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The World According to Clarkson #8
Can You Make This Thing Go Faster?
The hilarious new collection of stories and observations from Jeremy Clarkson - setting our off-kilter world to rights with thigh-slapping wit once again.Who is that tractor-driving Gentleman Farmer?Has Jeremy turned into a horny-handed son of the soil?These and other perplexing questions may or may not be answered in the latest volume of Clarkson's utterly unbiased musings on life, the universe and everything in between (except cars - this isn't one of his four-wheel drive books).Inside you'll also discover · Bathing in crude oil isn't for everyone· People who go fishing hate their kids· Noise-cancelling headphones will never silence James May· The rambler who stole his marrow is in for itFull of fact-checked opinions and ideas so good they're no longer following the science but chasing it up a tree, Can You Make This Thing Go Faster? is one hundred per cent guaranteed Clarkson . . .Praise for 'Brilliant . . . laugh-out-loud' Daily Telegraph'Outrageously funny . . . will have you in stitches' Time Out'Very funny . . . I cracked up laughing on the tube' Evening Standard
464 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2020
226 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Clarkson
59 books1,071 followersJeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born April 11, 1960) is an English broadcaster and writer who specialises in motoring.
He writes weekly columns for The Sunday Times and The Sun, but is better known for his role on the BBC television programme Top Gear.
From a career as a local journalist in the north of England, he rose to public prominence as a presenter of the original format of Top Gear in 1988. Since the mid-1990s Clarkson has become a recognised public personality, regularly appearing on British television presenting his own shows and appearing as a guest on other shows. As well as motoring, Clarkson has produced programmes and books on subjects such as history and engineering. From 1998 to 2000 he also hosted his own chat show, Clarkson.
His opinionated but humorous tongue-in-cheek writing and presenting style has often generated much public reaction to his viewpoints. His actions both privately and as a Top Gear presenter have also sometimes resulted in criticism from the media, politicians, pressure groups and the public.
As well as the criticism levelled against him, Clarkson also generated a significant following in the public at large, being credited as a factor in the resurgence of Top Gear to the most popular show on BBC Two, and calls for him to be made Prime Minister. Clarkson himself was keen to downplay his perceived influence on the British public, stating he regularly contradicts himself, and would make a "rubbish" Prime Minister.
He writes weekly columns for The Sunday Times and The Sun, but is better known for his role on the BBC television programme Top Gear.
From a career as a local journalist in the north of England, he rose to public prominence as a presenter of the original format of Top Gear in 1988. Since the mid-1990s Clarkson has become a recognised public personality, regularly appearing on British television presenting his own shows and appearing as a guest on other shows. As well as motoring, Clarkson has produced programmes and books on subjects such as history and engineering. From 1998 to 2000 he also hosted his own chat show, Clarkson.
His opinionated but humorous tongue-in-cheek writing and presenting style has often generated much public reaction to his viewpoints. His actions both privately and as a Top Gear presenter have also sometimes resulted in criticism from the media, politicians, pressure groups and the public.
As well as the criticism levelled against him, Clarkson also generated a significant following in the public at large, being credited as a factor in the resurgence of Top Gear to the most popular show on BBC Two, and calls for him to be made Prime Minister. Clarkson himself was keen to downplay his perceived influence on the British public, stating he regularly contradicts himself, and would make a "rubbish" Prime Minister.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 18, 2022
I didn’t finish this book because what I did read was rude, curt and judgemental rantings which weren’t even funny or amusing. I didn’t want to waste my time reading beyond page 25! You could say that this is a curt review, but I think that it’s all this book deserves.
March 29, 2024
A collection of short Clarkson's articles in Sunday Times, published in 2018 and 2019. A typical of Clarkson, always funny, politically incorrect, often disagreeable and controversial and sometimes outrageous. An entertaining guilty pleasure, especially if one has a few minutes spare to take a look at farmer Clarkson's funny musings.
July 28, 2023
3.5 stars
March 4, 2025
CAWPILE 6.00
3.5 STARS
Read to fulfill the Buzzwordathon Word Prompt for March 2025- Read a book with 'thing' in the title.
I've enjoyed the Diddly Squat books previously so I thought I'd like this one.
It's a collection of weekly articles so it's of a time in 2018- pre Covid and the lockdowns, the politics of the time.
