Product Description

It will come as no surprise to anyone that Jeremy Clarkson loves machines. But it's not just any old bucket of bolts, cogs and bearings that puts that rings his bell. In fact, he's scoured the length and and breadth of the land, plunged into oceans and taken to the skies in search of those rare machines with that elusive certain something. And along the way he's discovered: * The safest place to be in the event of nuclear war * Who would win if Superman, James Bond and The Terminator had a fight * The stupidest person he's ever met * What an old Cornish institution called Arthur has to do with 0898 chat lines * And how Jean Claude Van Damme might get eaten by a lion ... In I Know You Got Soul, Jeremy Clarkson tells the stories of the geniuses, innovators and crackpots who put the ghost in the machine. From Brunel's SS Great Britain to the Spitfire and from the woeful - but inspiring - Graf Zeppelin to Han Solo's Millennium Falcon, they were built by people who love them - and we can't help but love them in return.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19811 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-25
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

About the Author
Jeremy Clarkson made his name presenting a poky motoring programme on BBC2 called Top Gear. He left to forge a career in other directions but made a complete hash of everything and ended up back on Top Gear again. He lives with his wife, Francie, and three children in Oxfordshire. Despite this he has a clean driving licence.

Customer Reviews

More than pretty pictures
Love or hate the man who made jeans uncool, this is a superb bit of popular writing. The selection of machines is varied enough to provide lots of interest, there is some terrific trivia in there (the weight of--biggest battleship ever--Yamato's amour on it's own was greater than that of the whole of the second biggest battleship ever) and some great arguments supporting Clarkson's choices.

My Dad will love this for Christmas, so I'm going to buy it for him. (Try saying that last line without sounding like Clarkson - go on).

Really good read.

Outstanding
Once again jeremy clarkson has given us a book that is truly amazing. his humour and wit is present throughout but it is also surprisingly informative and when you read it you just don't seem to want it to end. when i first saw what machines he had chosen for this book i didn't really see where he was coming from but after reading it i have to agree with them all, these machines do have a certain something about them that others just don't. the tails he tells of his encounters with these machines are hillarious. for example the lack of inteligence on board the US aircraft carriers and the trainspotters at doncaster station.

I would recommend this book to anyone, purely for the fact that somewhere in this book there will be something that relates to your life in some way and has changed the way we all live today.

I knew from before i opened the first page this would be a really good book and he didn't dissapoint.

Not bad, could do better
I'm a big fan of Clarkson, hence why I bought the book. But I can't help feeling a little cheated. As a journalist/presenter who has brought motoring journalism to the masses like no other you'd expect Clarkson's work to be written with style, and verve, but no. It's an easy read, but perhaps too easy. It's light, breezy and very 'pick-up-able', but as a result ultimately forgettable.

Having said that it's a good way to while away a boring flight, or train journey, just don't buy it and expect to be enthralled and captivated. There are a selection of eyebrow raising nuggets of info, and some good 'boy facts' which I like, but the bulk of it is, well, ordinary.

Easy to read, entertaining(ish) and good value if you can get it for a couple of quid.