Jackie Stewart's Autobiography and DVD
Jackie Stewart's Autobiography and DVD
Author
Discussion

gshughes

Original Poster:

1,347 posts

284 months

Friday 21st December 2007
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Has anyone read this, and if so what was the verdict ?

paulmurr

4,203 posts

241 months

Friday 21st December 2007
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Just in the middle of it at the moment, good so far. Plus I've had my copy signed by the great man himself thumbup

Not watched the DVD yet but hope to get into it over the Christmas break

Eric Mc

125,609 posts

294 months

Friday 21st December 2007
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Mixed revies so far from what I've read.

I'm expecting it a pressie this year.

Redmax

761 posts

242 months

Friday 21st December 2007
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I'm half way through it. He does go on a bit (which he implies is a result of his dyslexia) but I'm enjoying reading it and he has had a remarkable life.

Tony 1234

3,465 posts

256 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
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Read it about a month ago, first 3/4 of the book very good, last 1/4 just bigging himself up all the time!

Still not bad though.

Tony

AndrewW-G

11,968 posts

246 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
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Some interesting bits, some boring bits and more name dropping than Debretts , Burkes & Who’s Who combined!

Comically in his introduction he bangs on about the key to his success being attention to detail and accuracy.........then gets the location of last years British open (that he attended) wrong!

bandad

27 posts

240 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
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It's true that he name drops almost excessively, but he also name drops his chauffeur, his mechanics, and anyone who has helped him. I'm sure those people will really enjoy finding their names in the book.

I found it inspirational. He remains a hero to me.

hawk 427

184 posts

233 months

Tuesday 25th December 2007
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good book i also got mine singed he has had a remarkable life but personally i did prefer the life of senna by tom rubython

gareth h

4,295 posts

259 months

Tuesday 25th December 2007
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Just got it for xmas, there's a pic of his F1 car with a spanner taped to the steering wheel so he could get out in a hurry!

gtr-gaz

5,281 posts

275 months

Wednesday 26th December 2007
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gareth h said:
Just got it for xmas, there's a pic of his F1 car with a spanner taped to the steering wheel so he could get out in a hurry!
Yep, got it too smilesmile

Thank God I didn't get Lewis Hamiltons autobiography (although I am a fan)!! He's far too young.

At least Jackie has had a life worth reading about.

RobM77

35,349 posts

263 months

Wednesday 26th December 2007
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I'm halfway through and would recommend it yes

Kickstart

1,119 posts

266 months

Wednesday 26th December 2007
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I asked Santa for this and so far I have been very disappointed. I have read the chapters on PSR and his FI team and what I find less than impressive is his lack of candour. The warts and all story is what makes a good autobiography.

He tries to sell us the line that the reason his son Paul Stewart did not get into F1 was because of a lack of $2m sponsorship - cobblers - he was not good enough and as his mega fund raising shows with regard to Stewart F1 he could have raised this easily enough or written out a cheque himself.
I love the rubbish he spouts about being so proud to be Scottish and yet he has not lived there for 40 years.

I will plough on with the book and watch the DVD and I hope his racing exploits are a bit more honest.

RobM77

35,349 posts

263 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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Kickstart said:
I asked Santa for this and so far I have been very disappointed. I have read the chapters on PSR and his FI team and what I find less than impressive is his lack of candour. The warts and all story is what makes a good autobiography.

He tries to sell us the line that the reason his son Paul Stewart did not get into F1 was because of a lack of $2m sponsorship - cobblers - he was not good enough and as his mega fund raising shows with regard to Stewart F1 he could have raised this easily enough or written out a cheque himself.
I love the rubbish he spouts about being so proud to be Scottish and yet he has not lived there for 40 years.

I will plough on with the book and watch the DVD and I hope his racing exploits are a bit more honest.
I'd recommend a read from the start yes

I must admit to being a bit confused why he was so openly patriotic yet moved to Lake Geneva as soon as he could afford it!

stockhatcher

5,165 posts

252 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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Kickstart said:
I asked Santa for this and so far I have been very disappointed. I have read the chapters on PSR and his FI team and what I find less than impressive is his lack of candour. The warts and all story is what makes a good autobiography.

