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What Doesn't Kill You...: My Life in Motor Racing Hardcover – 3 Nov. 2016

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 860 ratings

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Johnny Herbert was one of the most brilliant natural talents to emerge in motor racing, but for all his bravery and prowess, he's lucky to be alive. After becoming British Junior Karting Champion (losing part of a finger in the process), then the Formula 3 title for Eddie Jordan in 1987, he was all set for a glittering debut season in Formula 1 when he was caught in a mass pile-up at Brands Hatch. That horrific crash threatened to end his career, but Herbert made a miraculous recovery, was a hugely popular winner of the British Grand Prix in 1995, and enjoyed 25 years of competitive motorsport, becoming the only British driver to win the 24 hours of Le Mans followed by a Grand Prix. And all that despite driving every pace in extreme pain; in fact, as the first and only disabled driver in F1 history.

While chronicling an extraordinary life behind the wheel with cheer and his trademark cheeky humour,
What Doesn't Kill You... contains a wealth of stories from the hard end of Formula 1: on Johnny's team-mate Michael Schumacher, legends like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, his fellow British adversaries Damon Hill, Martin Brundle and Nigel Mansell, and of course all those gruesome accidents. With an encyclopaedic knowledge and love of the sport, Johnny Herbert's memoir, much like the man himself, delivers brilliance from the back of the grid.

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Product description

Review

Typically ebullient... a testament to his mental and emotional strength. ― MotorSport Published On: 2016-12-01

Honest, rich in self-deprecating humour, and a thoroughly entertaining read... Herbert's recollections are packed with remarkable tales. ―
F1 Fanatic Published On: 2016-11-20

Johnny Herbert is one of those rare special individuals... his story goes beyond the ordinary struggle. Told in that familiar voice that people have come to know and admire, the book is riddled with laugh-out-loud anecdotes from the world of Formula One. ―
Inside Line Media Published On: 2016-11-11

Inspirational... [his] typical, self-deprecating humour is on display throughout. Reading the book is what you imagine it must be like to sit with him at the pub and have him tell you the story of his career. ―
Bleacher Report Published On: 2016-11-04

From the opening page, Johnny's book had me smiling; it was almost like he was reading it aloud to me, injecting his personality into every page. ―
BadgerGP Published On: 2016-11-09

About the Author

Johnny Herbert is one of only nine British drivers to win a Grand Prix since the 1970s, tasting success with Benetton at Silverstone and Monza in 1995, then delivering a one and only top podium place for Jackie Stewart’s team at the 1999 European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. He also became the first active Formula 1 driver to win the endurance classic 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Bertrand Gachot and Volker Weidler in 1991, and has been a champion at karting, the Formula Ford Festival, Formula 3, the Eurpoean Le Mans and the Speedcar Series in his long and varied career.

As one of the lead pundits on Sky Sports' Formula 1 channel, he remains high-profile and hugely popular. Johnny is widely admired for his encyclopaedic knowledge of motor-racing, as well as for his extraordinary driving skills, legendary sense of humour and love of the sport.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam Press (3 Nov. 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593078381
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593078389
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16 x 3 x 24 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 860 ratings

About the authors

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
860 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book a great read with an amusing storyline. They also describe the characters as great and the driving style as magnificent. Readers describe the content as insightful, genuinely informative, and stubbornly brave. They praise the writing quality as well-written, interesting, and emotional.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

57 customers mention ‘Reading experience’57 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a great read, focused on racing. They also describe it as a jaunty, funny, and rattling good read for motor racing enthusiasts.

"...Great read." Read more

"Good read, Johnny tells it like it is, but skips a few bits in his career for some reason...." Read more

"Well written, the book drives the reader on a fast, jaunty, funny always throbbingly painful but smooooth (you’d have to read the book) ride...." Read more

"...This is a great account, way better than Mansell latest effort. Great to see that JH is still with us on Sky Sports alongside Hill and Brundle...." Read more

21 customers mention ‘Storyline’21 positive0 negative

Customers find the storyline amusing, humorous, and great. They also mention that it has happy and sad moments throughout the book.

