"Historic Racing Cars, 1907-60."

“Historic Racing Cars, 1907-60.” Illustrated by George A. Oliver. Commentary by Laurence Pomeroy. 38 pp. 10 1/5 in. x 15 1/8 in. (Hugh Evelyn Limited, 9, Fitzroy Street, London, W.1. 45s.)

Having cleared the decks, we struggled to unfold this lavish book, the eighth of a series, which measures over 2 1/2 ft. when spread out and is a difficult possession to store in the average-size flat and impossible to put in a normal bookcase. But if you like big colour drawings in up to 12 colours, gay and crisp, a sort of cross between artist’s perspective and engineering side-views, with a leaning towards the drawing board, George A. Oliver’s twelve studies of famous racing cars from the 1907 Coppa Florio Itala to a 1960 Lotus 18 will be up your street if not acceptable to your bedside table!

Pomeroy contributes a complimentary commentary and we do not really believe he saw Alfa Romeo Tipo 158/9 cars winning races before the First World War! There are useful specification tables beneath each huge painting, so the book could lure on model makers to reproduce the contents in three dimensions.

W.B.