He tries to sell us the line that the reason his son Paul Stewart did not get into F1 was because of a lack of $2m sponsorship - cobblers - he was not good enough and as his mega fund raising shows with regard to Stewart F1 he could have raised this easily enough or written out a cheque himself.
I love the rubbish he spouts about being so proud to be Scottish and yet he has not lived there for 40 years.

I will plough on with the book and watch the DVD and I hope his racing exploits are a bit more honest.
there are people out there who should know, that reckon Paul Stewart was a very good driver indeed.

http://www.carkeys.co.uk/columns/john_stevens/1002.asp 

as for moving to Geneva, you would have to love your country a hell of a lot to put up with a 94% tax rate, as it was at the time for high earners.

Eric Mc

125,609 posts

294 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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I think that tax rates in the UK in the late 1960s/early 70s were just indecent (over 90% in some cases). It was at this time that there was a mass exodus of British celebrities to foreign shores e.g. Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdink, Sean Connery, Petula Clark etc.
I've heard Stewart talk about this before and he said that, with F1 being a highly dangerous sport at the time with a high probability of death every time you got in a car, he felt that he just couldn't justify it to himself or his young family that the 11 laps of the 12 at old Nurburgring were on behalf of the British government.

Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 27th December 08:25

kevin ritson

3,423 posts

256 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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Although it's amusingly ironic that those taxes have paid for better education and welfare facilities that have certainly contributed to making life easier for those living with dyslexia

nsa

1,704 posts

257 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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I think that tax rates in the UK in the late 1960s/early 70s were just indecent (over 90% in some cases). It was at this time that there was a mass exodus of British celebrities to foreign shores e.g. Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdink, Sean Connery, Petula Clark etc.
I've heard Stewart talk about this before and he said that, with F1 being a highly dangerous sport at the time with a high probability of death every time you got in a car, he felt that he just couldn't justify it to himself or his young family that the 11 laps of the 12 at old Nurburgring were on behalf of the British government.

I love the last part of that quote. Have nearly finished the book and it's a good read. Will move on to the Senna book next. Read Russell Brand's book over Christmas as well, I thought it was very enjoyable.

Pooh

3,693 posts

282 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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I got it in book and CD form(read by J.S. himself), not sure which one to keep yet.
I also got David Coulthards book which looks very interesting, lots of inside info about recent F1 history.

RobM77

35,349 posts

263 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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nsa said:
I think that tax rates in the UK in the late 1960s/early 70s were just indecent (over 90% in some cases). It was at this time that there was a mass exodus of British celebrities to foreign shores e.g. Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdink, Sean Connery, Petula Clark etc.
I've heard Stewart talk about this before and he said that, with F1 being a highly dangerous sport at the time with a high probability of death every time you got in a car, he felt that he just couldn't justify it to himself or his young family that the 11 laps of the 12 at old Nurburgring were on behalf of the British government.

I love the last part of that quote. Have nearly finished the book and it's a good read. Will move on to the Senna book next. Read Russell Brand's book over Christmas as well, I thought it was very enjoyable.
yes I take back what I said. Yes, the tax rates were ridiculous, and in that case I fully understand Stewart moving abroad - I'd have done the same!

Kickstart

1,119 posts

266 months

Thursday 27th December 2007
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Sean Connery, another proud Scot who lives far from his beloved country.
I have no doubt the reason Jackie Stewart moved Swiss was to pay less tax, but he would have been incredibly badly advised if he was paying anything like 90% tax in the UK.
Wealthy folk use a series of trusts, companies (offshore and onshore), tax planning and pension provisions to cut down their tax bill massively. Even 15 years ago when I qualified as a Lawyer there were far more avenues available to avoid tax than there are now, hence in the sixties/early seventies whilst headline rates on unearned/earnt income were huge - hardly anyone paid them. All of his driver fees/sponsorship earnings could have been paid in such a way that no tax would have accrued - I think the only thing he would have ended up paying tax on would have been his share of the actual prize money and even then he would have been able to set off long forgotten things like mortgage relief etc.