::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Books

Passion for Cars

The Art of the Sports Car: The Greatest Designs of the 20th Century
Dennis Adler
HarperCollins Publishers; October 2002
ISBN: 0060188855

Dennis Adler -- premier photojournalist and car nut -- captures the ageless beauty and raw power of the sports car in this full-colour tribute to America's dream machine.
There are great cars, and then there are sports cars -- timeless heart-stopping design mixed with amazing engineering and power. All the great sports cars and the stories behind them are here. From the early roadsters of the 20s, to the Porsche 911, and the Shelby 427 Cobra. The sports car is not just about going fast, but about going fast with style. Illustrated throughout, with more than 300 colour photos, this gorgeous profile of the most highly coveted cars on earth is sure to evoke the dream of all car enthusiasts: speed and adventure.

The Wildest Ride: The History of NASCAR
Joe Menzer
Simon & Schuster Trade; April 2002
ISBN: 0743226259

Stock-car racing started as a pastime of moonshiners in the mountains of the Southeast more than 50 years ago, and today it is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. In this spirited book, sportswriter Joe Menzer traces NASCAR's colourful history from the rowdy days of Big Bill France and Junior Johnson to the wild popularity of the sport among today's fans. Menzer takes readers through the most significant events of early racing, such as the first paved track at Daytona Beach, built by Bill France; the fastest track in its day, it was initially feared by drivers, one of whom said "This is the track that will separate the brave from the weak after the boys are gone." As Menzer describes the historic rivalries and triumphs, it's easy to see why NASCAR racing is such an addictive spectator sport. It's not only the hint of danger that hangs over every race; it's the larger-than-life personalities that have captured the fans' hearts and souls. The Wildest Ride captures that boldness, paying tribute to drivers past and present, and the sport they risked everything for.

American Cars: Past to Present
Matt Delorenzo
Barnes & Noble Books; October 2004
ISBN: 0760757917

Beginning with the automobile's early days and Henry Ford's invention of the assembly line, and continuing to the present day, this intriguing, richly illustrated volume traces the history of American automobiles. American Cars, with its stunning photographs and informative text, not only details engineering and styling advances from self-starter to tailfins to the birth of the V-8 engine and muscle cars, but also establishes a context for how the automobile has evolved and thrived in a way that parallels the vastness of the country and its wide open roads. Whether luxury-market or average family models, the American car is a dream possession and cult object famous and desired throughout the world.

Compiled by: Sanyat Sattar