"The Lamborghini Miura" by Simon Kidston

At the rate book prices are heading I think raw paper will be as sort after as gold or oil.

 

He was JOKING.
Such a thread would be absurd, obscene even. Cars are meant to be DRIVEN and books are meant to be READ. Enough of this talk about money, how about some proper actual book REVIEWS for a change?!
This applies for all books discussed in this forum, I see a thousand posts about cost and packing before one single comment about the actual text in a book....sad.

 

As was I, sorry thought the sarcasm was dripping.

 

Ah sorry to have misread you and relieved. Some smileys, , help to convey irony and sarcasm in such cases.

 

Personally I don't see it that way at all.

I can Google as many book reviews as I like on pretty much every new motoring book released out there on the net but what I like about this forum is to be able to interact with other enthusiasts.

To hear their stories and comments- good, bad or otherwise with everything to do with ordering, buying, selling, collecting, storing, speculating and investing in Ferrari books.

To be able to give and receive advice to others on all aspects of enjoying motoring books.

Having author's like yourself chime in about background information (of which you have done many times especially early on in this Miura Book thread I might add) on those books that they have written and being able to speak to them directly.

Yes, reviews on books is certainly an interesting part of this forum but thankfully it goes way beyond that.

 

Noticed Doug you have liked a recent post.Ignore the very few whingers on here moaning about the content of the book it is excellent.

 

Sorry folks this is related to Dougs GTO 64 book posted on incorrect thread.

 

I agree with most of what you wrote, except for the investing speculating part, I think that is a recent perversion of the car book world, I call it greedculation just like those cold investors who invaded the classic car market from 2013 to 2016, never drove the cars they bought, and then fled the ship when it began sinking. It did not do any lasting good -lots of cars sitting gathering dust ever since because the greedculators won't fess up and accept current value- even though yes I brokered a lot of cars, mostly classic Maseratis, in 2015 (pays a lot better than writing books!) but it was like being sucked into a tornado...and spat out the other side when it ended....even though all the experts said it would last. Regarding the Miura book Simon and I have agreed to bury the hatchet as water goes under the bridge and at the end of the day the healthy thing to do is to move on. I wish him the best and let's leave it at that.

Regarding reviews apart of the British car mags and two or three websites like Veloce I am curious where you find reviews (and don't mention Amazon please).
I just wish there were more reader comments about book's actual TEXTS here rather than endless comments about packaging.

Just my two Lire.

 

One of the best comments here recently, you’re a wise man.

 

I think the thing is that when a book arrives, speaking for myself anyway, I may have a look through (assuming I have ordered it without first seeing a physical copy) but I very likely won't sit down to fully read it until some time later. Possibly some considerable time later. By which time I think that everyone has moved on and has either already read it themselves or isn't interested. The Porter Press GTO book is a good example. It is so damn big and heavy that it takes a commitment to sit down and read it, so I have only read excerpts so far and it might be some considerable time before I have actually read all of it. I might add that that is but one example as I have a considerable pile of books waiting for me to give them my full attention and the big, heavy ones do tend to fall into that category.

I assume everyone is aware of speedreaders.info for reviews of transport books? Although, as with all reviews, your opinions and mine may not match those of the reviewer.

Incidentally, it hadn't occurred to me until the gentleman from the French edition of Enzo magazine posted a few weeks ago, that book reviews may not be of a physical copy of the book but may be done from an electronic copy. That is a bit of a concern, especially if it isn't made clear, because there is plenty that can occur between what's on a computer and the final printed tome and, whilst the text is important, I buy physical books for the complete experience and I would like any review to be telling me about the whole object not just one aspect of it.

 

Glad we can agree on most things Marc.

Good to read you and Simon buried the hatchet. As they say "life's too short".

I used the term speculation / investing as there is no denying that these days many of the books we discuss are expensive, either on release or become that way over time.

With a fair few of us having quite substantial libraries, and others wishing to either build theirs or just add a few more choice books to an already sagging bookshelf, the funds spent on quality books is not inconsequential.

It can't be denied rightly or wrongly that just like with the classic car analogy, people are now investing in books especially during these uncertain times.