I don't know if I would have picked it up without the prompt but I'm pleased to mark it as read.
3.5 STARS
Read to fulfill the Buzzwordathon Word Prompt for March 2025- Read a book with 'thing' in the title.
I've enjoyed the Diddly Squat books previously so I thought I'd like this one.
It's a collection of weekly articles so it's of a time in 2018- pre Covid and the lockdowns, the politics of the time.
I don't know if I would have picked it up without the prompt but I'm pleased to mark it as read.
May 3, 2024
A seriously entertaining collection of points, suggestions and downright stupid ideas. Political and comedic, Clarkson breaks anecdotes and answers into 4 page outbursts that offer short but understandably witty resolutions to not so relatable problems.
A thoroughly enjoyable read for the not-so-political reader, had me laughing throughout. Would highly recommend!
A thoroughly enjoyable read for the not-so-political reader, had me laughing throughout. Would highly recommend!
July 19, 2022
I have read many Jeremy Clarkson books, and this one seemed interesting. It is a collection of his Sunday Times column articles, and the overall theme is his experience with the government and people. This book came out after the Grand Tour stopped doing segments and switched to road adventures. At the same time, Jeremy was also doing his farm show. So, a critical time with a lot going on.
What is (intentionally) missing from these articles are details about his personal life. I think this is an excellent choice to keep candid information out of the public eye, but I know from reading the news that he had a lot going on in his personal life, and it would have been interesting to get the details from the source.
My favorite article was about abbreviations (acronyms). Jeremy hates them just as much as I do, and using the quote from Good Morning Vietnam about them cracked me up. Quite impressive that we like the same movie and quote.
I also liked the article about the donkey scene. Here is a great quote: “When we don’t trust anything we see or hear, we lose our ability to be amazed.” There is lots of wisdom in those words. The world has a lot going on, and seeing the forest through the trees is tough. But his words were also funny. “Would you be OK with Pepsi? I always reply: Sure. If you’d be OK with Monopoly money.”
If you like Jeremy’s previous works, you will also enjoy this work. There are many pearls of wisdom and rewards. However, you must be prepared to get the raw truth. Jeremy does not hold back, which is part of his charm.
What is (intentionally) missing from these articles are details about his personal life. I think this is an excellent choice to keep candid information out of the public eye, but I know from reading the news that he had a lot going on in his personal life, and it would have been interesting to get the details from the source.
My favorite article was about abbreviations (acronyms). Jeremy hates them just as much as I do, and using the quote from Good Morning Vietnam about them cracked me up. Quite impressive that we like the same movie and quote.
I also liked the article about the donkey scene. Here is a great quote: “When we don’t trust anything we see or hear, we lose our ability to be amazed.” There is lots of wisdom in those words. The world has a lot going on, and seeing the forest through the trees is tough. But his words were also funny. “Would you be OK with Pepsi? I always reply: Sure. If you’d be OK with Monopoly money.”
If you like Jeremy’s previous works, you will also enjoy this work. There are many pearls of wisdom and rewards. However, you must be prepared to get the raw truth. Jeremy does not hold back, which is part of his charm.
February 4, 2022
I’m no petrolhead; cars do nothing for me and the only way I can be moved by them is by sitting inside one. Consequently, TV shows such as Top Gear and Grand Tour in which Jeremy Clarkson featured / features, leave me pretty cold. As do his books in which he discusses the virtues, and lack of, relative to cars that in the main I’ve never even heard of. It’s all just a list of incoherent numbers and letters to me.
Jeremy’s books however, those that comprise his rants and musings on life and situations in general really tickle my cynical and sarcastic funny bone.
As with the other nine I have in my collection, ‘Can You Make This Thing Go Faster?’ is a collection of his weekly articles for The Sunday Times. These ones cover the period between, 7th January 2018 and 29th December 2019.
Spread over three hundred and eight pages, each section runs to only three and a half pages, around one thousand to eleven hundred words. This makes it perfect for us with short attention spans and poor memory! If you’re looking for a quick hit of acerbic wit to brighten your day, this is it.
Jeremy Clarkson’s sense of humour may not be to everyone’s taste these days, but as a tight-arsed, grumpy Scotsman with short arms and long pockets, I firmly believe everyone should be able to laugh at themselves above and before anything else. He may not be ‘politically correct’ in his attitudes,but I love it!
