Small Wonder: The Amazing Story of the Volkswagen Beetle [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"For fans of the real Beetle, the '30s through the '60s are the important part of the company's history . . . Author Henry Nelson was given access to VW archives in [Germany and the U.S.] and his in-depth reporting reflect the wealth of material that was made available to him . . .it all makes for fascinating reading." -- Auto Restorer Magazine - February 1999

Product Description

First published in 1965, "Small Wonder: The Amazing Story of the Volkswagen Beetle" is the most successful book of all time on the Beetle. Originally selling over 1.2 million copies, "Small Wonder" is often quoted as the source by many subsequent histories. Now, Bentley Publishers is releasing this new edition, with new foreword by the author, in honor of the new Beetle and the renewed interest in the original Beetle.

Given complete access to Volkswagen archives in both Germany and the U.S. at the time of writing, author Walter Henry Nelson gives a highly detailed account of the Beetle's development and success. Nelson gives many behind-the-scenes details and glimpses into the people who shaped the company, providing a rich picture of how and why Volkswagen and the Beetle evolved as they did.

Filled with numerous personal tributes and valuable insights, "Small Wonder" provides the reader with a better understanding of the Beetle's "cult car" status.

Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: Bentley Publishers (June 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0837601479
• ISBN-13: 978-0837601472
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #172,357 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely insightful on a car that shaped the industry., May 2, 2003

By	J. I. Doumet (Gye, Ecuador) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Just what I was looking for, and then some. This book starts at the very beggining, with the Beetle's mentor and VW's founder Dr. Porsche. (Did you know he was Czeck?)
It follow's the company's history (which is to say, the car's history) with just the right amount of coverage to its amazing journey from WWII to the car's EOP (end of production) in Puebla, Mexico. The cronology of this book is excellent. Worthdly of a movie script, this book is extremely enganging. As you read its history, names like Ford, Peugeot, Renault amongst others keep poping up narrating each one's influence on the company's history. (Did you know H. Ford II was offered the factory, for free?)
The only thing that I'd wish from this book was to have the author do either a follow up or a revised update. This book finishes with the beetle's last production car, but the company has certantly not. I wish I could get more info from the company's developement from that point forward, including the launch of the new beetle among other superb new VWs...

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small Wonder- Great result, November 13, 2002

By	Frank Kern (Graz, Austria) - See all my reviews

On of the world`s most informative and well resourced books on the VW history.Gives an insight to the early vehicle development,political hurdles that had to be overcome as well as the generic industrial resistence that was present.H.Nelson, a gifted author,not only writes about the "first row" people but also about production personnel and production techniques.
Sales and marketing development & especially how the U.S. market was won not only fascinates the VW buff but everyone who ever had anything to do with the automotive industry.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best for early Volkswagen history, March 25, 1999

By	[e-mail] (LaVerne, California U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

I had to read this book for my senior project this year. It was my best source for the history section. Too bad the book dosn't go farther than the sixties.