Here in Australia there is minimal gains putting your money in the bank with almost zero interest, shares are moving up and down (mainly down) and with coronavirus and business uncertainity there is no guarantee that properties will be tenanted for their landlords so things like collectables of various descriptions are now a place many are parking their money.

I see this from the many online auctions held here and from the impressive results obtained.

I posted an article a little while back under the Official Book thread from AutoMobilia Resource Magazine written by Ben Horton, here is the opening paragraph...

"The majority of our customers buy books for their content or pleasure. However, there are an increasing number who are also buying one or more copies as investments. Motoring books have always been a sound way of spending your money; not only do you have the enjoyment of reading the book, but once on your shelf many will steadily rise in value."

So I think a discussion on the merits of a books collectability and investment potential have a place in this forum too.

Just try and buy your book on the Breadvan now and see how much you'll be "investing" for a copy.

I would hate to value my library and the money spent on it as I not only collect Ferrari books but many books on other motoring marques and drivers.

I don't regret spending the money on it for a second but if I'm going to spend that much money on a hobby I'd like to know it will be worth something (hopefully more) in years to come.

I do agree there are not tens of book reviews online (and forgive me I was including Amazon) but the few out there written by car magazines mainly by their journalists, together with feedback from social media and those posted here, give one an indication on whether the topic and text within is worth the asking piece.

Always good to have an informed discussion with you buddy.

 

I've never bought a book (and plenty of other things) with even the slightest thought of it being an "investment". To me, it's as much money "down the tubes" as the glass of wine I had with dinner last night. Having said that, I like to hear what other people's perspectives are and I find it impossible to predetermine what sorts of comments I might enjoy reading or gain insight from. As such, I dislike it when people say you shouldn't be talking about this or that. From where I stand, having to gloss over what I consider to be some people's nonsense is the price that has to be paid for others to feel free to post what I find to be really thoughtful and intelligent observations.

 

Glutton reading the speedreaders.info review site now, thanks for the link, my comments in a day or three

 

The Kidston Muira book won last nights RAC Book of the year award. Six other winners as well.

 

Do you know which other books won awards?

 

The 2021 Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year Award winners:

The Motoring Book of the Year
The Lamborghini Miura
By Simon Kidston and Jon Pressnell
Published by Kidston SA

Motoring Book of Year (Below £50)
Tipping Point – Designing a Great British Underdog
By Andy Plumb
Published by Lead-In Design

Motoring Book of the Year (No Price Limit)
Joseph Figoni: Le Grand Couturier de la Carrosserie Automobile Volume 1, Alfa-Romeo
By Peter M Larsen and Ben Erickson
Published by Moteurs!

Motorsport Book of the Year (Below £50)
Mr Le Mans, Tom Kristensen
By Tom Kristensen with Dan Philipsen
Published by Evro Publishing

Motorsport Book of the Year (No Price Limit)
Delage Records & Grand Prix
By Daniel Cabart and Sébastien Faurès Fustel de Coulanges
Published by Orep Editions

Graham Robson Award for Best Debut Author
The Rise of The Sidevalves
By Tom Fryars
Published by Gorton Publishing

Lifetime Achievement Award
Mark Hughes

 

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You should be very proud of your association with the book Steve.

It certainly has proven to be an incredibly unique book in terms of initial publication delays, clever marketing, in depth model content, sell out sales success, collectors desirability and now has been officially recognised as such by this prestigious award.

Congratulations !!

 

Some idiot has popped a Jota Muira edition on eBay selling price at…..wait for it …..£50k.

 

I think the idiot would be the person who buys it for that price rather than the one who sells it! But yes, it's priced at c. 10x what it's worth.

 

In the age of crypto and meme stocks, nothing should surprise.

 

Do you have the link?

I'll love to see this.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175007657359?hash=item28bf44ed8f:g:TJIAAOSwqj9hg7qQ

 

Thanks AndyM3.

This guy figures that if an RRP 500 UK pound standard Miura copy is being advertised for 5,500 UK pound (current price at Hortons) then he just times his Jota edition RRP price by a similar amount which gets to 50,000 UK pound.

But as I've said before the "special" limited editions don't follow the same increased value multiples as the standard versions so when you do you get ridiculous asking prices like this.

I wish him all the best !!

 

Absolutely! Good point. On a scale of 1 to 10 of idiots !