Auto books make ideal holiday gifts
Russell Hayes, like all automotive industry book authors, is passionate about his subject matter.
Hayes’ interests cover several iconic carmakers, including his latest effort celebrating the 75th and 70th anniversaries of the Volkswagen Beetle and Bus.
For enthusiasts as interested in vehicles as the author, Hayes’ coffee-table sized volume is among three new, varied books ideal as holiday season gifts.
Hayes, whose previous works ranges in topic from auto shows to Lotus to several offerings on Volkswagen, just released Volkswagen Beetles and Buses: Smaller and Smarter. (Quarto Publishing Group, $40).
As Hayes explains, no carmaker’s history is as unique as Volkswagen — its association with the Nazi movement to the Hippie generation.
More than 23 million VW Beetles have been manufactured since 1945. The book examines and celebrates all aspects of the vehicles and their status as cultural symbols for more than 70 years.
Hayes looks back at the vehicles while focusing on the classic air-cooled VWS manufactured into the late 1970s. He discusses, with accompanying photography, the Beetle and Bus at work and play.
Plenty of cars and trucks have had starring roles in film, but none likely as varied as VW. Its presence in films include: The Love Bug, Little Miss Sunshine, Footloose, Fight Club, The Big Lebowski,
and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
And there were roles in television shows like Lost and Once Upon a Time
and on the covers of the Beatles’ Abbey Road and Bob Dylan’s Freewheelin’ album.
Hayes covers all things VW and pop culture. He writes about the New Beetle and plans for the VW Buzz, a modern electric version of the iconic Microbus due in 2022.
* Patrick Foster knows as much as anyone about the automaker Jeep. With more than 30 years in the automotive industry, Foster is a prolific journalist, particularly when writing about the long history of the utilitarian, four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Foster’s latest book is Jeep: Eight decades from Willys to Wrangler.
(Motorbooks, $32.99.)
Accompanied by more than 200 photographs, the paperback is described as “the definitive book on the
greatest four-wheel-drive vehicle ever.”
Foster details his vast knowledge of Jeep, and he gives an insightful account of the stories behind its design and production. The automaker’s well-known World War II presence to current models are all covered.
Military-issued Jeeps, as well as the first post-war JC and now-classic SUVS, are all included in Foster’s impressive chronicling of the enduring machines.
The new volume updates Foster’s previous Jeep books. It includes five years of new model editions and prototypes as well as Jeep’s success in its recent return to the pickup marketplace.
The book’s color and black-andwhite photographs are complemented by unique Jeep advertisement material from throughout its tenure.
Foster’s latest book, as well as his collection of previous works, are also available on his website www.oldemilfordpress.com. New buyers receive author’s signed copies.
* The Complete Book of Corvette, a coffee table-sized volume detailing the first seven generations of America’s Sports Car (Quarto Publishing Group, $55), continues Mike Mueller’s prolific writing career.
Showcasing more than 60 years of Corvette history, the book was published in cooperation with General Motors. It’s illustrated with 500 color and black-and-white photos from GM’S exclusive Design and Media Archives.
Development, tech specs and visual prowess of the Corvette lineup are all covered in Mueller’s second book on the iconic sports car.
The book’s title is a slight misnomer. It was released before the recent debut of the Corvette’s eighth generation, the mid-engined C8. But that’s OK. A third book about the iconic sports car may be warranted since the new Stingray has disrupted the auto industry.
James Raia, a syndicated columnist in Sacramento, publishes a free weekly automotive podcast and electronic newsletter. Sign-ups are available on his website, theweeklydriver.com. He can be reached via email: james@ jamesraia.com.