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Saturday, December 22, 2018

IF YOU’D JUST LET ME FINISH . . .



An enjoyable and entertaining book. It is highly recommended and would be a most welcome addition under the Christmas tree. (Review by Keith Millar)

Love him or loath him you have to admit that Jeremy Clarkson is unrelenting in his off-the-wall, acerbic, caustic and extremely funny commentary on the iniquities of the world at any given time.

Jeremy Clarkson, just in case there is some hermit out there who has not heard of him, is a journalist and TV presenter. He is best known for the massively successful BBC motoring series Top Gear for which he was a co-presenter. However, his bombastic wit often landed him in hot water and eventually he was fired over a fracas with a crew member. A move I am sure the BBC regrets as the show which was a global phenomenon has slipped away to mediocrity without him.

If You’d Just Let Me Finish . . . is no less than the seventh volume compiled from his weekly column The world according to Clarkson which is published in the British Sunday Times newspaper. This in itself is an indication of the enormous popularity, and dare I say respect, that this this writer enjoys.

With no fewer than 92 of his columns included in the volume it is a pretty substantial body of work. However, I suggest that this is not a book which one would read relentlessly from cover to cover (unless you get hooked – which is not too difficult to do) but rather something one would dip into from time to time to read a few of the columns. Particularly when you need a good laugh.

Though having said that and while Clarkson’s reflections on, and solutions to, the world’s problems are pretty whacky and seemingly tongue-in-cheek there is often a chilling truth and rather grave observation in the writing which can lead to some serious contemplation.

With material dated from March 2015 through to December 2017, the book is reasonably topical. Clarkson’s style is succinct, easy to read and while his columns deal mostly with British-based situations they certainly have a universal appeal.

Clarkson holds no sacred cows. Whatever the issues of the day they receive the treatment. Topics such as Brexit, the Mediterranean refugee crisis, being a Vegan, bicycles, caravans, the North Korean nuclear threat and, of course, any politician are fair game. The Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is a particular target for Clarkson’s ridicule. The articles are varied and are all interesting, to the point and very funny.

Jeremy Clarkson’s If You’d Just Let Me Finish . . . is an enjoyable and entertaining book. It is highly recommended - and if you have any last minute Christmas shopping to do, I am sure it would be a most welcome addition under the Christmas tree.

If You’d Just Let Me Finish . . . is published by Penguin Random House and the ISBN number is 9780241366745. The recommended retail price is R329. – Keith Millar