Archive for Author 'Helen Hutchings', only excerpts shown, click title for full entry.

Hero Found: The Greatest POW Escape of the Vietnam War

by Bruce Henderson

Can’t think of anything inspirational this Thanksgiving? Here’s a story of escape and survival against all odds that’ll make you thankful for many things, not least that you were not tested as the protagonist was.

Chrome Colossus, General Motors and Its Times

by Ed Cray

The author was a journalism professor not an auto industry expert so he examines GM through the lens of “accountability” vis-à-vis, for instance, planned obsolescence, resisting regulation, and opposing imports. The book is over 40 years old—and still not obsolete.

I’m Not the Only Idiot in the Cockpit

by Dennis Breen

A funny memoir that at times makes you doubt the man never had an actual accident in all his years of flying or being around aircraft in other capacities (cf. repo man!).

Wayne Carini, Steering Through Life

by Wayne Carini

This automotive memoir by a classic car expert and TV host talks about his life, influences, lessons learned, and of course the finding, collecting, and repair of cars.

But Will It Fly?

The History and Science of Unconventional Aerial Power and Propulsion

by Iver P. Cooper

Alighting, staying aloft, and landing again are each hard enough—doing all, repeatedly, controllably, under any number of conditions and in various climactic and atmospheric environments is orders of magnitude harder.

Mr. Piper and His Cubs

by Devon Francis

Before there was a Piper Cub there was a Taylor Cub, and it was at Taylor that W.T. Piper got into aviation, rather by accident. Designed as a trainer its ruggedness, light weight, and affordability suit that role very well. A J-3 was the first American plane to be shot down in WWII—on a training flight.

M18 Hell-Cat: 76mm Gun Motor Carriage in World War II

by David Doyle

This particular “Buick” cost almost a million bucks when new. It was the most effective US tank killer of WWII but as every machine, it required compromises (firepower, armor, mobility). When all is said and done, it was the crews that made it successful, not the design.

Blue Bug: The Story of A Girl and A Car

by Ronald Sieber

That’s a Type 35 on the cover and the little girl obviously loves it and wants to own it one day. And then she meets an honest to goodness Bugatti-racing woman!

Kinser: A Racing Career Like No Other

by Steve Kinser with Dave Argabright

The most successful sprint car driver of all time retired from competition with a reputation for being able to outfox defeat in seemingly impossible-to-win situations. What made him tick?

The American Car Since 1775

The Most Complete Survey of the American Automobile ever Published

by The Editors of AQ

Fifty years after its first publication you can still find this book without much effort, at less than the original MSRP, and often in “as new” condition—meaning those owners never used the book as it was meant to. Don’t be that person!

Eleanor in the Village

Eleanor Roosevelt’s Search for Freedom and Identity in New York’s Greenwich Village

by Jan Jarboe Russel

Even as First Lady she maintained ties to the Village, in fact made it her permanent residence for a while after FDR’s death. What personal and political currents drew her there?