Is It Really Too Much To Ask?: The World According to Clarkson Volume 5 (World According to Clarkson 5) Paperback – 22 May 2014

It's a peculiarity of our language that I might be asked "Do you like Jerremy Clarkson?" and I hesitate to answer. Because I want to say "Yes" but, in fact, I don't much like Mr Clarkson at all. I do, however, like his output very much. I like watching him in interviews, I make a point of watching Top Gear and I, generally, like reading his short ramblings. I find it a bit disturbing that, even though I think he's a poor example of a human, I find myself agreeing with lots of what he says. Even when what he says is, clearly, mad. If there is such a thing, then I think that I must be a 'closet Clarkson'.

I don't read newspapers so, every now and then, I buy one of these collations of his newspaper column articles. I know that it's a rip off because Mr C has not written these as a book and he's already been paid for writing them once before by the paper. Also, because he is surprisingly popular, Amazon set the price of even the Kindle version at the 'extortion' rate. Nevertheless, I usually take a chance for a chortle.

I've read quite a lot of JC's output and it isn't all consistent; some is just a bit dull and some of the earlier efforts haven't stood the test of time too well. But there are no such problems with this volume; it is Jeremy Clarkson at his very best. It is provocative, irreverent, thought provoking, outrageous, ludicrous and all expressed in Mr C's trademark style of writing exactly as he would speak. When reading this, it's as though I was propped at a bar with JC on the next bar stool expounding directly to me. Delicious!

You will be reading this review either because you are a Clarkson fan or because you are considering buying this book as a gift for someone. In either case, go for it. You will either read and enjoy or the recipient will revel in it gleefully and then tell you that they don't really like Jeremy Clarkson!

Over the years I have read most of Clarkson's books. Some have been better than others, but I always found them to be excellent holiday reads. This one was different. It feels like it was written by someone who doesn't really care any more. People read Clarkson because of his different, child-like perspective on the world around us, because of his "hang on a second, this doesn't make sense" approach to life. However, there's just too much of "hey, look at me, I have a farm, the PM is my neighbour and I'm important enough to be invited to big parties and submarine rides" in this one. But worst of all, the book could as well be half as thick without loosing too much content - many of his views or expressions are repeated over and over again in different chapters, which makes the text rather boring. So dear Mr Clarkson (if you read this), you say that retirement is terrible since the only thing you would have to do is to check the fridge every 5 minutes to see if something edible has magically appeared, but, please, do consider making this sacrifice - maybe it's time...

This book is a collection of articles that Jeremy wrote for the Sunday Times...and that's an important point. Although it was inevitable that they would eventually find their way into a book, that was not their prime purpose. So unlike the author of a 'normal' book, a journalist making contributions to a newspaper works under certain restrictions. For a start, the articles have to be of a predetermined length. They also have to be done to a deadline. But most of all, they have to reflect the political position of the owner of newspaper in question, in this case, one Rupert Murdoch. Now, on the face of it, Jeremy would appear to be perfectly placed to provide such material. The persona that he chooses to project to his public sits in the political spectrum slightly to the right of Atilla the Hun, while he resides in Chipping Norton and has our Conservative Prime Minister for a neighbour and, apparently, best buddy.

So it is no real surprise when he tells us, for example, that he cannot understand why normal working people are reluctant to sacrifice their livelihoods so that bankers, Prime Ministers and motoring journalists can continue to live in the manner to which they have become accustomed. He shows amazement that the common man does not willingly and obediently descend into a life of poverty in an attempt to rectify a situation that was not of his making.

Now, don't get me wrong here. Jeremy is my favourite writer by a stretch and I have all of his previous books and Top Gear gets my vote as the top TV show of all time. The Daily Telegraph - or, to give it its correct name, The Tory Newsletter - describes it as "Highly Entertaining" (they would, wouldn't they) and, when he is not fawning all over his neighbour and pal, it certainly is.Read more ›

Jeremy Clarkson may be politically two steps to the right of Atilla the Hun, but he is a superb TV presenter and quite a natty writer whose talent entertains us quite as much with his inventive hyperbole and general hysterics. Although I suspect he always drives in the fast lane himself, his audience is middle of the road Britain, full of lower middle brows who like an easy read. Each chapter of these Sunday Times reprints requires the attention span of a sparrow, and a brain ticking over on three and a half cylinders. But it is all hootworthy stuff, written by someone highly intelligent who does not expect you to take him seriously. For all that, there are some brilliant ideas and he really does keep abreast with current affairs in a fairly comprehensive way, something you would not normally suspect of the star of "Top Gear". This book is ideal in airport departure lounges. Go out and buy this book unless you regularly read his articles as they become published : it's one thing to read them once; quite another to read them all over again !