Page 1 of 1

The Book Steve Keeps Talking About or TBSKTA

Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 9:50 pm
by ESSEXV6ESSEX
I thought I would share my review on here. Everything is subjective of course so I wouldn't anticipate everyone will agree. I have the collectors edition of The Cars You Always Promised Yourself. I have just finished reading it at last!

I know there has been some discussion on whether either the book is worth it. I have seen both editions.

I can answer as a Ford and Car enthusiast of too many years to mention a resounding YES! I have no affiliation with Steve or Porter Press so I am not trying to sell it, there is no gain for me.

If you are not the kind of person that shelves books but are the type that once read will pass it on then the collectors edition is not for you. For this reason I would say buy the cheaper version. If you like to keep things for twice or thrice reading or as a keeps sake and to refer back to then of course you can do this with the 'GL' model and the 'Ghia' but the collectors edition (Ghia) is a High quality book, if I have one criticism it is not so easy to read on your lap, it's a heavy book and unless your near the middle it will lopside with ease such is the quality and quantity.

Is it expensive well no, is it comparable well no. The thing is I am a great believer to a degree that you get what you pay for. Take a normal classic magazine, around about six quid and it's adverts followed by some stories of which only one article interests you that is about 3 pages long. This is not the best analogy but it gives you and idea of how many magazines you will need to buy to have anywhere near the same interest as 300 pages and more that this book gives you.

This book is a great chronology of what is for me a period of time that we are slowly losing as you will discover more introspecively through reading this book, it is more of an autopsy then going to see your GP for a diagnosis. The story from the inside is a first really, there is a lot of speculation on why this and that happened, whether through FB, the Internet or Forums like this and most of it is quite frankly flannel. This is a great insight into what really happened, why and when. The decision making, the people involved and the stories of how the shift in times, science and fashion evolves the world around us and is cascaded into the car world sometimes with agonising failure as well as great success. As a capri fan this really is a must because one thing that comes through is how the Capri fought and won up until unfortunately that car that gave it a stay of execution through is adject failure really prevented any chance of there ever being a MK4 as there was no money left for investment, look at Escort MK5, eventually though it did kill off Capri it had to. For ME I would like to think what could have been a next generation, a cosworth powered 4x4 coupe with Poly bumpers etc etc, maybe an emax entry level and 2.0IS mid range who knows.

The people involved and the careers they orchestrated and sometimes through bloody mindedness lost is also interesting to read. Later in the book the Capri nearly comes back. For me I am pleased it didn't. A FWD (Not that I mind FWD at all by the way) Volvo on steroids that was neither MK1 nor MK3 but some hybrid of tin was never going to work nor was a Japanese influenced Probe or Cougar. The only decent Coupe they made since apart from Mustang which never really went away is Puma. Great story, a first for Ford, great engeniuty and a car that appears to have passed by probably down a poor period in Fords history and it being too soft on the outside.

Anyway a great book so if you are thinking of getting Capri 50' then get this as well, you won't be disappointed.

Cheers

Re: The Book Steve Keeps Talking About or TBSKTA

Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 10:26 pm
by Jasonmarie
Yes I do agree , I am going to re read again in August as the size it’s a up the table job . Also just going away with wife and daughter so they will be doing girl things and I can have peace . Also got a pocket watch book that is hard going I will be reading . But yes steve really did open my eyes with his book and it’s hard calling it a book as more like a piece of history and art put together .

Re: The Book Steve Keeps Talking About or TBSKTA

Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 2:56 pm
by Steve Saxty
Aw, thank-you gents. I tried and I'm glad you like it. The new book will be great but the sheer size of The Cars You Always.... means there's more written info in that book on Capri than its sister book which is more visual. I can see that people want the new one, "Capri 50", which is great but they really are intended to go together.

It's been interesting to watch how people view value. There are some that can't ever see 45 pounds as the price of a book, even one that would retail for 70 quid at a bookstore or Amazon. That I can live with since they will never be a reader of such a book and that's totally OK!

The new one is looking really, really good and will make a nice pairing for existing readers to add to the original and for new buyers to purchase and a "best value" bundle". Stand by, it's on it's way.

And then it's goodnight from Steve