Ian Walker Racing: The Man and His Cars

by Julian Balme

From amateur rally driver to team owner who supplied rides in which world championships were won, Walker was a force to be reckoned with in the 1950s and ‘60s. This fine bio is the first, and the world would be just fine if it remained the only one.

The Amazing Life of John Cooper Fitch

by Art Evans

“Amazing” doesn’t even begin to exhaust the fullness of the man whose obit described him as “bathed in golden sunlight.” Pilot, racer, sailor, inventor, family man, holder of a speed record—for driving backward.

Maxwell Motor and the Making of the Chrysler Corporation

by Anthony J. Yanik

The list of Maxwell innovations is long, not just in terms of technology but also policy such as marketing specifically to women or hiring a gender-balanced sales force. Once a leading US carmaker, the original firm is long defunct but survives today in the form of Fiat Chrysler.

Collector’s Choice Music Catalogue, August 2017

by Joe Van Horn

Speedreaders is often unique in the material we review—and proud of it. Here is a music catalogue that may periodically come to your house. But we sometimes do more than a mere review; this essay is both informational and illuminating.

Cruise O Matic: Automobile Advertising of the 1950s

by Yasutoshi Ikuta

Relive an exuberant period in American auto history through ads that are as flamboyant as the cars.

The Mini Story

by Andreas Braun

Ten foot long but roomy enough for four people—it wasn’t intended to become an icon but merely to be eminently practical. But the ultra-clever design came with smart marketing and so the Mini succeeded where others failed.

Citroën 1919–1949: La Belle Epoque

by Wouter Jansen

Even if you have no specific interest in Citroëns, this book is so beautifully made and so richly illustrated you’ll want it just for the pleasure of knowing you can have a peek anytime you want to!

Ed “Big Daddy” Roth: His Life, Times, Cars, and Art

by Pat Ganahl

There was a time when Roth might have been refused entry to Amelia Island—no beatniks allowed. Just kidding, but the fact that the 2018 AIC is featuring Roth’s cars demonstrates a change in thinking. This book tells the story of Roth, his creations and his cultural significance.

Vignale; Ferrari and all the others

by Alfredo Zanellato Vignale

From lowly mass transport to the most rarefied of super exotics, Vignale had a quite unusually prolific output. This book by the founder’s nephew is probably the first time a thoroughly researched overview has been published.

One of a Kind Research Aircraft

by Steve Markman & Bill Holder

This book was the first to introduce to the general public some of those aircraft that were hardly known outside the professional community of aircraft developers and testers. Not the headline-grabbing experimental planes but the workhorses that test everything from the durability of paint to new science.

Batman Black and White

by Gianni, Goodwin, Gaiman, McKeever, Miller et al

Not for fanfolk only! Every book lover with an especial interest in pen-and-ink, black-and-white, the art of drawing, should consider tracking this one down.

1000-Kilometer-Rennen 1953–1983

by Jan Hettler & Udo Klinkel

The famous German Nürburgring has a fierce reputation. You could check it out in your own car or even go out with a pro driver but you still wouldn’t know what it’s like to run a 1000 km endurance race. This book will tell you.

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