21 replies to this topic

[Derwent Motorsport]

When I go on holiday I try and stock up with 2 or 3 books to read on the plane or in spare moments. While we perhaps have more trips away than we did, I am now finding that the book "supply" is now very thin. Have all the good motoring books been written perhaps?

Sadly the few books that have come out recently that interest me are way out of my price range as by and large I read them once and then sell them or give them away. Typical of those is Graham Gauld's new Jim Clark book. It is was £10 to £15 I would buy it but at the advertised price no. I've read every Clark book and article over the years and can there really be anything startlingly new to say?

I do read quite widely on other subjects of course but has anyone any suggestions for motoring books to buy for next month's jolly?

[john aston]

Fast Lines by Pete Lyons; The Lost Generation by David Tremayne; Speed with Style - Peter Revson. Anything by David E Davis; Ride On - LJK Setright.

 

Enjoy.   

[Dick Dastardly]

Fiction in the world of racing.....

 

http://www.amazon.co...=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Edited by Dick Dastardly, 08 February 2015 - 16:54.

[Dave Ware]

Whenever I go anywhere overnight I take 3 or 4 books and as many magzines.  Racing-themed of course, unless I'm reading WW1 air combat at that moment.  It is a matter of taking whatever I'm currently reading, and also trying to anticipate my moods during the trip so I can take books and magazines that are appropriate for the mood.  It always takes at least 20 minutes to decide, and requires a bit of solitude.  Time well spent, because it's important, when away from home, to have the correct racing book to soothe one's soul. 

 

Anyway, my suggestions for you are:

 

"A.J. My Life as America's Greatest Race Car Driver"  You really get A.J.'s personality in this book, and I've certainly never met anyone like him.  Attitude oozed off each page.  A fascinating look at one of the greats.  Even if you're not all that interested in American racing, listening to A.J. is fascinating.  Co written by William Neely.  Used copies are 4-5 dollars.

 

"Inside the Mind of the Grand Prix Driver" by Christopher Hilton.  I read this recenly and it is one of the best racing books I've ever read.  I've been following racing since 1971 and this book taught me things I didn't know.  Check out the preview on Amazon and you can decide if it's for you. 

 

"Go Like Hell"  by A.J. Braime, about the Ford/Ferrari duel at Le Mans in the 1960s.  Completely absorbing.  Just as if you were in the boardrooms at Ford and the ptis at Le Mans. 

 

"The LImit" by Michael Cannel, about Phil Hill and Wolfgang Von Trips.  A book in the same vein as "Go Like Hell."

 

I would second "Speed With Style."

 

Want to spend a year with a Champ Car team?  "Inside Racing" by Paul Haney, in which he spends a year with the PacWest team.  I think the year was 1997.  An absorbing read, an inside look at that racing season.

 

I keep using the term "absorbing" and I think that's what you want when traveling.  Something you can dive into completely, to take your mind off of whatever discomforts occur.

 

When your trip is over, let us know what you read.

 

Dave

Edited by Dave Ware, 08 February 2015 - 22:24.

[DUFFY]

Best book when you are in a plane (or anywhere else) is :-

 

Vulcan 607 by Rowland White.

 

When you start it see if you can put it down.

 

I know its not motoring, but it must be the next best thing?

[john aston]

But if you want to read somebody who can really write , if not about our favourite sport, then try Richard Ford. Ironically 'The Sportswriter' would be a good start or Independence Day (not re the sci fi film of same name )    .

 

Back on topic I enjoyed Working The Wheel by Martin Brundle  - far better than I thought it would be.

[JAPMagna]

The Bugatti Queen by Miranda Seymour is the best motor sport-based book I've read by some distance. In fact the appendices covering the background research to the book are even more fascinating.

Death Race by Mark Khan covering the 1955 Le Mans race is also brilliantly structured and far exceeds expectations (based on rather sensationalist title).

[LittleChris]

Alf Francis Racing Mechanic, BRM:  Mechanics Tale by Dick Salmon and Biography of a Race Mechanic by Tony Robinson are particular favourites

[kayemod]

Not small books, but To Finish First by 60s & 70s McLaren man Phil Kerr, and Team Lotus by Andrew Ferguson are two of the best behind the scenes books about racing I've read, the first one especially. You'll learn things from both of those two about the characters involved that you won't find anywhere else. I'd also agree with the recommendation of Alf Francis Racing Mechanic if you need something more pocket-sized, though maybe not too easy to find these days, "Alf who???"

[fuzzi]

Tony Rudd's autobiography "It was Fun" is a guaranteed page turner, probably out of print, but worth tracking down;

 

"Stand on it a Novel by Stroker Ace" by Bill Neely and Bob Ottum is tremendous fun - it will probably be an import, but worth taking the trouble;

 

"The Wildest Ride: A History of NASCAR (or how a bunch of Good Ol' Boys built a billion-dollar industry out of wrecking cars) by Joe Menzer, I bought my copy in New York and when I lost it to a friend, I had to buy another

 

"Andre Lefebvre and the cars he created for Voisin and Citroen" by Gijbert-Paul Berk, newly available in paperback from Veloce. I read it when it was first published in 2009, but stupidly did not buy a copy. You don't have to be a Voisin or Citroen nut but it helps.

 

The last three are all paperbacks which helps if you are going on holiday

 

PS I'm taking "Into the Silence: The Great War,Mallory and the Conquest of Everest" by Wade Davis and "God's Architect: Pugin and the Building of Romantic Britain" by Rosemary Hill on holiday with me when we go to Copenhagen next month.

