Books Best Books - Your Recommendations - Page 3

alesi95 · 3 May 2003, 09:29 (Ref:588300)

Currently distracted from my motorsport reading by Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men". I know it's not a motorsport related book but I highly recommend it.

pirenzo · 3 May 2003, 18:55 (Ref:588643)

My question is if this were a Formula 1 Books thread, would Ayse have made it a Hot Topic?

ensign14 · 3 May 2003, 19:41 (Ref:588671)

The following sportscar books are a must, if you can afford them:

"Time & 2 Seats" - Janos Wimpffen - GET IT GET IT GET IT.

The 2 volume History of Le Mans with photos of almost every car to have taken part.

The following are worth searching out second hand:

"Endurance Racing" - Ian Briggs; lots of photos of unusual machinery (Veskanda, Ceekar), covers the Group C and IMSA very well.

As many Le Mans 24 Hour yearbooks you can get.

The following should be quite cheap second hand:

"Directory of World Sportscars" - Michael Cotton (Group C, IMSA)

"Directory of Classic Sports-Racing Cars" - Mike Lawrence (50s)

"Directory of Sports Prototypes and GT Cars" - Anthony Pritchard (60s) (these 3 are part of a series by Aston Publications, they go through makes in an A-Z style, quite comprehensive but with odd omissions, e.g. no Isolia in the Cotton one).

The 5 Ken Wells books covering Le Mans, 1986-90.

For reference:

"La Sport e suoi Artigiani" - Curami - even for non-Italophones the photos are mint. Italian sportscars of the 1950s.

"Red Arrows" - Gianni Marzotto - Ferraris in the Mille Miglia.

The various Brooklands reprints covering Le Mans, the Targa and Mille Miglia.

Still available new - and at a bargain price (£49!) - "The French Sports Car Revolution" - Anthony Blight (late 1930s).

**Aysedasi** · 3 May 2003, 20:39 (Ref:588710)

Quote:

Originally posted by pirenzo
My question is if this were a Formula 1 Books thread, would Ayse have made it a Hot Topic?

Possibly........

Seriously though, I know both Hobson and I are very keen to make sure that interests other than GPL and computer games are catered for here. I don't propose to make every non-GPL thread sticky, but I do want to draw the attention of newcomers or infrequent visitors to the fact that there are quite a few different things to discuss here.

pirenzo · 3 May 2003, 20:55 (Ref:588724)

Fair enough. I like a bit of variety too. That's why i decided to start the modeling thread, and now there's a slot car thread too again which is great.

ensign14 · 5 May 2003, 21:19 (Ref:590367)

Quote:

Originally posted by alesi95
Currently distracted from my motorsport reading by Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men". I know it's not a motorsport related book but I highly recommend it.

Trouble is, he starts with a theory and bends the facts to fit it, rather than vice versa. Entertaining, but not great journalism. Then again I'm a P J O'Rourke fan.

429CJ · 6 May 2003, 20:24 (Ref:591511)

If there is any rally fans, I'll recommend 'Rally Cars' of Reinhard Klein.

**Aysedasi** · 9 May 2003, 07:01 (Ref:594206)

In order to keep the "sticky" threads under control, number-wise, I now merged the two "books" threads. Keep those recommendations coming in people!

Jordi · 9 May 2003, 18:06 (Ref:594786)

I'm currently reading "Life in the Fast Lane" by Eddie Irvine, pretty good.

I don't know if you can read Portuguese or Spanish, Ayse, but there's a great book about Ayrton named "Ayrton Senna", written by Francisco Santos. Santos has published a F1 yearbook for Spain and Portugal for 30 years now as well.

I have the Senna book and the yearbooks since 1995, but I don't know any way you lot would be able to get them...

dretceterini · 9 May 2003, 18:58 (Ref:594833)

For all Italian car wacckos like me, there is a new book on Bandini (the cars, not the driver), but it is 100 Euros plus shipping!

**Aysedasi** · 9 May 2003, 20:21 (Ref:594907)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jordi

I don't know if you can read Portuguese or Spanish, Ayse....

Sadly not, Jordi

AllonFS · 13 May 2003, 12:10 (Ref:597795)

Any suggestions on where to find these books, either new or good second hand? Usual web searches are failing miserably.

"Directory of World Sportscars" - Michael Cotton (Group C, IMSA)
"Directory of Classic Sports-Racing Cars" - Mike Lawrence (50s)
"Directory of Sports Prototypes and GT Cars" - Anthony Pritchard (60s)

Also is "Time & 2 Seats" - Janos Wimpffen available now and for the forseeable future. Like others I would love a copy, but really can't justify the cash at present. I would hate to find out it was out of print when I can afford it though.

ensign14 · 13 May 2003, 13:04 (Ref:597857)

The Pritchard and Lawrence books are listed at chaters.co.uk for £20 each. Try Collectors Carbooks or any of those people who advertize in the small ads in Motor Sport as well, they can put you on a waiting list if necessary, or even a book search thru one of the High Street bods.

