A fortnight ago, The Bookworm Critique reached its 100th installment. Now, in the 101st edition, Atlas F1's Mark Glendenning presents a 'Racing Book 101 Master Class' – the final list of the top ten books reviewed over the past couple of years in the column

Office parties are usually ugly things, and the celebrations to mark the 100th edition of this column in the book review department of Atlas F1 Towers was no exception. Not surprisingly, few of those who turned up the following morning (clutching bottles of Barocca, tomato juice, and a variety of other hangover cures, and were wearing dark sunglasses even though we were indoors) to clean up the mess were in the mood for small talk.

With the last of the beer mopped up off the floor and the peanuts cleaned out of the photocopier a few hours later, they prepared to leave and sleep the rest of the day away. Just before they walked out of the door though, one turned to me. "So you've reviewed a hundred of these books, right? If you had to pick, say, ten that you think belong on the shelf of any self-respecting racing fan, what would they be?"

I started to think about the question but before I had time to answer, my rather under-the-weather friend's complexion started to go green-ish again and he made a quick exit.

He left me alone to ponder his question. Where do you even start to come up with a definitive list of ten books that are, above all others, 'must-haves'? Having nothing better to do with my day, I decided to look into it. And here, in the 101st edition of the Bookworm's Critique, is a 'Racing Book 101 Master Class' – my final list of ten books, selected from those that have been discussed in this column over the past few years, that stand out in my mind as worthy of inclusion in any motorsport library, and why. If you like, you can then follow the link to the original review by clicking on the number to find out more.

10. Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Racing 1934-1955

By George C Monkhouse.
Published by White Mouse Editions.

A gorgeous, luxurious book exploring the golden eras of the mighty Silver Arrows from Stuttgart. Photographer George Monkhouse was on the scene when the Grand Prix world was ruled by scream of state-sponsored Mercedes-Benz machinery, and an alluring mixture of his action and candid shots supplement a wonderful account of a period of racing that I for one would love to have witnessed first-hand. It's not cheap, but if you're in the mood for an indulgence then this should hit the spot.

9. The Science of Safety

By David Tremayne.
Published by Haynes.

Professor Sid Watkins's 'Life at the Limit' very nearly pipped Tremayne for this spot on the list, but despite the authority of the Prof's on-the-spot perspective, Tremayne's book covers more ground. The issue of safety in Formula One has a heavily-politicised history, and Tremayne does a good job of weaving his way through the minefield to create a comprehensive account of the development of safety regulations and standards in the sport.

8. A Mechanic's Tale

By Steve Matchett.
Published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson

Benetton's loss was our gain when former mechanic Matchett swapped his spanners for a word processor. Coming off the back of his popular fist book 'Life in the Fast Lane', 'A Mechanic's Tale' is an immensely entertaining book that does a wonderful job of putting the reader though the paces of life as a F1 mechanic. An intelligent and analytical observer of the sport, Matchett is not one to shy away from calling things as he sees them. Probably the ultimate book to take with you on a long flight.

7. Racers

By Richard Williams.
Published by Penguin.

Behind-the-scenes accounts of F1 were all the rage a couple of years ago, although the genre seems to have gone quiet of late. Given the standard of a lot of the stuff that made it onto the shelves, this is not necessarily a bad thing. In terms of coverage of the past ten years though, this book set a standard that few others ever came close to reaching. Williams is a superbly perceptive writer, and this account of the three-way battle of wills between Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher still stands among the best examinations of what makes the wheels turn in modern Formula One.

6. Gilles Villeneuve: Life of the Legendary Racing Driver

By Gerald Donaldson.
Published by MRP.

As indifferent as I am to a lot of Donaldson's more recent work, there is no disputing the quality of this book, which does ample justice to the memory of the hugely popular French-Canadian. It goes well beyond the usual race-by-race, season-by-season approach to paint a reasonably complete, if slightly uncritical portrait. Honest, substantial, moving, and engaging, this is the best driver biography to have come my way by a considerable margin.

5. March: The Rise and Fall of a Motor Racing Legend

By Mike Lawrence.
Published by MRP.

As a motorsport journalist, I see a lot of PR material. As a motorsport book reviewer, I see a lot of team biographies. All too often, material posing as the latter is nothing more than the former. This book shows just what can be achieved when the right kind of writer sets about their task with an eye first and foremost upon making a serious contribution to racing history, rather than raking in a few bucks. (Of course, if they can make a contribution AND rake in a few bucks, then all the better... after all, authors have to eat too.)

This is a fascinating account of a fascinating team that is told with a rare degree of honesty from both the author and those to whom he spoke in the course of his research.

4. Formula One Technology

By Peter Wright.
Published by SAE International.

Not exactly light bed-time reading, there are vast tracts of this book that may sail straight over the head of those lacking a religious dedication to all things technical. But if engineering, design and construction is your bag then this volume offers a hell of a lot to sink your teeth into. There are few men alive more qualified to write about technical matters than Peter Wright, and the end result is as informative and authoritative as you could want.

3. The Death of Ayrton Senna

By Richard Williams.
Published by Bloomsbury.

Lots of people talked in the aftermath of Senna's accident at Imola, but few really had anything to say. This book was a glaring exception. Free from the gushing sentimentality and overload of photographs that left so many other books to sink in their own syrup, this is an outstandingly literate and insightful assessment of one of the sport's greatest figures and the murky circumstances surrounding his death.

2. A-Z of Grand Prix Cars

By David Hodges.
Published by New Holland.

The dorky cover and bland layout belies just how good this book really is. Accounting for every constructor that ever built a Grand Prix car, irrespective of whether the thing actually raced or not, is a daunting task. That Hodges managed to pull it off was a superb achievement, and it is extremely sad that he did not live to see the final fruits of his labours. (Hodges passed away when the manuscript was close to completion, prompting some of his colleagues to step in and put the final touches to the book on his behalf).

Whether you're a serious researcher or an anorak whose life is dedicated to tracking down the most obscure GP facts available to impress your friends down at the pub, this book is an invaluable source of information. I still can't come to terms with the fact that on three separate occasions, I have found this in bargain bins!

1. Jenks: a Passion for Motor Sport

By Denis Jenkinson.
Published by MRP.

Classic work from the pen of Grand Prix racing's master scribe. Many motorsport writers are perceptive, just as many are enthusiastic, but none could boast both qualities with such exuberance as DSJ. Originally conceived by the BRDC as a celebration of Jenks's 75th birthday, the book sadly became a tribute to his life following his passing in 1996. A collection of reminiscences from racing's master story-teller supplemented with the recollections of the man from those who knew him best, this should be compulsory reading for anybody following Formula One.