Cars and Racing

Books about car culture and auto racing, from Formula 1 to the insights of weekend track day aficionados. Stories about racers and technical investigations into the techniques and mechanics of speed.
Updated December 14, 2022
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The art of racing in the rain : a novel
Stein, Garth
Paper Book
The New York Times bestselling novel from Garth Stein--a heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope--a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. "Splendid." --People "The...
How to Build a Car
Newey, Adrian
Paper Book
'Adrian has a unique gift for understanding drivers and racing cars. He is ultra competitive but never forgets to have fun. An immensely likeable man.' Damon Hill The world's foremost designer in Formula One, Adrian Newey OBE is arguably one of Britain's greatest engineers...
Driving like crazy : thirty years of vehicular hellbending, celebrating America the way it's supposed to be---with an oil well in every backyard, a Cadillac Escalade in every carport and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank mowing our lawn
O'Rourke, P. J.
Paper Book
A collection spanning thirty years, chronicling famed humorist and gearhead P. J. O'Rourke's love affair with the automobile from mid-twentieth century to now—from heyday to sickbay.
Go like hell : Ford, Ferrari, and their battle for speed and glory at Le Mans
Baime, A. J.
Paper Book
As told in the film Ford v. Ferrari, Go Like Hell transports readers to a risk-filled, glorious time in this brilliant portrait of a rivalry between two industrialists, the cars they built, and the "pilots" who would drive them to victory, or doom. By the early 1960s, the Ford Motor...
Legendary story about cars.
Faster : how a Jewish driver, an American heiress, and a legendary car beat Hitler's best
Bascomb, Neal
Paper Book
Winner of the Motor Press Guild Best Book of the Year Award & Dean Batchelor Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism  For fans of The Boys in the Boat and In the Garden of Beasts, a pulse-pounding tale of triumph by an improbable team of...
Winning is not enough : the autobiography
Stewart, Jackie.
DVD
Sir Jackie Stewart is a man of immense charisma and integrity and is one of the most highly regarded names in global sport - winner of three F1 World Championships, 27 Grands Prix and ranked in the top five drivers of all time. On retiring from the circuit, he went on to build an equally...
My Mercedes is not for sale : from Amsterdam to Ouagadougou : an auto-misadventure across the Sahara
Bergeijk, Jeroen van
Paper Book
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?"--Janis Joplin A journalist's intrepid endeavor to sell his used car abroad results in a high-spirited and revealing look at West Africa. "Look, there's my car," I say, pointing at my Mercedes in the parking...
Road to Nowhere : What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong about the Future of Transportation
Marx, Paris.
Paper Book
How to build a transportation system to provide mobility for all Road to Nowhere exposes the flaws in Silicon Valley's vision of the future: ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft to take us anywhere; electric cars to make them 'green'; and automation to ensure...
The limit : life and death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
Cannell, Michael T.
Paper Book
In The Limit, Michael Cannell tells the enthralling story of Phil Hill-a lowly California mechanic who would become the first American-born driver to win the Grand Prix-and, on the fiftieth anniversary of his triumph, brings to life a vanished world of glamour, valor, and daring. ...
Porsche 911 story
Frère, Paul.
Paper Book
Since it first appeared in 1963, the Porsche 911 has been subject to continual refinement and improvement, giving rise to a range of variants that are still being developed. All the models have retained the 911 look and the car has become a classic during its own production lifespan. This book tells...
Ludicrous : the unvarnished story of Tesla Motors
Niedermeyer, Edward
Paper Book
Tesla is the most exciting car company in a generation . . . but can it live up to the hype? Tesla Motors and CEO Elon Musk have become household names, shaking up the staid auto industry by creating a set of innovative electric vehicles that have wowed the marketplace and defied...
The Car The Rise and Fall of the Machine That Made the Modern World
Appleyard, Bryan.
Paper Book
More than any other technology, cars have transformed American popular culture. Cars have created vast wealth as well as novel dreams of freedom and mobility. They have transformed our sense of distance and made the world infinitely more available. They have inspired cinema, music, and literatures...
Boundless : The Rise, Fall, and Escape of Carlos Ghosn
Kostov, Nick.
Paper Book
Now an Apple TV+ limited series, Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn The unprecedented rise and catastrophic fall of one of the world's most feared and admired business executives--Carlos Ghosn--a remarkable story of innovation, hubris, alleged crimes, and daring international...
Survival of the Fastest : Weed, Speed, and the 1980s Drug Scandal that Shocked the Sports World
Lanier, Randy.
Paper Book
**Winner of the Best Book Award by the Motor Press Guild** The high-octane, Seabiscuit-meets-Scarface story of how Randy Lanier became a 1980s international sports star, soaring through the ranks of car racing while holding a dark...

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