Edited by fuzzi, 09 February 2015 - 14:09.

[P0wderf1nger]

What a lovely task. By holiday reading I'm thinking short, punchy chapters or essays, so you can pick the book up and put it down again without losing your thread. On which basis...

 

I second Pete Lyons' 'Fast Lines', and add Michael Oliver's 'Tales from the Toolbox', Peter Donaldson's 'Grand Prix People' and Nigel Roebuck's 'Chasing the Title'.

 

Bon voyage, and happy reading.

 

Paul 

[Collombin]

Nigel Roebuck's 'Chasing the Title'.

Seconded, and for similar reasons I would recommend a surprising little gem in Preston Lerner and Matt Stone's "History's Greatest Automotive Mysteries Myths and Rumors (sic) Revealed", which is far better than you might guess from the title.

DCN's "Motor Racing Mavericks" is a great little book too.

I would also take Gary Wayne's "The Watson Years", but I accept that's a bit of a niche interest.

It seems a travesty to have to omit Michael Oliver's Lotus 72 from any recommended reading list, but let's face it, the plane wouldn't get off the bloody ground.

[ian senior]

Try escaping from motor racing while you are on holiday, and try Empire of the Clouds by James Hamilton Paterson. Even if you have only a passing interest in aviation, you should enjoy reading about the ups and downs (literally) of British aircraft manufacturers in the 1950s and 60s.  So many parallels with our car and motor  cycle industries, such a familiar and sad outcome but such promise and excitement on the way.

[Derwent Motorsport]

Thanks for the suggestions folks. Most I've read or dismissed. I've bought "3565 days of Motoring" - trivia, and for non motoring a Kate Adie autobiography plus a couple of guide books to southern Spain and Gibraltar. Hoping to go to the scene of the greatest race never run!

[Tuboscocca]

Thanks for the suggestions folks. Most I've read or dismissed. I've bought "3565 days of Motoring" - trivia, and for non motoring a Kate Adie autobiography plus a couple of guide books to southern Spain and Gibraltar. Hoping to go to the scene of the greatest race never run!

You must buy a Peter Ustinov biography!!

 

Michael

[Mallory Dan]

Try escaping from motor racing while you are on holiday, and try Empire of the Clouds by James Hamilton Paterson. Even if you have only a passing interest in aviation, you should enjoy reading about the ups and downs (literally) of British aircraft manufacturers in the 1950s and 60s.  So many parallels with our car and motor  cycle industries, such a familiar and sad outcome but such promise and excitement on the way.

I'll second this Ian, its a great read. Just reminds us how much we've lost industrially

[Charlieman]

The Bugatti Queen by Miranda Seymour is the best motor sport-based book I've read by some distance.

It is a cracking good book, available in paperback.

 

Paperback is my theme.

 

When on holiday, I have space for one heavy weight and a few lighter books. Batsford published titles in paperback which *should* be read many times. Pan published driver and team biogs. You can buy these books cheaply and not feel guilty about leaving them behind in a guest house. Foulis published hard back books which are light and small enough to count as paperbacks -- but they are expensive, and even if you bathe in bank notes, they are too lovely to lose lightly. MRP also published some small hard backs.

[Peter0Scandlyn]

Best book when you are in a plane (or anywhere else) is :-

 

Vulcan 607 by Rowland White.

 

When you start it see if you can put it down.

 

I know its not motoring, but it must be the next best thing?

 

Thanks for the tip.....many of the books in this thread I own or have read. Didn't have this on it's way to me now. Looking forward.

[Sigur]

I recommend Beast by jade Gurss to be a good and informative read. It is about the development of the Mercedes 500I engine by Ilmor Engineering in secret.

[B Squared]

It's quite easy to recommend friend Michael Argetsinger's "Mark Donohue; Technical Excellence at Speed" and "Walt Hansgen" - both from David Bull Publishing. Both are award winners that are summed up by Speedreaders in the partial quote below:

 

"Argetsinger has written a remarkable and fitting tribute to one of America’s greatest race drivers. That it has already won several awards including the prestigious International Automotive Media Award is no surprise; Argetsinger’s previous work, Walt Hansgen: His Life and the History of Post War American Road Racing was similarly praised and feted in 2006.

 

This is a significant book fully worthy of the IAMAs. In a full-time effort that required more than three years to complete, Argetsinger interviewed over 211 people close to the subject, and enjoyed not only access to all the family papers but those of the Penske organization as well. He also had access to the unpublished tapes made for Donohue’s own book The Unfair Advantage.

 

In fact, his approach to the Donohue biography is much like that of the Donohue/Penske approach to racing—a total commitment, the pursuit of perfection, and a successful outcome a done deal even before the checkered flag. “Although I hadn’t thought of it that way,” said Argetsinger in a phone interview, “but I always had in mind that if I did this book, I would have to do it in a manner that Donohue would have appreciated.” Argetsinger knew that it HAD to be good; anything less that the best would not have been par for the course."

 

http://speedreaders....ellence_at_spe/

Edited by B Squared, 19 February 2015 - 19:50.

[fbarrett]

I heartily agree with many of the suggestions here, but Good Lord, just look at the book thread on this very forum!

 

Frank

Edited by fbarrett, 21 February 2015 - 05:02.

[B Squared]

I heartily agree with many of the suggestions here, but Good Lord, just look at the book thread on this very forum!

Theorizing only: Possibly because it's quite easy for the essentials to get lost in a 160 page thread, and if someone possibly dares to ask Derwent's question in said book thread, they are directed that the answering of this type of question is not what the book threads purpose is?