Drive On!: A Social History of the Motor Car (Hardcover)

by L.J.K. Setright (Author) "THE SOURCES OF INVENTION AND the tributaries of discovery seldom flow directly or rapidly towards those reservoirs of employment wherein pragmatic men acknowledge the genius..." (more)
Key Phrases: motoring sport, popular motoring, motoring world, Great War, Grand Prix, Second World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“Drive On! enthusiastically tosses tactoids, anecdotes, musings, and statements into a swift blast that effectively places automotive development.” -- Choice

“Compelling reading from start to finish. Each chapter is awash with opinion, fact, and above all, a fresh perspective… remarkable.” -- Classic Car Weekly

“This book draws together Setright’s elegant writing with the remarkable story of the development of the car.” -- The Times

Product Description

Stimulating, informative, provocative, and witty, Drive On! charts the international history of the car, decade by decade, examining how cars have adapted as a result of what society has demanded of them. While some chapters are devoted to quirky topics like “Where to Stop” and “What to Wear,” others look at the technological changes of the last century, from wooden wheels to computer control. Along the way, L.J.K. Setright, who is considered one of the world’s foremost and most forthright writers on the subject, offers fascinating divagations on everything from the origins of the word “dashboard” to the maximum speed of a raindrop.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 500 pages
• Publisher: Granta UK (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1862076286
• ISBN-13: 978-1862076280
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,316,972 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh take on a hot topic, August 18, 2005

By	Greg N. Brown "Auto writer" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

As an automotive journalist, I've read my share of histories of the motorcar, but none captured my interest like Setright's fresh look at the interaction between car and society. Instead of opining on how the car has impacted on society, he writes about how society has transformed automotive technology and styling over the last 100 years. Be prepared for strong opinions and a decidedly Eurocentric point of view, but also enjoy a tale of heroes and charlatans and some of the best writing ever on the subject. It's also beautifully illustrated, and the layout is worthy of the best coffee tables. Give it to someone who thinks he knows the subject and watch how he keeps telling you about interesting stuff he reads in this great book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A car book for the dedicated fan, December 8, 2004

By	Raymond Jepson "Mr-914" (montreal, qc, canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Drive On!: A Social History of the Motor Car (Paperback)

The good: Setright will teach most people more about cars and technology in this book, than one could learn from reading 100 others. He uses his unique skill to focus on what is truly important technology and to ignore the waste.

Setright's many opinions are worth as much as his technical details are. His impressions of things like all wheel steering and automatic transmissions are a true breath of fresh air.

The bad: Those who have read Setright will know his writing is top notch. This book though is sometimes repetitive and disorganized. It feels like he may have tried to be too broad for once.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read, June 12, 2007

By	Martin G. Berry (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Setright's book is a must read, not only for car enthusiasts, but also for anyone interested in the social history of the last 150 years. It is full of wit and insight, and is vastly entertaining and enlightening. This hardbook version stimulated me to read it all over again. It is every bit as good as I remembered it.

I have only one gripe. It was described as the illustrated edition, but has no more pictures in it than the paper back version I purchased a couple of years ago.