Bristol: The Inside Story

[mrbennetts]

Ha, Kevin ! I did say The usual types who criticise IN PUBLIC. Lots of us do like to be "one-up" by pointing out all errors, however small. Makes us feel better, I suppose. Bristol people are supposed to be discreet, aren't they ? Anyway, I don't want to make a big issue out of it, so won't be commenting on this again. The book is wonderful. Pip Pip.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by mrbennetts

Bristol people are supposed to be discreet, aren't they ?

I don't know, are they? I don't remember signing up to some stereotype when I bought my Bristol. Although doubtless there are some people who think they are somehow superior because they own a secondhand Bristol.

Besides, most Bristol owners have other cars so if our cars do have some bearing on our personality why should Bristol take precedence?

Martin Buckley once wrote that his lasting memory of a close encounter on BOC members was "beards, dandruff and bow ties", so I'm glad we're not all the same

As for book criticism, why should it not be public? After all, publishing a book is the ultimate in publicly expressing ones opinion. In this case it is a book that is being marketed and sold globally, so I'm sure it will reach a far wider audience than a web forum such as this one.

So if you have any opinions about this new book, feel free to voice them here. But whether you think the book is good, bad or average, please say why, because without some supporting argument your opinion is worthless.

As an aside, I just received the latest new book listing from a motoring bookshop here Australia called Pitstop. They offer the new Bristol book at $135. I'm sure when I ordered a copy from Amazon it was priced around $60, so either the price has gone up considerably or there's some serious profiteering going on.

[seanmcs]

The price seems to depend on where you buy it. Amazon UK wants GBP
35.00, whereas Amazon USA wants USD 39.95. Both plus postage. There
are other UK sellers charging less.

Sean

[Monteverdi]

I initially ordered my copy from Amazon USA, only to see that Amazon Europe/UK had it listed as available - so I duly ordered from there.

Any Bristol book is welcome and I find this book quite an interesting read. The photos are not the usual 'stock' Bristol photos but ones that I have not seen before. Simon Taylor's squadron of Bristols brighten up the colour section of the book.

All in all a welcome distraction over Christmas!

[Kevin H]

I finally received my copy of this book from Amazon (USA) today. I suppose it's justifiable that those us paying only $US39.66 should get theirs last. The title is different to what I ordered but I won't quibble about that!

I've only had a quick flick through it so far but it is already clear that it represents staggering value for money. It is a mystery to me why Amazon are selling it so cheaply - I would have happily paid the full £50 cover price.

Even if you already have every other book ever printed about Bristols this new one is still well worth buying!

[geo]

Originally Posted by Kevin Howard

I finally received my copy of this book from Amazon (USA) today. I suppose it's justifiable that those us paying only $US39.66 should get theirs last.

Not only did mine arrive quickly from Amazon.co.uk before Christmas, but one I ordered the other day as a present for a friend came, post free, the following day.

Originally Posted by Kevin Howard

The title is different to what I ordered but I won't quibble about that!

I think that I posted back in Sept./Oct. that Haynes were quoting it under its current title — it obviously changed between my conversations with Balfour and it going into production.

I

Originally Posted by Kevin Howard

It is a mystery to me why Amazon are selling it so cheaply - I would have happily paid the full £50 cover price.

Such is the power of Amazon though: I get a discount from Haynes (direct) and this special price for authors and shareholders would still have been above that of Amazon.

Originally Posted by Kevin Howard

Even if you already have every other book ever printed about Bristols this new one is still well worth buying!

I agree and am very glad that I pulled the plug on the one I had been commissioned to write as Balfour has done a magnificent job and his approach is the one such a topic required. Congratulations also should go to Haynes in realizing that this was the type of volume that was required for Bristol (I failed to convince a rival publisher about this type of format).

George

[californiabristol]

Never look a gift Pegasus in the mouth?
=20
Got mine last week, and am also thrilled.

Greg Woog

[Kevin H]

I see that Christopher Balfour's account of Sir George White's terrible accident in 1969 is completely different to Setright's account in A Private Car, (different place, different car and different circumstances).

I'm a fan of Setright, but Balfour's account is so detailed and complex I can't help but think it is most likely the true version of events.

Furthermore Sir George White Bt wrote the Foreward for Balfour's book and he of all people must know what really happened to his own father.

He says that Balfour worked with determination to "cut through the jungle of myths and legends to record the truth for posterity"!

[jimfoz]

I read it before Christmas and I can concur it was a brilliant read. I was keen to know more about Tony Crook of whom not much is written about apart from stories of his (probably justified) acerbic treatment of the press! It was also interesting to read about the company's difficulties during the seventies - difficulties shared with other low volume luxury car manufacturers at the time.

[seanmcs]

Kevin:

Just got mine too form the USA -paid for surface mail (USD 9.00) but
because of the Amazon box breaking the US Postal chaps put it in an
airmail sack. Meanwhile I notice Amazon UK is discounting the title to
GBP 27.00.

A quick skim shows a detailed and interesting looking book.

Sean