A few recommendations for your Porsche bookshelf
Discussion
Naturally you can find just about anything on the web these days, but, for me at least, I cannot get the narrtative or a history in a readable fashion in the same way as I enjoy a book. The problem is that many of them are really photographic glossies and do nothave much useful information. THe book below are those that seemed most informative to me.
Here are a few I would recommend for those who are interested:
Essentials:
(1) Porsche : Excellence was expected - Karl Ludvigsen
(2) The Porsche book -Jurgen Barth
Each of these is a three volume set, The Ludvigsen is a superbly written history of the Porsche company from 1948 to the present, The Barth book is an exhaustive description of every model produced including the racing cars.
(3) Porsche - Genesis of Genius - Karl Ludvigsen
This is the biography of Ferdinand Porsche from birth. Incredibly comprehensive and beaurtifully illustrated, only suffers from being a bit circumspect about his activities in a period of (say) 1938 to 1945 when he was busy designing Tiger tanks, refining the powerplant of the V1 missile etc. Nontheless a very good book
(4) Porsche - origin of the species. Karl Ludvigsen
This is more fragmentary but contains a comprehensive history of the Gmund years and the history of a highly original Gmund coupe now owned by Jerry Seinfeld. Just published
(5)Porsche and me - Hans Mezger
Fairly technical in places, but give a very go view of the development of the engines and a sense of the atmosphere on the racing teams from one of Porsche;s greatest ever engineers:
(6),(7),(8) There are any number of model specific books ,though I only have a few
(9) A small privately published book in the rare 356SL called the Last Eleven
As for the Third reich period, there is not much. Ludvigsen did one called the Battle for the Beetle, and there is also an excellent book called Hitler's Racing Teams that I also have. Nothing much on the design of war machinery.
Here are a few I would recommend for those who are interested:
Essentials:
(1) Porsche : Excellence was expected - Karl Ludvigsen
(2) The Porsche book -Jurgen Barth
Each of these is a three volume set, The Ludvigsen is a superbly written history of the Porsche company from 1948 to the present, The Barth book is an exhaustive description of every model produced including the racing cars.
(3) Porsche - Genesis of Genius - Karl Ludvigsen
This is the biography of Ferdinand Porsche from birth. Incredibly comprehensive and beaurtifully illustrated, only suffers from being a bit circumspect about his activities in a period of (say) 1938 to 1945 when he was busy designing Tiger tanks, refining the powerplant of the V1 missile etc. Nontheless a very good book
(4) Porsche - origin of the species. Karl Ludvigsen
This is more fragmentary but contains a comprehensive history of the Gmund years and the history of a highly original Gmund coupe now owned by Jerry Seinfeld. Just published
(5)Porsche and me - Hans Mezger
Fairly technical in places, but give a very go view of the development of the engines and a sense of the atmosphere on the racing teams from one of Porsche;s greatest ever engineers:
(6),(7),(8) There are any number of model specific books ,though I only have a few
(9) A small privately published book in the rare 356SL called the Last Eleven
As for the Third reich period, there is not much. Ludvigsen did one called the Battle for the Beetle, and there is also an excellent book called Hitler's Racing Teams that I also have. Nothing much on the design of war machinery.
David Hype said:
Thanks for the recommendations, sadly I own only one of the above, the Mezger one and I have only just started reading it.
If you had to pick just one book (or a multiple volume version) to take to a desert island, which would it be?
Without a doubt the ludvigsen "Escellence we expected". He has a good relationship woth Porsche and amazing access to their archival material, and is an excellent writer.If you had to pick just one book (or a multiple volume version) to take to a desert island, which would it be?
supermono said:
Any recommendations for the legendary boxster years? How the cayman was the poster car for generations of young boys setting their heart on one when they grow up?
No? Nothing?
SM
There is such a vast range of Porsche books that there is doubtless a Boxster book..I just don't have it.No? Nothing?
SM
supermono said:
Any recommendations for the legendary boxster years? How the cayman was the poster car for generations of young boys setting their heart on one when they grow up?
No? Nothing?
SM
Haha. Too funny. No? Nothing?
SM
Fwiw, I found the mezger book an odd one. Read it through twice and still felt it slightly staccato in delivery/tone and lacking in texture. It had lots of info but never really gave anything away.
"What I did at Porsche (in chronological order)" would have probably been a more apt title.
That withstanding I'm glad I bought and read it.
"how to rebuild and modify Porsche 911 engines 1965-1989" by Wayne Dempsey is a nice and interesting read if youre interested about what's inside things in any way.
Those with water cooled cars with mezger engines will enjoy it too.
Edited by fioran0 on Friday 21st September 18:05
fioran0 said:
"how to rebuild and modify Porsche 911 engines 1965-1989" by Wayne Dempsey is a nice and interesting read if youre interested about what's inside things in any way.
Those with water cooled cars with mezger engines will enjoy.
Ha I'm in Chris' waiting room at Center Gravity just put down that very book having added it to my list. What a coincidence.Those with water cooled cars with mezger engines will enjoy.
SM
I may be a little biased on this subject, but on a slightly different tangent to most Porsche books, I'd heartily recommend 'Survival of the Quickest' by... erm... well, me. 
Basically, it describes a 15,000 mile road trip from the UK to South Africa in a '944, as covered by the Daily Telegraph here
I don't think that broke any posting rules - if it did, I apologize most profusely...
Basically, it describes a 15,000 mile road trip from the UK to South Africa in a '944, as covered by the Daily Telegraph here
I don't think that broke any posting rules - if it did, I apologize most profusely...
fivetenben said:
I may be a little biased on this subject, but on a slightly different tangent to most Porsche books, I'd heartily recommend 'Survival of the Quickest' by... erm... well, me.
Basically, it describes a 15,000 mile road trip from the UK to South Africa in a '944, as covered by the Daily Telegraph here
I don't think that broke any posting rules - if it did, I apologize most profusely...
I recall reading the Telegraph coverage...what an absolutely amazing trip it was. ........Basically, it describes a 15,000 mile road trip from the UK to South Africa in a '944, as covered by the Daily Telegraph here
I don't think that broke any posting rules - if it did, I apologize most profusely...
I'd add:
Racing in the Rain: John Horsman (racing manager at Gulf Porsche)
The Racing Baron: Huschke von Hanstein (Porsche's early factory team manager)
Double World Champions 1900-1977 Von Frankenberg (COmpany and family history to the mid 70's)
From R to GT2 Starkey (competition 911 geekfest)
SS7
Racing in the Rain: John Horsman (racing manager at Gulf Porsche)
The Racing Baron: Huschke von Hanstein (Porsche's early factory team manager)
Double World Champions 1900-1977 Von Frankenberg (COmpany and family history to the mid 70's)
From R to GT2 Starkey (competition 911 geekfest)
SS7
Wozy68 said:
Paul Frere? Best book on Porsche I've read. The very first book on the 911 I bought, and still my favourite.
Shame he's now passed away, it would have been interesting to find out what he thought of the modern day 911. AKA 991.
I know of it but have not read it..will get it.Shame he's now passed away, it would have been interesting to find out what he thought of the modern day 911. AKA 991.
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