Elva: The Cars, The People, The History

by János Wimpffen

This exhaustive book is surely the last word on the subject of the little English car with the French name that willed it to go, which it did, but for only ten years.

The New Cunard Queens

by Nils Schwerdtner

If you encounter an ocean liner these days whose name has the prefix Queen you know you’re looking at a Cunarder. This book offers a look at the famous company’s history and its three current flagships.

Silver Clouds: The 1934 Grand Prix Season

by Paul Chenard

A marvelous limited-edition collection of artwork—only 50 pieces—with narrative about the 1934 racing season in Europe.

The A-Z of 21st-Century Cars

by Tony Lewin

Not to be mistaken for an encyclopedia-like blow-by-blow/model-by-model compendium of automobiles, this book looks at people, firms, and models that “changed the course of car design.”

Eagle: Henry Royce’s First Aero Engine

by Derek S. Taulbut

This excellent book details the development process of Rolls-Royce’s WWI V-12 aircraft engine of complex design, extraordinary power, and uncommon reliability.

Watkins Glen, the Street Years 1948–1952

by Phillipe Defechereux

People who like round numbers will know that the year this book was published—2011—was the 50th anniversary of the first Formula 1 Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. That was 1961, by which time The Glen had been successfully hosting races for over a decade.

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work

by Matthew Crawford

“Knowledge worker” vs. “blue collar.” Apples/oranges. Is one “better” than the other? Crawford says yes, but is it?

Steve McQueen: A Passion for Speed

by Frédéric Brun

To an American reader a book written from a foreigner’s perspective about a quintessential American icon is often as revealing as it is disconcerting—the two being different sides of the same coin.

Engines and Enterprise: The Life and Work of Sir Harry Ricardo

by John Reynolds

Ricardo’s education at the privileged schools of Rugby and Cambridge, coupled with his undying love for all things mechanical, propelled him on a career path to become one of world’s leading authorities in engine research and development.

Sports Car Racing in the South: Texas to Florida, 1957–1958

by Willem Oosthoek

To the serious student of racing in the US, this book and its two future companions will be inevitable purchases. To the more casual reader it won’t be the hard data so much as the abundance of photos that will make this acquisition worthwhile.

Art of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle

by D Blattel & D Gingerelli

This is first and foremost a photo book. If you’ve had Harleys on your brain for a while it is almost not possible not to have encountered photographer Blattel’s images before.