Jeremy’s books however, those that comprise his rants and musings on life and situations in general really tickle my cynical and sarcastic funny bone.
As with the other nine I have in my collection, ‘Can You Make This Thing Go Faster?’ is a collection of his weekly articles for The Sunday Times. These ones cover the period between, 7th January 2018 and 29th December 2019.
Spread over three hundred and eight pages, each section runs to only three and a half pages, around one thousand to eleven hundred words. This makes it perfect for us with short attention spans and poor memory! If you’re looking for a quick hit of acerbic wit to brighten your day, this is it.
Jeremy Clarkson’s sense of humour may not be to everyone’s taste these days, but as a tight-arsed, grumpy Scotsman with short arms and long pockets, I firmly believe everyone should be able to laugh at themselves above and before anything else. He may not be ‘politically correct’ in his attitudes,but I love it!
June 19, 2021
The latest in his cash re-grab and publication of his Times columns, known as 'The World According to..." finds Jeremy mainly on his farm and idiotically transitioning to life in the countryside and more away from world travel and dicking about in sports cars, due to the evermore gradual loss of his televisual empire.
His latest rural antics are captured in a new series and it's as awful and cringeworthy to watch, as it is to read about it. Henceforth less entertaining, as I know as much about farming as I do about cars. The rest is just the usual grumpy man routine about newsworthy things in the most recent past. All of which we are, let's face it, sick to the back teeth to hear about anymore.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS THING GO FASTER? has its moments and joyful witticisms, but makes you wonder if this series is getting tedious now.
His latest rural antics are captured in a new series and it's as awful and cringeworthy to watch, as it is to read about it. Henceforth less entertaining, as I know as much about farming as I do about cars. The rest is just the usual grumpy man routine about newsworthy things in the most recent past. All of which we are, let's face it, sick to the back teeth to hear about anymore.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS THING GO FASTER? has its moments and joyful witticisms, but makes you wonder if this series is getting tedious now.
January 2, 2022
Even though I gave the book only 3 stars I did really enjoy it…but like others have written it is just clips from his newspaper articles over a 2ish year period.
Clarkson writes very much how he talks so if you like and appreciate Clarkson’s humour you’ll like the book.
Some chapters had me laughing out loud others left me very nonplussed by them.
Chapters are short so it’s a very easy read to keep picking up and putting down, or reading along side other books.
It’s a good book to recap all the news stories over the last 2 years with short references to Top Gear, Grand Tour and the latest Clarksons Farm.
Would I recommend it! Yes for a Clarkson fan but maybe avoid if your not keen on him.
Clarkson writes very much how he talks so if you like and appreciate Clarkson’s humour you’ll like the book.
Some chapters had me laughing out loud others left me very nonplussed by them.
Chapters are short so it’s a very easy read to keep picking up and putting down, or reading along side other books.
It’s a good book to recap all the news stories over the last 2 years with short references to Top Gear, Grand Tour and the latest Clarksons Farm.
Would I recommend it! Yes for a Clarkson fan but maybe avoid if your not keen on him.
February 25, 2022
Brilliant book, of course it’s full of opinions many of us disagree with, but that doesn’t make it not worth reading. The book itself is absolutely hilarious. I think that it’s important that we bare in mind that only by listening to other people’s opinions can we learn and understand things at a greater depth.
I don’t think after reading this i should justify why those with different opinions should read it. I am not justifying Clarkson’s opinions, as many of them are not necessarily his true opinions, many have the soul purpose of invoking argument and conversation.
Personally, i may have found my favourite book so far, and in every chapter i found a reason to encourage my friends to read this book also.
I don’t think after reading this i should justify why those with different opinions should read it. I am not justifying Clarkson’s opinions, as many of them are not necessarily his true opinions, many have the soul purpose of invoking argument and conversation.
Personally, i may have found my favourite book so far, and in every chapter i found a reason to encourage my friends to read this book also.
July 17, 2022
Some of my favorite quotes:
- There are no very happy people who spend their lunch hour eating weeds while scrolling through a stream of electronic misery on their laptop.
- When you come to the end of a box set that you’ve really loved, it’s like coming to the end of a long term relationship.
