The Book Report #102
Episode #101
Diddly Squat – ‘Til The Cows Come Home
By Jeremy Clarkson
The Book
Penguin Michael Joseph is part of Penguin Random House UK. They, along with a group of other companies, helped distribute this book in many countries in 2022.
My copy is a first-printed-edition hardback with 232 pages, with an advertisement for the Diddly Squat farm shop.
What Did I Think?
This book is the second in the series and the third book I have read in the collection so far. I read two and three in the wrong order.
This book continues with the journey of Jeremy Clarkson learning how to be a farmer. Kaleb gives him grief whenever he does something wrong, and Charlie tries to dash his genius ideas and bring some reality to them. But still willing to help him when he refuses to give in. His supportive girlfriend, Lisa, is on hand to deal with all of Mr Clarkson’s next adventures. And Gerald, just being Gerald.
Mr Clarkson continues his fight with himself, the local council and the government, who are stopping him from making progress in creating British produce for the British public.
But there is always something to hold him back.
This time around, Mr Clarkson wants to open a restaurant and parking for his farm shop. But the council, and also what seems to be the local Karens, are somehow illegally stopping him at every junction. On top of that, he has a problem on his farm. Rapeseed is a popular crop to produce at the moment, but it isn’t growing well. For him, anyway; everyone else seems to be doing fine.
He also has a cowshed built.
Throughout this book and the series, Mr Clarkson is a man with a dream and a cause. He is unrelenting and will not stop. Even when he is, he will not stop.
Passion
And that is the appeal. When everyone nowadays wants the easy life, Mr Clarkson shows us the meaning of a hard day’s work. Dealing with life choices, the ups and downs. And when everyone assumes the worst of you, you ignore them and prove them wrong, no matter what.
Yes, he has a TV show, and yes, he is a famous car guy and journalist. He doesn’t need to do any of this; he has enough money to do whatever he wants. But the difference here is he gives a crap. Mr Clarkson wants to be a farmer, and this is proven to me in the later series when he gives Kaleb an earful for not telling him when the harvest was ready. He was generally upset.
But for this part of the journey, he is mastering what he has learned so far and is determined to continue. And he has a team of family and friends who want him to succeed. And so do I.
Would I Recommend?
If you have watched the series, you know what is going to happen in the books, but that doesn’t matter, as we get to ride the “too big” tractor one more time.
I recommend this book to those who like a bit of Mr Clarkson. His antics, whether comedic or serious, are always sincere.
Please give this book a go.
Would you like to purchase your very own copy?
You could try these online stores: Amazon UK/USA and Waterstones. AbeBooks UK/USA, Barnes & Noble, or eBay UK/USA.
Alternatively, you could try your local bookshop or even your local library.
