Book Reviews, November 1982, November 1982

“Looking Back With Jesse Alexander” — by J. Alexander and L. C. Crane. 159pp. 8″ x II” t At Speed Press, PO Box 5400, Simla Barbara, California 93108, USA, Jesse Alexander followed the European racing scene between the years 1954 and 1967 from his home in Switzerland travelling to races from the Targa Florio to Silverstone in his Porsche 1600. This is a picture book of his work from action Photos to workshop photos and World Champions to newcomers when he was working as a free-lance enthusiast for European racing, supplying photos to American magazines such as Road & Track, ,S’parrs Can Illustrated and Time

Magaxtne. If you enjoyed the days of Fangio, Moss and Hawthorn or Phil Hill and Dan Gurney you trill entov this book. If they are all before your I’M, tberet. much to he learnt from Alexander’s photographs — in particular the one of Peter (Alms. Eugenio 1..astellotti and Olivier Gendebien in the pits at Rheims listening to Fangio explaining something. Recently John Watson said in an interview that there is no respect fur established Grand Prix drivers by the “new boys” these days, and opined that it was the cause of a lot of poor behaviour today both on and off the track. Alexander’s photo of the English. Italian and Belgian drivers listening to the great Argentinian ‘ace’ illustrates graphically what Watson is missing today. But then we are lacking a true leader like Juan Manuel Fangio.

MOTOR SPORT readers will enjoy the photo on page 33 of the 1956 staff of their favourite magazine In full flight at Silverstone. W.B. and D.S.J. enjoyed it. Thc contents of this book are extremely coned and offer the unusual, such as Roland Bugatti in the cockpit of the anomie’: transverse mid-engine Type 251 and Jean Behra trying the chassis of his F2 Cutout designed Porsche single-water for size. There is action as well, from a front-engined BRM on the Avon banking to a rear-engined one at Monaco.

D.S.J.