Book reviews, June 1951, June 1951

Three nicely-produced books from Foulis have arrived in quick succession. The first, “Racing a Sports Car,” by Charles Mortimer (10s. 6d.), is an account— absorbing as personal accounts nearly always are—of how Charles and his wife, Jean, raced a “Silverstone” Healey at various club race meetings. The cost of so doing is set down; we see how ragged was the handicapping at the early B.A.R.C. Members’ Meetings, and we come to appreciate the affection these two drivers felt for the Healey, their decision to buy which was, we are pleased to note, “irrevocably settled after I had read the excellent read test in Motor Sport.” The next book is “Continental Sports Cars,” by W. Boddy (10s.), a worthy companion to that best-seller “British Sports Cars.” It describes the outstanding cars under this heading, provides servicing data for many of them and is nicely illustrated. It should have a place in enthusiasts’ book-cases beside its companion volume. The last Foulis volume we received is “Formula Three,” by C. A. N. May (15s.). This is partly a history of the half-litre movement, in which it repeats much of the material in Gregor Grant’s “500-c.c. Racing,” by the same publisher, but adds some fresh facts, and partly a personal account of what May has done in this branch of the Sport, which is, like Mortimer’s story, detailed and very readable, but naturally limited because May hasn’t raced his Cooper very much and is hardly a Moss or a Brandon. But he gets the spirit of the game into his writings and is not afraid to deliver those knocks he considers to be necessary. Kay Petre gets a sound ticking off for allegedly incorrect facts about the 500 movement over her name in the Daily Graphic. Of these three books; only Boddy’s has an index ; the other two, if they run to reprints, should follow suit.

There is no need to recommend the Michelin Guide to France, which has became an institution since 1900. A completely revised edition has been produced annually by the Michelin Tyre Co. in time for Easter. So it was this year and you should obtain your copy (price 17s. 6d.) from your bookseller, or direct from Anglo-French Periodicals, Ltd., 25, Villiers Street, W.C.2 (18s. 3d. post free).