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A Design History of the Car
by Witold Rybczynski
The renowned design writer on the extraordinary history of car design.
In this lively and entertaining work, Witold Rybczynski―hailed as "one of the best writers on design working today" by Publishers Weekly―tells the story of the most distinctive cars in history and the artists, engineers, dreamers, and gearheads who created them. Delving into more than 170 years of ingenuity in design, technology, and engineering, he takes us from Carl Benz's three-wheel motorcar in 1855 to the present-day shift to electric cars. Along the way, he looks at the emergence of mass production with Henry Ford's Model T; the Golden Age of American car design and the rise of car culture; postwar European subcompacts typified by the Mini Cooper; and the long tradition of the streamlined and elegant sports car.
Rybczynski explores how cars have been reflections of national character (the charming Italian Fiat Cinquecento), icons of a subculture (the VW bus for American hippies), and even emblems of an era (the practical Chrysler minivan). He explains key developments in automotive technology, including the electric starter, rack-and-pinion steering, and disc brakes, bringing to light how the modern automobile is the result of more than a century of trial and error. And he weaves in charming accounts of the many cars he's owned and driven, starting with his first―the iconic Volkswagen Beetle.
The Driving Machine is a breezy and fascinating history of design, illustrated with the author's delightful drawings.
"[A] breezy, entertaining package that will be a fun read for a wide audience―not just car enthusiasts. Rybczynski has some great stories to tell, and his love for his subject shines through on every page." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"With exuberant insight, Rybczynski offers an intriguing, cross-continental history of the evolution of automobile design over 150 years. … The lively charm of this accessible, enjoyably mapped-out narrative is further enriched by [his] well-crafted drawings of referenced cars. … Automotive enthusiasts and general readers alike will be equally enthralled." ―Shelf Awareness
"An architect with a fascination for design, Rybczynski here turns his attention to automotive history, from the technology under the hood to what a car's appearance tells us about the consumer―and society―it belongs to. Even if you don't know a VW from a V8, this book will fascinate." ―Boston Globe
"[An] affectionate history." ―Booklist
This information about The Driving Machine was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Witold Rybczynski is an architect and emeritus professor of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of twenty-two books, including the bestselling Home, Charleston Fancy, and The Story of Architecture. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and the New York Times. He lives in Philadelphia.
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