| Description |
553 pages (large print) : illustrations ; 22 cm. |
| Physical Medium |
large print rda |
| Series |
Thorndike Press large print nonfiction |
|
Thorndike Press large print nonfiction series.
|
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 537-545), filmography (pages 547-548) and index. |
| Contents |
Introduction: The last space of freedom -- Part one: Makers -- 1. The fire inside -- 2. Mechanically uncanny -- 3. The pyramids of the Third Reich -- 4. Desire -- 5. The East Wind prevails over the West Wind -- Part two: Breakers -- 6. The hither edge of free land -- 7. More than just cars -- 8. The displaced heart -- 9. Backlash -- 10. Electrified autonomy -- Epilogue. |
| Summary |
"A spirited, insightful exploration of our favorite machine and it's cultural impact on society over the past one hundred and fifty years. More than any other technology, cars have transformed American popular culture. Cars have created vast wealth as well as novel dreams of freedom and mobility. They have transformed our sense of distance and made the world infinitely more available to our eyes and our imaginations. They have inspired cinema, music and literature; they have, by their need for roads, bridges, filling stations, huge factories and global supply chains, re-engineered the world. Almost everything we now need, want, imagine or aspire to assumes the existence of cars in all their limitless power and their complex systems of meanings. This book celebrates the immense drama and beauty of the car, of the genius embodied in the Ford Model T, of the glory of the brilliant-red Mercedes Benz S-Class made by workers for Nelson Mandela on his release from prison, of Kanye West's 'chopped' Maybach, of the salvation of the Volkswagen Beetle by Major Ivan Hirst, of Elvis Presley's 100 Cadillacs, of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and the BMC Mini and even of that harbinger of the end--the Tesla Model S and its creator Elon Musk. As the age of the car as we know it comes to an end, Bryan Appleyard's brilliantly insightful book tells the story of the rise and fall of the incredible machine that made the modern world what it is today"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Subject |
Automobiles -- History.
|
|
Automobiles -- Social aspects.
|
| Genre |
Large print books.
|
|
Large type books.
|
| ISBN |
9798885787437 (hardcover ; large print) |
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