Let’s face it: your dad can be one of the toughest people to shop for. If you ask him what he wants for Father’s Day, there’s a good chance tell you not to get him anything (even though he definitely wants something).
While getting your father a great bottle of whiskey or a reasonably-priced watch would go down well, you could also help fuel your dad’s love of cars with some great non-fiction books. Below are five of our favorite car books featuring underdog stories, humor, and even outspoken corporate insight that your father is all but certain to love.
Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
There’s a good chance your dad saw the film Ford v. Ferrari and loved it. But that flick about the story of Ford’s epic quest to take down Ferrari at Le Mans was actually based on a fascinating, informative book by A.J. Baime that’s well worth the read, too.
Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business
Bob Lutz is both a confirmed station wagon enthusiast and one of the most experienced and outspoken executives in the automotive industry. Here’s his take on what went wrong at General Motors back in the day, and how he tried to fix it while an executive there.
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
The 1950s and early 1960s were some of the most formative (and exceedingly dangerous) days of automotive racing. In this book, Michael Cannell tells the story of American Formula 1 driver Phil Hill — and the tragic end of his 1961 championship season.
Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best
Neil Bascomb’s new book tells the story of how French/Jewish racing legend René Dreyfus, barred from the best German teams in the 1930s, teamed up with French manufacturer Delahaye and American heiress Lucy Schell to upset the Nazi-backed German teams of the time.
And on That Bombshell: Inside the Madness and Genius of Top Gear
In the 2000s, the BBC series Top Gear blossomed into one of the world’s most popular and profitable TV shows of all time. The show’s script editor (and eminent automotive humorist) Richard Porter tells the behind-the-scenes story in this tome.