Harley Earl and the Dream Machine [Hardcover]

Stephen Bayley (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Alfred a Knopf (November 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394532449
• ISBN-13: 978-0394532448
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,772,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tom Wolfe said of Mr. Bayley, "I don't know of anybody with more interesting observations about style, taste and contemporary design."

Stephen Bayley is one of the world's best known and outspoken commentators on modern culture, art and design. He contributes regularly to The Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, The Spectator, The Los Angeles Times, High Life, New Statesman, The Independent, and GQ. Cars are on of his many passions, and he has written extensively on automobiles and automobile design for 25 years for both car companies and numerous publications including Car Magazine. He was awarded PPA Columnist of the Year for his car column in (British) GQ.

As a design consultant his clients include: Ford, Absolut Vodka, Volkswagen, Audi, Foster Associates, BMW, the V&A Museum, among others. Former Chief Executive of the Design Museum, the world's leading museum devoted to contemporary design, he appears frequently on radio and television, and lectures at museums and universities all over the world. His numerous books include Design: Intelligence Made Visible with co-author Terence Conran, published by Conran Octopus.

Mr. Bayley has been a judge at many national and international design competitions, including Campaign Press Awards, RIBA Architectural Awards, The Building Awards, Louis Vuitton Concours d'Elegance at Hurlingham, Cartier Style et Luxe at Goodwood, and the BBC Good Food Awards.

In 1989 he was made a Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et Des Lettres, France's top artistic honour, by the French Minister of Culture.

He lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Harley Earl and the Dream Machine.(1983) Hardcover., October 19, 2010

By 

Jose Lopez "Jose Lopez" (Miami,Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harley Earl and the Dream Machine (Hardcover)

I have the 1983 Hardcover/128pages,Harley Earl And The Dream Machine by Stephen Bayley is sadly the only book so far that I am aware of on The Man. A Legend, The way the British Author Treats America,American Tastes and uses artsyfartsy comparisons and words that make no sense,for example he compares at one time the way GM worked with Karl Marx?(Huh?) at another time he says GM's "Darwinist" in it's approach to vehicle lines? Again another Huh? The only thing that offsets the disdain the Snob Author has for American Tastes are the Cars in the Colorful Art by Phillip Castle(A couple pages) and some color photos the remainder being black and white,and some jabs in there sometimes subtle sometimes not,it is interesting it touches on Harley Earl And Associates(Later Ford And Earl) contribution(short chapter)concerning Ban Deodorant,Airplane Interiors and A Plumbers showroom(Not Pictued),it is a very brief chapter.
The only reason I purchased the Book was because Of Harley Earl despite not having even been born, I wonder what the author's take on Bill Mitchell is? and I wonder why did he bother to do the book with such bias? Hopefully someone will do Mr.Earl Justice.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Feast for the Eyes, January 19, 2011

By 

Carolyn Hasenfratz (Brentwood, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harley Earl and the Dream Machine (Hardcover)

Through his work at General Motors at the height of American optimism and the car culture, Harley Earl was one of the most influential designers of all time. Depending on your taste, his team was responsible for some of the most garish or beautiful (or sometimes both) rolling objects the world has ever seen. The text is very good but the photos and illustrations are spectacular. I recommend this book for car fans and lovers of the "Populuxe" era of design. The super slick and somewhat clinical airbrush illustrations will stir a little 1980s nostalgia in you too.