Archive for Author 'Donald Capps', only excerpts shown, click title for full entry.

Cooper Cars

by Doug Nye

If all you associate with the name is Mini Coopers let yourself be enlightened by this benchmark book about a hole-in-the wall racing shop that diced with the big boys.

The 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam: Unparalleled and Unequaled

by Ira A. Hunt Jr.

This book was written by someone who was there—and is here reviewed by someone who was also there. And the two points of view could not be less similar, raising the eternal question: how can a reader who was not there know what is true?

Autocourse 2016–2017

by Tony Dodgins, editor

The joys—and burdens—of wanting/needing to buy an annual motorsports book. Once you start, you really cannot sit out a year, can you?

The Magnificent Monopostos: Alfa Romeo Grand Prix Cars 1923–1951

by Simon Moore

The third of three books about important prewar racing Alfas. Very thorough, very pricy, very much worth it. Even covers Alfa GP-engined powerboats.

Lotus 18: Colin Chapman’s U-Turn

by Mark Whitelock

“U-Turn” implies reversal, in this case moving the engine from the front to the rear, which, coupled with other Chapman goodies, made the 18 the milestone car he had been shooting for all along.

A Life in a Year: The American Infantryman in Vietnam, 1965–1972

by James R. Ebert

A fresh look at an older book that was once dismissed as unworthy because of who had written it and why and how. Well, there’s another side.

1967: Chris Amon, Scuderia Ferrari and a Year of Living Dangerously

by John Julian

The young New Zealander is not exactly a household name—except among knowledgeable racing enthusiasts. From technical to social aspects, the book describes many aspects of a particularly storied year in racing history.

U.S. Army Aircraft (Heavier-Than-Air) 1908–1946

by James C. Fahey

A 70-year-old booklet that once cost all of $1 and is still relevant today catalogs US Army airplanes from the earliest contraptions to the postwar jets.

A.T.S., The Italian Team That Challenged Ferrari

by Michael John Lazzari

Readers steeped in Ferrari history know about the “Palace revolt” of 1961. ATS is a direct result of that and a thorough account of this episode would be a worthy addition to the literature. This book could be it—if you speak Italian well enough to make sense of this English translation.

Armed with Abundance

by Meredith H. Lair

Not every soldier serves in the trenches. In fact, 9 out of 10 are in the rear echelons, away from the fight—and often near to entertainment and recreation. What do they do in their downtime? This book about the non-combat experiences of U.S. soldiers offers civilians a quite unexpected perspective.

The Indy Car Wars

by Sigur E. Whitaker

As motorsports go, Indy racing draws the most eyeballs in the US but the sport’s troubled history remains a polarizing topic. This book takes a stab at unraveling the complicated and often unsavory backstory.

1964 Watson Sheraton Thompson Special

by Donald Davidson, photos by Peter Harholdt

The actual car survives to this day, exactly as it finished its dominant 1964 season which included an Indy win. A short book but expertly written and photographed.