Judging a book by it's cover

[Richard Fridd]

Looking through my store, I have revisited some neglected titles. Neglected by me, as I have found the dustwrapper designs less than exciting. One book is 'From Brands Hatch to Indianapolis' Tommaso Tommasi priced £1.25. Lots of interesting reading, and some photos which I haven't seen elsewhere. Something mentioned which I never new and maybe of interest - the Brands main straight grandstand c1971 was actually moved from Northholt when the racecourse closed for housing developement. Can anyone here recommend any low cost motoring books/ literature where content delivers more than the cover design would suggest? Or vice versa, where the cover is the best part of the book? Richard

[frankxhv773t]

"Turning Back the Clock - The life and times of a motor trader" by Geoff Owen, one time used Lancia Beta salesman. The hand drawn cover looks distinctly "low rent". It is actually an enormously insightful memoir of the motor trade from the used car "cottage industry" he joined from school in 1945 to running chain Main Dealerships in the 1970s and on into his own used car business with unusual specialisations, notably Lancia Betas when the rust scandal hit.

[chriswgawne]

Do you mean Northolt Richard? I have never heard of a racecourse there, only what was London's immediate post war airport which reverted to RAF use after Heathrow came on stream. There was a horse racing course at Hurst Park near Hampton Court which closed in the 70's.
Chris

[Neil]

Chris, Hurst Park racecourse closed in the early 60s, but the gates are still in place, near the river.

[Richard Fridd]

Do you mean Northolt Richard? I have never heard of a racecourse there, only what was London's immediate post war airport which reverted to RAF use after Heathrow came on stream. There was a horse racing course at Hurst Park near Hampton Court which closed in the 70's.
Chris

       Northolt is the place mentioned Chris, and the grandstand is pictured at the website northoltparkracecourse.wordpress.com      It seems to have sat on top of another building originally. Richard

[GerardJPC]

My copy of "Drive On" by LJK Setright has a dull cover, but it is the best social history of motoring by one of the greatest of motoring writers.  My copy of Setright's unfinished memoir "Long Lane With Turnings" has a lovely cover.

The very worst motoring book that I have ever bought was a vanity-published book called "Through Glass Eyes", which purports to be the autobiography of a Triumph Dolomite Sprint (a car I have enjoyed owning in the past).  It is nothing of the sort, and is merely the dull musings of its author on any old thing. 

The best blurb I have ever seen on a car book is on "The Virgin Book Of The Car":-

"In humankind's ceaseless war with the automobile, its agents, minions, and familiars, this book is in your side". 

[chriswgawne]

Chris, Hurst Park racecourse closed in the early 60s, but the gates are still in place, near the river.

I was a member and user of Molesey Boat Club for around 50 years from a teenager until around 2000 and the access road to the club crossed a preserved section of Hurst Park Racecourse which I believe was a Start.
Regarding Northolt Park Racecourse, I had no idea one ever existed. Its heyday was obviously the immediate pre-war period. When reading its history earlier today, it appears there were abortive plans in the early 50s to transfer the pony racing activities from Northolt Park to Hawthorn Hill near Maidenhead. I recall there was an airfield there attached to a beautiful manor house (owned by Peter Cadbury??) used for commercial aviation during the 50s used by a couple of small feeder airlines.
Chris