Book Review As You Do by Richard Hammond
Behind the Scenes of the Top Gear Presenter’s Big Adventures
Known affectionately to Top Gear viewers as “Hamster”, Richard Hammond made headline news in September 2006 when he crashed a jet-powered car during filming for the popular UK television car programme. Despite suffering extensive brain injury, Hammond recovered and has continued to challenge himself both mentally and physically on and off-screen.
As You Do (Hachette Livre, 2008) covers the many thrilling challenges and adventures that Richard has undertaken since his accident. From riding a dogsled to the North Pole to rescuing friends from a flooded house, Richard Hammond is certainly living his life to the fullest.
Behind the Scenes of Top Gear’s Race to the North Pole
A significant portion of As You Do is taken up with Richard’s diaries and recollections of his part in the Top Gear Polar Special that aired on the BBC on July 25th, 2007. More than just a simple retelling of what has already appeared on screen, these chapters highlight the extensive preparation and physical endurance that was required for Richard to compete in the race.
The premise, as is customary in Top Gear races, was to pit a car against another mode of transport to prove the car’s superiority. Hammond’s co-presenters James May and Jeremy Clarkson drove to the magnetic North Pole in a modified Toyota Hilux while Richard teamed up with experienced Arctic guide Matty McNair on the traditional dog sled.
Top Gear Africa Challenge
Central to the book is Richard’s passion for cars. Nowhere is this more marked than in the chapter describing behind-the-scenes of the Top Gear Africa special (airdate November 4th, 2007). Taking up the challenge to prove that it is unnecessary to drive a four wheel drive vehicle in Surrey, the three presenters each purchased a 2 wheel drive car to take them across Africa.
Richard’s love for his 1973 Opel Kadett (dubbed “Oliver” to the amusement of his colleagues) is obvious in his descriptions of their journey from Botswana to Namibia. He takes great delight in recounting Oliver’s ability to make it through harsh terrain, and even brought the car home to the UK after the completion of filming.
“Never meet your heroes” – Richard Hammond Meets Evel Knievel
In the chapter recounting the filming of his interview special with Evel Knievel, Richard captures the nervous tension he felt upon meeting one of his childhood heroes. A notoriously difficult interviewee, Knievel’s larger-than-life personality makes for some entertaining anecdotes. Sadly Knievel died only a few months after the interview was filmed.
An Engaging Read for Top Gear Fans
The success of Top Gear can be undeniably attributed to the on-air personalities of its hosts. Their camaraderie and banter has attracted many viewers who would not otherwise have tuned in to a program about cars. Richard Hammond’s onscreen likeability translates extremely well to the pages of As You Do. He has a weekly column in the UK’s Daily Mirror, and his 2007 book On the Edge (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) was a number one bestseller.
As You Do (ISBN 978-0297855200, 304 pages)
As You Do by Top Gear's Richard Hammond
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