Get the Wimpffen books now and worry about the expense later, I am sure they will go up in value and down in availability. Eat less, don't drink, forget soap.

paul-collins · 13 May 2003, 13:59 (Ref:597919)

Quote:

Originally posted by AllonFS
Also is "Time & 2 Seats" - Janos Wimpffen available now and for the forseeable future. Like others I would love a copy, but really can't justify the cash at present. I would hate to find out it was out of print when I can afford it though.

Self published, so the book will be as available as he is.

Incidently, he's a full-time writer for dailysportscar these days, as well as working on his followup book. When they get their webshop up and running, I expect they'll be selling T&2S.

Heebeegeetee · 18 May 2003, 22:31 (Ref:602971)

Three of my very favourites:

Mon Ami Mate: The bright, brief lives of Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins. - a really terrific read, but sadly costs £55. Worht it though, you'll keep it forever.

Villeneuve by Gerald Donaldson. About Gilles, as mentioned by a previous poster, and again, a terrific read, a really great story. It reveals that not only was Gilles the racer that we all know about, but his financial struggles in his early days beggar belief. He was one determind sob.

Managing a Legend. Autoboigraphy of Ken Miles, the manager of Stirling Moss. This was at a time when racing drivers having managers was unheard of. I particularly enjoyed the chapter 'How Not To Buy a Maserati.'

A Different Kind Of Life by Virginia Williams. The story by Frank's wife about her life with him, before and after his accident. A gut wrenching read, a hell of a book. This book is out of print, which is a shame, 'cos every fan of the contempory F1 scene should read it. It tells of the times when Frank Williams was so poor he often couldn't pay the rent for his room in the house he shared with friends, so they'd rent him the sofa, and when he couldn't pay that they'd let him sleep in the Mini van outside.
The Frank we see on the TV just doesn't reveal anything about the true character underneath.

ensign14 · 19 May 2003, 08:14 (Ref:603155)

Quote:

Originally posted by Heebeegeetee
Managing a Legend. Autoboigraphy of Ken Miles, the manager of Stirling Moss. This was at a time when racing drivers having managers was unheard of. I particularly enjoyed the chapter 'How Not To Buy a Maserati.'

Ken Gregory , unfortunately we will be denied a Ken Miles autobiography.

However I second your recommendations.

Heebeegeetee · 19 May 2003, 17:25 (Ref:603751)

Oops! Well spotted, thanks.

**Aysedasi** · 19 May 2003, 19:35 (Ref:603861)

Is there a biog of Ken Miles? After finally getting to watch the Cobra/Ferrari Wars this weekend (many thanks again Allon FS), he comes across as quite a character.

ensign14 · 19 May 2003, 21:13 (Ref:603965)

Dunno, there's an article about him in Great Moments In Speed by Olney, said he could be irascible and kind in different moments, contemptuous yet deeply interested in botany; Georgano's encyclopaedia has him as sardonic yet gentle. And, Heebeegeetee, he was born in Sutton Coldfield (as was yrs trly)....Would like to know more about him as well, I've thought he must have been the most talented driver never to have participated in a Grand Prix.

**Aysedasi** · 19 May 2003, 23:38 (Ref:604082)

I think a post on the historic forum is called for......

**Aysedasi** · 20 May 2003, 17:14 (Ref:605030)

Go here -

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...026#post605026

Look out for the great link from paul_collins

Amaroo Park · 21 May 2003, 04:49 (Ref:605543)

i just bought a book Colin Chapman wayward genius. Has anyone else here read it???????

**Aysedasi** · 21 May 2003, 18:36 (Ref:606154)

No. I've got(as I've said above) Combac's biography of Chapman, which is a very good read indeed.

ss_collins · 24 May 2003, 22:04 (Ref:609025)

ok resited long enough, MINE! how to get started in motorsport by me! published by veloce and can be bought online at amazon or from chaters

Damon · 24 May 2003, 22:27 (Ref:609054)

I'm sure many of you have, like me, been waiting for quite some time now for the Ayrton Senna biography, "The Life of Senna" by Tom Rubython. Well having forgotten about it for a while I did a search of the internet and tonight and discovered that Amazon (with Waterstones) are still saying that it has yet to be published, but I found that Smith's were quoting this: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/WHS/Go.asp?...4136810&DB=220

Is that release date true or have they made it up? A trip down to my local Smiths tomorrow may be in order.

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