Following its first publication as a hardback in 2008, Mike Hawthorn Golden Boy was described as one of the most significant motoring books of recent years. Both the original edition and a subsequent reprint sold out some while ago, but due to popular demand, in June 2014 a new softback edition has been published, updated and augmented with fresh information. 



As before, the new edition presents a unique record of the life and times of Britain’s first World Champion. It includes not only the vast amount of new material which came to light during research for the original book – much from people who knew Mike – but the softback edition's 290 pages also contain important updates and new photographs.



Of this additional material, vital new evidence is included which further vindicates Mike Hawthorn from responsibility for the terrible 1955 Le Mans accident. This comes in the form of a long-lost letter to Jaguar Cars Ltd from a highly qualified on-the-spot expert eyewitness whose corroborated account tallies exactly with the reconstructed film footage of the accident – which appeared after the original edition of this book was published and which is also analysed. 



Also new is testimony from the policeman who first attended the accident on the Guildford by-pass which resulted in Mike Hawthorn's death in 1959. Interviewed by the authors, he still had his original police pocket book containing the notes he made at the time. 



As in the previous edition, Mike's personal life is covered in depth along with full details of his racing career, the latter introduced by Farnham resident and well-known journalist and historian Doug Nye. Many photographs cover both Mike's family life and his motor racing, augmented by purpose-taken aerial photographs of key locations. The book particularly singles out for close examination his special relationship with Jaguar – both the cars and the company. The many cars Mike owned personally (and also in some cases, raced) are covered extensively, with current owners interviewed worldwide. There are also specially-commissioned paintings of the more important of Mike’s cars. 



The appendices include a never-before attempted listing of all Mike's competition appearances, with results and even his race-car numbers, plus previously unpublished colour photographs of Mike's son, Arnaud, taken at Silverstone. 

Publisher: Pj Publishing

Status: Out of Print (No Stock)

Number of pages: 284

Binding: SBD