Son of a Beach Boy

by Scott Wilson with Karen Leslie Powell

Many still care deeply about Dennis Wilson, cofounder of The Beach Boys. Although this book doesn’t deny Wilson’s hedonistic behavior, it tells of the—often unconventional—devotion and affection he bestowed upon his stepson Scott. But the book, like its hero, has serious problems.

King Edward VII’s American Friend

by John Whetton

This tiny booklet is not nearly sufficient to portray this American department store tycoon’s multitude of interests, activities, and associations. He was an early backer of aviation, especially long-distance flights.

Alfa Romeo Montreal: The Essential Companion

ALSO: The Dream Car that Came True

by Bruce Taylor

Good thing the 1967 Expo wasn’t held in Moscow as had originally been planned or Alfa Romeo might not have been given the brief to produce a car “to express man’s ultimate aspirations in the field of motor cars”.

Fouga Magister

by Tine Soetaert

This 1950s French aircraft was the world’s first tandem jet trainer produced in substantial numbers and this book shows you all its bits, from nose gear shimmy to boundary layer splitter plate. In other words, advanced stuff.

The Belgian Air Service in the First World War

by Walter M. Pieters

This outstanding book chronicles why and how little Belgium became such a big factor in a war in which it found itself involved from the first day to the last.

Motorama: GM’s Legendary Show and Concept Cars

by David W. Temple

In the 1950s and ‘60s, if you couldn’t make it to the car show, GM would bring its cars to a big city near you in the form of a rolling auto show replete with specially made “dream cars” for just this event.

Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 30

by Bruno Schmäling & Winfried Bock

This first book of a new series shows a different—and better—approach to working from primary sources and focuses on the human story behind early military aviation.

WO Bentley Rotary Aero Engines

by Tom Dine

The man that did Britain proud in motor racing with his eponymous cars also designed engines for tanks and airplanes and made significant contributions to the very early days of flight.

Reborn, An Owner’s Workshop Guide for the 25/30 Rolls-Royce

by Charles Vyse

It is a sad fact of life that a car once bought is never as good as first hoped, and a sold car is always better in memory than it truly was! So, don’t sell out of despair—fix!

The Top Gear Story

by Martin Roach

It’s not really possibly to be into cars and not know Top Gear. Which is not to say you’ll like it . . . it’s loud, too often offensive, sometimes racist. But the stunts—the editing—even the music, everything shows a deft command of the medium.

Riley Sports Cars 1926–1938

by Graham Robson

As so many other British makes, afflicted as they were of a singularly Britsh way of executing industrial policy, Riley had a complicated history. This book isn’t helping, not even in regards to the small sports car segment it focuses on.