"...this is the most sincere, insightful and genuinely informative and entertaining . Almost makes me wish I had a subscription for Sky...." Read more

"...There is a wealth of funny and surprising (self incriminating, almost!) stories, and all in all, this is a highly recommended read." Read more

"...It has its happy and sad moments throughout the book. It is a Frank and open story of the life of the great Johnny Herbert...." Read more

"An interesting and often funny read from Mr Herbert, Taking you through the trials and tribulations of him getting to and being an F1 driver...." Read more

20 customers mention ‘Content’20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, interesting, and inspirational for F1 fans. They also say it's a must-read for those interested in the sport and Johnny's eventful life.

"...Johnny Herbert comes across as someone who is hugely talented and stubbornly brave, and with more than a whiff of the crazy which is perhaps the..." Read more

"...after suffering the horrific injuries at Brands Hatch, is truly inspirational, and is one of the best examples of never give up, never surrender...." Read more

"...A good read with some interesting inside stories plus you get an idea of the pain and suffering that he has endured, and continues to have to endure..." Read more

"A good insight into the world of F1. I hadn't realised how bad his injuries were and how much they affected him during his career...." Read more

14 customers mention ‘Writing quality’11 positive3 negative

Customers find the book well-written, interesting, and easy to read. They also say it's an emotional, highly recommended book for motorsport fans.

"Johnny writes really well which makes it a very easy book to read...." Read more

"Well written, the book drives the reader on a fast, jaunty, funny always throbbingly painful but smooooth (you’d have to read the book) ride...." Read more

"This book is an easy to read romp through Johnny Herbert's career but is let down by being dreadfully written ...." Read more

"Well written account on a pretty fascinating F1 career. Thanks for sharing your story Johnny. Must read for a Motorsport fan." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Character depth’8 positive0 negative

Customers find the character depth of the book great, with plenty of humour and insight into the person that is Johnny Herbet.

"...A true British hero." Read more

"...Such a nice down-to-earth guy and the book reflects this. Seems surprised at his own success. Johnny deserves an MBE for his services to motorsport." Read more

"Moving, well written and funny. Johnny is an entertainer on the page as well as on the screen (or in a car)." Read more

"Very entertaining read! A great insight into the sport and Johnny's eventful life, plenty of laugh out loud moments" Read more

7 customers mention ‘Driving style’7 positive0 negative

Customers find the driving style in the book magnificent.

"...What a great driver, such a shame he never really had the chance to reach his full potential due to his horrific accident. Great read." Read more

"...This is a great account, way better than Mansell latest effort. Great to see that JH is still with us on Sky Sports alongside Hill and Brundle...." Read more

"Magnificent person, magnificent driver. We met Johnny when my son was karting and did one of his charity races in his team...." Read more

"excellent" Read more

7 customers mention ‘Personal detail’5 positive2 negative

Customers find the personal detail in the book spectacularly honest.

"...Honest and self aware and free from artifice, Johnny Herbert comes across as someone who is hugely talented and stubbornly brave, and with more than..." Read more

"...It has its happy and sad moments throughout the book. It is a Frank and open story of the life of the great Johnny Herbert...." Read more

"...There is not a great deal of personal detail divulged about contract negotiations, the sort of money he earned and his personal circumstances - we do..." Read more

