Book Reviews Archives - Page 5 of 13

Never Tailgate on a Rainy Day

If you’ve got a teenager ready to get behind the wheel for the first time, you know how stressful it can be for both of you. And having raised that teenager, you’ll also know that many times they take advice from others better than from their seemingly-unwise parents. So, before they turn the key for the first time, give them a copy of Never Tailgate on a Rainy Day: Tips and Advice for the New Driver, by Beth A. Schmidt. It’s a quick read with lots of vintage, and often humorous photos, to help drive home the many nuggets of wisdom. Even if they only remember 1 or 2 things from its pages, this Must Read could be a lifesaver.

Form Follows Function: The Art of the Supercar

While very few of us ever get to actually own a supercar, just about everyone can appreciate the often striking beauty of their design. Stuart Codling certainly does, and with the help of some exquisite photography by James Mann, he brings us the 20 supercars that he thinks are the finest ever, in his book Form Follows Function: The Art of the Supercar. From classics to modern, these cars are without a doubt some of the most beautiful automotive machinery to ever hit the road. So, whether it’s the form or the function you’re into, you’ll find plenty to like in this Must Read.

Where the Writer Meets the Road

If you read Road & Track magazine or follow Formula 1 racing on television, you’ve no doubt read, heard, and seen the work of Sam Posey. Where the Writer Meets the Road is a Must Read collection of his works from those outlets, as well as many others, from the last 40 years. No stranger to the track himself, Sam’s 20-year racing career included starts in both the Indy 500 and 24 hours of Le Mans. Whether it’s from that experience, or just his way with words, few people do a better job of actually putting you in a race car; and really giving you a sense of what top drivers go through when they strap in and lay it all on the line week in and week out on a race track.

Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic

If you’re watching this show, chances are you’ve spent some time wrenching on a car, and have had various levels of success for your efforts. Rob Siegel is one such shade tree mechanic, and he tells his story in Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic: How Fixing Broken BMW’s Helped Make Me Whole. It’s a good read, as Siegel takes a look back at his life through the many different vehicles that he has owned and worked on, attempting to explain man’s love affair with the automobile along the way. More than just a series of entertaining stories, you’ll actually learn a few things along the way as well, from the necessary tools you need in your garage, to the necessary attitude you need in your head to help make your car-wrenching hobby a forever rewarding one.

Leanings 3

If you’re a car or motorcycle fan like us and have spent perhaps a little too much time flipping through car and motorcycle magazines, you’re probably familiar with writer Peter Egan. And if you’re not, Leanings 3 is a great place to start; a collection of his writings from Cycle World magazine from the years 2005 through 2013. Few writers do a better job of putting into words this crazy obsession called motorcycling. Whether it’s the unexplained fascination for a particular Ducati, the tales and tribulations of a life on the road, or the constant search for the perfect bike; Egan’s words are strung together like the finest set of curves through the Wisconsin landscape that he calls home. It’s not as enjoyable as actually riding, but it’s pretty darn close.

Driven by Desire

Those of you who think women in auto racing begins and ends with Danica Patrick need to get an education! And a good place to start would be by turning the pages of driven by desire, the Desire Wilson story. Written by her husband, race track developer Alan Wilson, it chronicles this South African woman’s rise from beating the boys at the go-kart track at age 5 through the ranks of European sports car racing and breaking the glass ceiling of Formula 1. It’s a genuine true underdog story and a must read for true fans of auto racing history.

The Art of the Car

We can all agree that some cars are works of art. And we can also agree that some works of art are about cars. This collision of art and the automobile is never more apparent than in The Art of the Car photo book, with photography by Bob Paulding. You won’t see any beauty shots of complete cars here, just pages and pages of artful compositions of the louvres and logos… …trims and tailfins… …wheels and wire…and even the inevitable rust…that make cars what they are, and keep us staring in wonder. So, whether you appreciate fine photography or fine automobiles, this book is a Must See…Must Read.

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