Land Rover: The Story of the Car that Conquered the World
£6.60£9.50 (-31%)
Sunday Times Bestseller
As quintessentially British as a plate of fish and chips or a British Bulldog, the boxy, utilitarian Land Rover Defender has become an iconic part of what it is to be British.
It is said that for more than half the world’s population, the first car they ever saw was a Land Rover Defender. It mirrors many of our national traits, stiff upper-lipped and slightly eccentric. The car has remained relatively unchanged for nearly seven decades and has spawned an industry that includes dozens of publications, car shows, clubs, associations and even model car collectors who dedicate their lives to the Land Rover.
To understand this national love affair, Ben has travelled the length of the British Isles in a Defender, spending time with fellow Land Rover enthusiasts: from visiting Colonel Blashford-Snell, who crossed the jungles of the Darien Gap, to patrolling the streets of Belfast with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Ben has met folk who have converted their beloved Defenders into everything from hearses and coffee shops to works of art and fire trucks. He has travelled from the Red Wharf in Anglesey, Wales onto the Western Isles of Scotland and Islay, the island used as a testing ground by Spencer Wilks in 1947 to put several of the early Series Land Rover prototypes through their paces.
After 67 years and 2 million vehicles the Land Rover Defender has ceased production, and this book is a fitting tribute to this most British institution which has stood as a beacon of durability and Britishness across the world. Every Land Rover has its own unique story to tell. This is the story of the world’s favourite car.
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Additional information
| Publisher | William Collins (18 May 2017) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 336 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0008194254 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0008194253 |
| Dimensions | 12.9 x 2.2 x 19.8 cm |
by Derek777
Nice item. Is used so some minor marks.
by Amazon Customer
For those who admire Land Rovers this really is a must read. Well written and authorative and packed with wry humour.
by Amazon Customer
Yes there are some spelling and grammatical errors, so maybe don’t buy it for your English teacher, but that doesn’t mean you cant enjoy it. I bought it for my father, who I have never known to sit down and read a novel but who loves his landrovers, and he finished the book within a few days and loved it, often chuckling out loud.
by Martin Kentish
Loved this book. It was great learn about heritage of the 30 year old Defender that sits in my drive. Whilst there are doubtless many Land Rover geeks out there who may discover the occasional factual error, the spirit of the vehicle is captured beautifully by Ben.
The contents of the book will bring home why Defender drivers acknowledge each other when passing. It will explain why so many wives and girlfriends are driven mad by their partner’s Defenders. Best of all though, for those who really get what the book is about, you will finish and be planning an adventure to that beach in Anglesey and the distillery in Islay. In your Defenders of course, knowing why you are doing it with a big smile on your face.
by N. Walton
Who doesn’t love Land Rover? They’re possibly the most emotion-inducing car in the UK ,as they embody the down-to-earth plucky fix-it-up make-do-and-mend british values from a byegone era that people look back to with inexplicable fondness.
Seeing a Landy drive by, especially an old Series 1 or 2 is a lovely thing, and people will stop and wave to them, as they often wave to each other. Landy owners are an unofficial club unto themselves, and reading the book it’s clear to see why.
Landies aren’t easy or cheap to maintain. They’re not luxurious, or even all that big. Paradoxical since they’re so tall, but their footprint on the ground is smaller than a ford fiesta (one of the newer ones)… They leak, they’re draughty, and they’re permanently damp inside. I tried to go through a ford once in one and didn’t realise the gearstick was open to the water beneath. I found out as the fountain of water hit me in the face just after the nose had entered the flood!
This book is mainly aimed at Landy owners to fill in details about the car’s history that they may not already know. But it also works as a good book for non-owners who want to know what all the fuss is about.
Makes a nice coffee-table book, and is a surprisingly good read.
by Jon Busby
The book is an intriguing overview of the history of the Land Rover – and I did learn a few things that made me now want to own one, but generally the book is poor written (Ben will make a point, then repeat the same point in the next paragraph – which does make me think it wasn’t even proof read before going to press!), and lacks structure (you would think it would be in chronological order, but its all over the place.
Overall – it was a challenge to finish it, but I’m still glad I’ve read it.
by Amazon Customer
It is an enjoyable read that soothes away much of the crud that we endure in life these days. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be and the book is a diversion from the horrors of TV or the news. Having read it and then last night downloading the audio upgrade, it must say something.
by Henny Penny
Bought this for our Son’s birthday as he’s obsessed with Land Rovers. He doesn’t often read books but read this and thoroughly enjoyed it! ????????