"...A very honest account" Read more

Five Stars
5 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Great humour and a great insight to the person that is Johnny Herbet
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 February 2024
Johnny writes really well which makes it a very easy book to read. What a great driver, such a shame he never really had the chance to reach his full potential due to his horrific accident. Great read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 September 2020
Good read, Johnny tells it like it is, but skips a few bits in his career for some reason. Could of been a bit more detailed on his mis-treatment from Benetton and that tw&t; Briatore who run it. But its a good book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 December 2018
I was expecting the usual F1 driver biography but this was refreshing and a bit different. Having grown up with F1 in the late eighties and nineties, I knew Johnny had a bad crash in F3000 but hearing his experience on the severity of it and how he used his sense of humour to overcome his personal battle with injury was a humbling read. As for his F1 career, the roller-coaster ride continued with Benetton, Lotus, Sauber, Stewart etc and despite the politics, smoke-and-mirrors and general circus of events he always seems to look at life's bigger picture rather than be bitter - like many ex-F1 drivers are! He tells some great stories about his relationship with team mates / rivals including Hakkinen, Lehto, Blundell which sums up his jovial approach to his passion and life in general. Having read a few F1 driver biographies now (and Johnny's is no different) that they seem to get more satisfaction from driving in categories post-F1, like Le Mans, that the supposed pinnacle of motorsport. Maybe a few more F1 drivers should be more 'Johnny Herbert' and bring back a bit of fun to F1!
8 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2019
Well written, the book drives the reader on a fast, jaunty, funny always throbbingly painful but smooooth (you’d have to read the book) ride. Honest and self aware and free from artifice, Johnny Herbert comes across as someone who is hugely talented and stubbornly brave, and with more than a whiff of the crazy which is perhaps the stamp of the true racer. Ultimately human though, he is open about his flaws and those of others, while not holding back from generous appreciation of his mentors,bosses, fellow team members and family. As a F1 fan, you are made more aware of the risks taken by drivers especially during the 90s and 00s and what pushes the drivers to chase that rush of adrenaline. Also the power of a good team leader and people manager as opposed to the bad. I’ve read a few F1 autobiographies but this is the most sincere, insightful and genuinely informative and entertaining . Almost makes me wish I had a subscription for Sky. Highly recommended.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 March 2021
Nice present
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2016
All of his "cheeky chappy" personality is evident ihere,which I rate along with Damon's recent book, as a great read. Here was a sparkling career cut short by the F3000 accident at Brands in 1988 when Foitek took him out. By his own admission he was never the same driver again and the conversations with Williams and Ferrari disappeared into a world of injury and pain. But JH has an indomitable spirit and went on to win GP, Le Mans and a winning longer term career in endurance racing.He only really got the chance to race in one competitive car (Benetton) and finished 4th in the drivers championship. I was at Brands when he won, a great victory for an immensely poular British driver. This is a great account, way better than Mansell latest effort. Great to see that JH is still with us on Sky Sports alongside Hill and Brundle. You must order this book, it's far too good to miss.
16 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 July 2018
A thoroughly enjoyable read! Herbert takes you deftly through triumph and catastrophe, wallowing in neither, and is refreshingly (if not brutally) honest about his relationships in the sport, and as I share his opinions on the people he writes about, there is nothing that grates as far as I am concerned. What you see is what you get with Johnny H! I particularly identified with the section on recovering from his crash, in which he nearly lost both his feet, as I had a similar experience with morphine nightmares after each of the many operations in which the surgeons tried to save my foot, following a motorcycle accident. The horror stories are short and not too graphic, and the narrative soon bounces back to Johnny's never-say-die cheeriness. There is a wealth of funny and surprising (self incriminating, almost!) stories, and all in all, this is a highly recommended read.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Tom
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy read, funny
Reviewed in the United States on 4 September 2022
Loved the book but I am biased I am a big Johnny Herbert fan. Nice to read this mostly #2 drivers point of view of F1 and some of the personalities, BS and betrayal you have to put up with.
Freeway Jam
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read about Johnny !
Reviewed in Canada on 27 October 2021
I enjoyed reading this book about Johnny Herbert, who has always been one of my favourite drivers and
personalities ! It is a pretty lighthearted look at his career, along with his life, growing up, and his terrific personality certainly comes through. Very self deprecating, but also is not afraid to call out some others
that he came across throughout his life and career.
One of the nicest, and more endearing drivers to have sat in a F1 car, this is a fun book to read, just like
Herbert is in real life. ( its always great to see any segment that he is part of on the current Sky Sports coverage of every F1 race weekend - he is always informative and humorous )
He overcame so much, ( especially some horrific injuries ), and yet always seems to maintain a positive
disposition, and those, along with his incredible racing talents, are just a few of the reasons he has always been one of my all-time favs.
His story is a huge underdog story, rising through the various levels of racing to the pinnacle of motorsports in Formula One, its hard not to like and admire evrything about Johnny Herbert !
Gary Pearce
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing career
Reviewed in Australia on 30 October 2021
Excellent
Jane Allavena
5.0 out of 5 stars The most unsung hero of F1
Reviewed in France on 12 December 2016
A much awaited book about Johnny Herbert, must be the best Christmas present ever for an F1 fan, cannot wait to read mine and give some as gifts.
Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Top! Herbert is an idol
Reviewed in Italy on 9 January 2017
Good example of determination...
Very interesting book. Funny, touching, intelligent, smart and unpredictable.
It,s really a good choise for the new generations... ;)