- Vegetablists (vegetarians)
- (on shopping abroad) No one wants to waste their time buying stuff they don’t need from exactly the same retail cathedrals we have at home.
- “No one is dreaming up abbreviations to save time. They are showing off.”
- “A wise man told me the other day that the economic situation facing the British was serious but not disastrous. Whereas the economic situation facing the Italians was disastrous but not serious.”
- There are no very happy people who spend their lunch hour eating weeds while scrolling through a stream of electronic misery on their laptop.
- When you come to the end of a box set that you’ve really loved, it’s like coming to the end of a long term relationship.
- Vegetablists (vegetarians)
- (on shopping abroad) No one wants to waste their time buying stuff they don’t need from exactly the same retail cathedrals we have at home.
- “No one is dreaming up abbreviations to save time. They are showing off.”
- “A wise man told me the other day that the economic situation facing the British was serious but not disastrous. Whereas the economic situation facing the Italians was disastrous but not serious.”
November 7, 2022
This is a collection of Clarkson's newspaper columns from January 2018 through December 2019. Some of the columns are outright funny; others sarcastic; and others containing a bit of political commentary with occassional humor, or snark, or just outright dismay. And along the way we find out his views on Brexit, Boris Johnson, immigrants, Trump, and other hot topics on the other side of the Atlantic.
Overall, a decent read. If you like him on TOP GEAR or THE GRAND TOUR, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you think he is boorish or worse on those shows, then that is how you will prbably view this book. The writing style is very much like his presentation style on TV, with a bit of colloquial British English thrown in.
Overall, a decent read. If you like him on TOP GEAR or THE GRAND TOUR, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you think he is boorish or worse on those shows, then that is how you will prbably view this book. The writing style is very much like his presentation style on TV, with a bit of colloquial British English thrown in.
December 23, 2022
This is not a novel; it is a collection of articles originally printed in a Sunday newspaper in 2018/19 and reading it in December 2022 it is interesting to look back at the events of that time and how things have turned out since. It is everything I expected from Jeremy Clarkson and there can't be many (British) people who are not familiar with his humour making him something of a Mr Marmite. Most readers will fall into one of two opposing camps with few on the fence so, if you do not appreciate his outlook there is no point whatsoever in reading this as it is littered with his trademark outrageous comments like “cyclists should be put in prison”, yes cyclists irritate him but nobody thinks he means this literally; he is being facetious.
June 18, 2022
Another really good read. As we all know, Jeremy is one of those people who is hated by some and loved by others. Having grown up watching Jeremy through his top gear years, I find his blunt and honest views very refreshing. Sure, he has some views that even this Jeremy fan doesn’t agree with, but that’s the thing! everyone is entitled to their own opinion but so often we feel unable to voice our views for fear of backlash from others. So in short, this book was another very refreshing read and certainly has its funny moments. Whether you love or hate the guy, however, you surely have to appreciate his writing style, which simply makes for an enjoyable read.
November 23, 2023
Jeremy Clarkson's honesty and humour is what gets him in trouble a lot of the time.. but it also makes him a great writer.
To understand a big chunk of this book, you have to know a little about British politics. I had zero knowledge of it when I started, which is why I had a hard time with some of the chapters. However, Clarkson knows how to engage everyone in his audience with relatable humour and silly words.
It's also really fun to read this with his voice in mind. I found myself often laughing because I understood exactly how Clarkson would say it.
4/5. I would love to read a book strictly on his farming adventures
To understand a big chunk of this book, you have to know a little about British politics. I had zero knowledge of it when I started, which is why I had a hard time with some of the chapters. However, Clarkson knows how to engage everyone in his audience with relatable humour and silly words.
It's also really fun to read this with his voice in mind. I found myself often laughing because I understood exactly how Clarkson would say it.
4/5. I would love to read a book strictly on his farming adventures
August 8, 2021
I love Clarkson, or at least I love the character he plays on TV. This book was fairly shite. The two stars are for the 3 chapters I actually fully enjoyed. I'm sure if he read this he would call me a twitter leftist animal enthusiast but his columns are 99% of the time the inane ramblings of a slightly older than middle aged man who is scared of the world as he knows it leaving him behind. Also. Jeremy. You are not middle class.
