Motor Sport
William Boddy, Editor of Motor Sport, has written a series of three articles on “The Literature of the Motor Car,” for British Book News, which is issued monthly by The British Council as a guide to books published in the British Commonwealth. These. articles should be of interest to collectors and publishers of motoring books. British Book News is obtainable for 2s. 6d. a copy from The Publications Manager, The British Council, 65, Davies Street, London, W.1. The articles will appear in the January, February and March issues.
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It is extremely good news that “The Racing History of the Bentley (1921-30)” by Darell Berthon, ex-Secretary of the Bentley D.C., published originally by John Lane, has appeared in a second edition. The first edition has long been out of print and in any case a number of corrections and additions were due. The second edition retains glossy art paper for the 145 pages, the many illustrations of great Bentleys in action have reproduced nearly as well as in the original, and every racing Bentley of note (except the Jarvis-bodied Barnato 3-litre of 1925) from the experimental 1919 engine to the Barnato-Hassan-Special of 1934-38 is covered in intimate detail, engine, chassis and Reg. Nos. appearing frequently, for this is a true history, painstakingly compiled.
This reprint marks the advent of Autobooks into publishing. It costs 45s. post free, from that well-known bookseller, at 76, Bennett Road, Brighton, Sussex.
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The “Aeromodeller Annual 1962/63,” price 10s. 6d., is packed with plans, information, results of innumerable competitions and an analysis of the latest model aero engines of from 0.163 c.c. to 6.5 c.c. etc., etc., making it the usual comprehensive survey of this hobby and notably good value-for-money. The publishers are Model Aeronautical Press Ltd., 38, Clarendon Road, Watford, Herts.
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Through the courtesy of Stanley Sedgwick we have seen a copy of “Beromte Biler,” a very comprehensive and fascinating automobile history with masses of colour-drawings, the work of J. D. Scheel and Verner Tegneren, just published in Denmark. It appears to be very accurate and is certainly detailed. We understand that it is to be translated into English, American, French, Spanish, Italian, Czech, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Japanese this year and we look forward to the English edition.
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“Rabbit and Reddy and their New Consul Cortina” is the title of a book published by Public Affairs Staff, Ford of Britain. It is a picture-story in colour of a journey made by Rabbit and Reddy in their completely foolproof new Consul Cortina which they bought from Mr. Lion (not, one gathers, Sir William). . . .
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A reader has sent us a copy of an intriguing booklet called “Car Number Galaxy—Celebrities,” compiled by Noel Woodall. It lists unusual and early Reg. Nos. from A 1 to YUT 1, and illustrates cars of many celebrities, from which it is evident that stars of stage and TV own many Rolls-Royces but that Yana and Arthur Askey favour Mercedes-Benz! Another book on such Reg. Nos. on veteran vehicles is in course of preparation and several veterans are mentioned in the present book, Jack Barclay’s 1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost JB 3 being incorrectly described as a “competitor in the London-Brighton Trial.” We are told that copies are available from L. Hunt, 90, Woodside, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, for 3s. each, post free, proceeds going to a home for disabled boys.