I'm a motorsports junkie. Also, I like to know how things "tick". "The Autocourse History of the Grand Prix Car 1945-65" by Doug Nye combines these two interests of mine in a formidable, well illustrated, technical yet readable volume written with great insight from an F1 enthusiast. It's not just a nuts and bolts book, though. The technical evolution of the cars and teams is examined in detail with reference to the context of team management, the drivers involved, the racecourses upon which the championships were contested and with an eye to what the competition was up to meanwhile. Its appendix is just as impressive; it's a formidable gallery summarizing the efforts of all of the others who have contested for the big prize, with varying levels of success.

This is a large hardcover bound book, printed on thick, glosssy stock and includes many black and white photographs of the cars in action, being worked on in the pits and in the garages, their details and some archive photos from the various manufacturers. There is a color center section with some large, full page photographs taken at various venues.

It offers a far more comprehensive look at the sport and its history than contemporary motorsports coverage's often tempered sound bites and superficial exposes. I recommend it and its equally impressive companion volume dealing with Grand Prix formula cars from 1966 to 1991 to the technologically curious and die hard F1 fans as wonderful primers for understanding and enjoying contemporary F1.

M. N. Dias