February 9, 2025
I had read the rest of this series shortly after they came out and had found them entertaining, so I decided to finish things off with this one. Always non-PC, these musings by JC are most definitely past their sell-by date now unfortunately - not only the content, but also the tone. However, there were still enough funny, non-offensive, snippets for me to enjoy it enough to give it a 3-star rating but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone who isn't a die-hard JC fan.
January 2, 2021
The articles are from his column's in The Sunday Times so if you take that don't bother with this book.
Goes from Jan 2018 - Dec 2019 and it does bring back events of those years I must say.
That's about it really, he does like you to know about whom he associates with and the fact he has money and various properties dotted about.
Goes from Jan 2018 - Dec 2019 and it does bring back events of those years I must say.
That's about it really, he does like you to know about whom he associates with and the fact he has money and various properties dotted about.
September 19, 2023
Been on the shelf for a while and wanted something easy and quick to read. You know what you're getting with one of these collections of newspaper articles; nothing too special but there are plenty of laughs along the way. Docked a star for so many anti-Corbyn sections. For the most part I like Clarkson's more outrageous takes but our personal politics clearly don't align!
November 6, 2023
I think I've read all of Clarkson's books but somehow this one from 2019 seems to have passed me by.
As usual, it's Jeremy's articles from the Times - as I'm quite late to this particular party (or book) then it's maybe not as relevant today as it was back then, although it's good to see wokeness getting a pounding back in 2018 & 2019 too!
As usual, it's Jeremy's articles from the Times - as I'm quite late to this particular party (or book) then it's maybe not as relevant today as it was back then, although it's good to see wokeness getting a pounding back in 2018 & 2019 too!
August 18, 2025
Świetna książka, pełna humoru. Dzięki niej można spojrzeć na świat z innej perspektywy i dostrzec, że w sumie „ten gość” to ma rację. Przeczytałam ją na urlopie i ciesze się, ponieważ dawno nie śmiałam się na głos czytając książkę co było idealną rozrywką i okazją, aby oczyścić umysł. Przy okazji stałam się również wielką fanką autora i zaraz sięgnę po następną książkę..
February 10, 2022
Yet another collection of Clarkson's pieces from the Times' column. This time very little about cars, too much about UK's politics, especially Jeremy Corbyn. It does get tedious at times and the humour gets duller. Maybe it's natural? Clarkson turned 60 afterall...
June 18, 2022
Ksiązka jest przesiąknięta angielskim humorem, sposobem bycia i punktem widzenia innych. Felietony Jeremy'ego są zarówno zabawne jak i straszne, ale przede wszystkim prawdziwe. Polecam każdemu kto lubi angielską kulturę lub chce się z nią zaznajomić, choć to drugie z tą książką może być trudne.
June 30, 2022
I get these Clarkson books to learn things. And for some supreme hyperbole. This book contains his columns until about the beginning of the chinavirus epidemic, and is all about farming, and everything else.
October 7, 2022
Entertaining and Well-Written
This book is 5 stars because Jeremy Clarkson is so easy to read. I don't agree with every opinion of his big that's the point, it's a book for people who can get on with people they don't share all their opinions with.
This book is 5 stars because Jeremy Clarkson is so easy to read. I don't agree with every opinion of his big that's the point, it's a book for people who can get on with people they don't share all their opinions with.
February 22, 2024
Another book of typical Clarkson. It’s funny to read his opinions, until you remember that these are actual articles published in national newspapers, not just the curmudgeonly whinges of a middle class grump
January 26, 2025
This is typical “no- nonsense” Clarkson from his weekly newspaper articles and on the whole they are funny. But I can understand why some parties won’t appreciate his forthright views although I’m firmly of the view that all viewpoints are acceptable even if you don’t concur with them and allow for viable discussion and debate
August 25, 2025
Drôle, politiquement incorect, des articles courts. Un regard critique sur l'Angleterre contemporaine, le Brexit, la culture et la politique. Enrichissant , finement écrit, Clarkson n'hésites pas à attaquer de sa plume de nombreux sujets de nos sociétés.
May 18, 2021
Another compilation of Clarkson's Sunday Times newspaper articles. Often outrageous but always entertaining.
June 10, 2021
Humourous, and highly entertaining, great read for some laughs.:)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews