.

[Puck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik heb het idee dat er veel humor bij het vertalen van Engels naar Nederlands verloren is gegaan. Ik heb twee andere boeken van Richard Hammond in het Engels en als je daar in leest, is het een hele andere verhaal stijl! Mocht ik de mogelijkheid hebben om hem nog eens in het Engels te lezen, dan wil ik dat zeker nog proberen!

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Richard Hammond and would gladly read his grocery list if he posted it online. This book was a nice look into Richard's early years and the experiences that made The Hamster we all know and love. I'm very glad I read this.

[Ollie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm really not sure what I expected here - but it certainly wasn't this.
The quality and standard of writing in this book is abismal: its only saving grace is the poor humor throughout.
Some funny anecdotes, but not enough to make up for the bad story telling.

[Destiny]

love it

[Vishal Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have grown up watching Richard Hammond (AKA Hamster) from Top Gear with the other two motor head Clarkson and May to Total Wipe out and loving his funny and sarcastic commentary on the show. This book explores his early life from childhood and love for customizing bikes to Music and presenting for the BBC.

I can confirm that this is an easy and entertaining book to read that I could not put down. I would truly recommend this to anyone.