Book reviews

[MadMatt]

Yes I know another thread about books (although there aren't really any). This one will be dedicated to books that you've actually read, so please use the following template when posting a review! The rating system goes from 0 (absolute waste of money) to 5 (a one-of-a-kind book that every enthusiast should get).

Chaparral - Can-Am Racing Cars From Texas by Karl Ludvigsen

Language: English
Pages: 130 (black&white)
Price bought: 21€

A nice book, but more like a picture-book. The text content is poor I would say, with only a very concise introduction. The rest of the book contains pictures of all Chaparall cars from the start to his last Indy Car. Some pictures are actually very good where you can see the mechanic and nice details rather than the car in action from a far distance, so you get nice details of the 2J sucker for example. Very nice. At that price however, I thought I would know more about the team and the man behind these cars rather than just looking at pictures and their description, but it is a nice addition if you are a die-hard Chaparral I would say. Some technical data of the cars and chassis numbers would have been nice too.

Rating: 3 / 5

[MadMatt]

Can-Am Racing Cars 1966 - 1974 compiled by R M Clarke

Language: English
Pages: 182 (black&white with few coloured ones)
Price bought: £18

A very good book that makes you travel from the origins of the CanAm up to "the end" in 1974. You will be able to read original articles (sometimes written very very small) from that time and see the rise of the McLaren team, the coming of Porsche, and the ending of the series. They've obviousely put a huge emphasis on McLaren, which is sometimes a shame as there was so many other teams that deserved attention (Shadow, for example), but the book is a nice read. You even see detailed hand drawing of some cars that are just superb. You will also see the Chaparral in action and the stories behind the scenes. I would say this is a great book to introduce you to the CanAm world, as you can then buy the 2 other books presenting all the races from 1966 to 1974.

Rating: 4 / 5

[Belatti]

No angel, the secret life of Bernie Ecclestone by Tom Bower

http://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Angel-Secret ... 0571269362

Born into poverty, Bernie Ecclestone has made himself a billionaire by developing the world's second most popular sport - Formula One racing. Private, mysterious and some say sinister, the eighty-year-old criss-crosses the globe in his private jet, mixing with celebrities, statesmen and sporting heroes. His success is not just in creating a multibillion-pound global business but in resisting repeated attempts to snatch the glittering prize from his control.


Ecclestone has never before revealed how he graduated from selling second-hand cars in London's notorious Warren Street to become the major player he is today. He has finally decided to reveal his secrets: the deals, the marriages, the disasters and the successes in Formula One racing, in Downing Street, in casinos, on yachts and in the air.

Surprisingly, he has granted access to his inner circle to Tom Bower, described by Ecclestone as 'The Undertaker' - the man who buries reputations - and has given him access to all his friends and enemies. All have been told by Ecclestone, 'Tell him the truth, good or bad.'

No Angel is a classic rags-to-riches story, the unique portrayal of a unique man and an intriguing insight into Formula One racing, business and the human spirit. Tom Bower is the author of nineteen books, including biographies of Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Fayed, Gordon Brown, Richard Branson, Conrad Black and more recently, Simon Cowell.

I have actually read the Spanish version. It has things about him that I didnt know and it also teaches you how to do ruthless bussiness. Ill give it a 3/5

[Belatti]

Fangio, cuando el hombre es mas que el mito
by Roberto Carozzo



Its an old book and there are different editions, I have the newest with the cover like the picture above.

Here is an amazon link with a different edition
http://www.amazon.com/Fangio-Cuando-Hom ... 9503701783

Basically one of the best books I have read, it mostly tells all the beginnings of his sporting career before going to Europe. There you can understand how is that he was so good and advanced versus the other drivers of the time. Any motorsport lover who want to know how it was back then, when Fangio in the Argentine TC raced all across South America from BsAs to Venezuela or Peru (a race that would make The Dakar look a piece of cake) should read this book.

Rating: 5/5

[Belatti]

Ayrton Senna
by Fransisco Santos



I bought it in 1996, a spanish edition, a fine biography, a little bit emotionally charged because the man was going to publish it when Ayrton was alive and had to wait and change some things. It has nice pics that were valueless back then when you could not see everything in the internet. I like how it explains the 1989 diqualification to Senna´s victory from the Japanese GP.

Rating: 4/5