High quality Aston book - present idea?

[Mustang Baz]

I would value some advice on what the forum considers to be the "definitive" book on AM which I would like to give as a very special present to an Aston owning friend. I tend to believe a high quality book is not necessarily something people would think to purchase themselves, often due to cost, but which makes a very good present for a special occasion (i.e. retirement, 50th).

I should add he owns a DB6 so a focus on the Gaydon cars alone probably wont work perfectly.

Any inputs appreciated - I found this but not sure of its motoring credibility and I dont want to give something which is solely " marketing fluff" and a coffee table book alone.

http://www.mrporter.com/en-gb/mens/teneues/the-ast...

Edited by Mustang Baz on Tuesday 11th November 10:48

[Manwhoneverwas]

Cant help on a recommended Aston book for a DB6 owner, but the book you refer to is available £35 cheaper here

http://www.bookdepository.com/Aston-Martin-Book-Pa...

[GPH]

I looked at this book in Selfridges Oxford Street last week and it is just pretty pictures. Very few words, if any for most of the book, so it is just a picture book that took five minutes to flick through then would rarely be looked at again. So if you want something to describe the history of the company or the cars then it's not this book.

[Mustang Baz]

GPH said:

I looked at this book in Selfridges Oxford Street last week and it is just pretty pictures. Very few words, if any for most of the book, so it is just a picture book that took five minutes to flick through then would rarely be looked at again. So if you want something to describe the history of the company or the cars then it's not this book.

Much appreciated and bang on - I'm not interested in solely pictures; as a gift from one petrolhead to another it needs substance as well as quality and depth.

[philmorton]

I got given this and stops just before Gaydon era.

[SLacKer]

I had this for a present last year

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aston-Martin-Power-Beauty-...

And it gets to around 260 pages before it introduces Gaydon so plenty of information covering the history of AM. It is a heavy jacketed hardback so no leather cover or anything like that but the content is very good with loads of pictures of the cars and people involved over the years.

[williamp]

Have a look at the palawan press books. Specifically this one

http://www.palawan.co.uk/books/onastonmartin.html

Which are the "ultimate" in terms of price and maybe attention to detail.


Also, there is another book to consider. It doesn't cover the DB6, but if you buy a copy of my book I'll sign it for you. And a very rare signed edition will be very special indeed.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aston-Martin-v-Crowood-Aut...

[PeteGriff]

SLacKer said:

I had this for a present last year

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aston-Martin-Power-Beauty-...

And it gets to around 260 pages before it introduces Gaydon so plenty of information covering the history of AM. It is a heavy jacketed hardback so no leather cover or anything like that but the content is very good with loads of pictures of the cars and people involved over the years.

I highly recommend this book. I bought the first edition several years ago, then when I saw an updated edition come out had to have that too. Also note that there is a book by Sir Stirling Moss, due to be on sale early in the New Year called '100 Years of Aston Martin'. I have a pre-order with Amazon! Have a look. Regards, Pete

[Jon39]

Craig,

Probably not your main gift, but this would make a wonderful addition, if your friend does not already have a copy.

Lionel Martin a biography, by A.B.Demaus.

It is regarded as the definitive book, about the main founder and activities of the company that became Aston Martin.

I very much enjoyed reading this book, and although not in print now, it was easy for me to obtain a mint copy through the internet.

Jon.

[v8vantage]

If he has a DB6 I would recommend 2 books that may be of interest. The first is Original Aston Martin DB4/5/6 by Robert Edwards and the second is a On Aston Martin from Palawan Press which covers all the models.

Roo
www.v8vantage.com

[downr]

There's a new book out in 2 weeks called Factory Original - Aston Martin (about the db4,5,6)

[cardigankid]

Two very interesting books about Aston Martin in that era are The Power behind Aston Martin by Roger Stowers and Aston Martin 1963-1972 by Dudley Gershon. Both available on Amazon, and about the same format so would package up nicely. Also full of information and interesting stories from two people who really knew what they were talking about.

[CSK1]

Resurrecting an older thread here. Has anyone had the chance to look into the book "On Aston Martin" edited by Palawan Press? I'd like to buy a really nice Aston book but I see it's been edited in 2005 so will miss out on many Gaydon era models and thinking it might be better to wait until an updated version is printed. Anyone seen the book?