Car by Gregory Votolato
A design history of the car, this book shows how and why the automobile has evolved into both an object of unparalleled desire and the problem child of the modern world. It examines many iconic vehicles, including the peoples cars of the twentieth century such as the Model T Ford and the Volkswagen Beetle.
It is very rare for a book to be published that could be described as complete, but American-born historian, lecturer and tutor Greg Votolatos remarkably-briefly-named Car is just thatThe author has managed to cover every aspect of the development of the automobile from Cugnots motorized gun carriage of 1769 to the Tesla Model S of today . . . if you are in the least bit interested in understanding how we have come to this situation where the car has become an example of twentieth-century art and an indicator or proxy for who we think we are, when in use, then this book has to be essential reading for every design student, practitioner or enthusiast with interest in the automobile. * Car Design News *
Taking the whole life of the motor vehicle and chronicling its history in a single volume of 320 pages can be dangerous in that much essential information might be omitted. Thankfully, Gregory Votolato is a master automotive historian whose succinct writing without compromising an engaging style makes this a compelling recipe. The authors knowledge of the global motor industry, its glories as well as its failures, is evident from the beginning of the book . . . [Votolatos] deliberations are wide-ranging and theres a sense of humour too. His credentials are excellent * Journal of the Society of Automotive Historians in Britain *
. . . wide-ranging journey through the ways the car has wormed its way into our hearts and conquered the world. It offers a varied feast for car lovers, including some history (especially of production, design and marketing), a little landscape, some technology and mostly design. * Times Literary Supplement *
Votolato deploys his formidable knowledge of the subject, coupled with a commendably critical sensibility, to generate an authoritative account of the car that would grace the shelves of expert and enthusiast alike, and which makes a measured and intelligent contribution to the growing but still underdeveloped discipline of automotive history. * Journal of Transport History *
Gregory Votolatos Car is a well-researched, comprehensive, and global examination of our vexed infatuation with the auto that deftly combines the history and future of automobilism. It is a must-read for car idolators and detractors alike. * David Gartman, Professor of Sociology, University of South Alabama, and author of Auto Opium: A Social History of American Automobile Design *
Praise for Transport Design: A serious but accessible look at how comfort, safety, technology, style, economics, customisation and entertainment have affected the way we get from a to b, and how vehicle design has influenced the interiors of our home and work spaces. A bit of a treat. * RIBA Journal *
This is a generalist study of the best kind, full of illuminating detail and clearly organised by typologies of land, water and air, within which are subdivisions of different vehicle types. It is split in focus between the designer of the machine and the experience of the passenger, with a pleasingly fetishistic attention to detail that distinguishes transport enthusiasts. * Journal of Design History *
Far from being a straight design history, this insightful and detailed look at transport design investigates, through our various vehicles, the experience of travelling . . . the meticulous nature of Votolatos theming and readable narrative underpin the seriousness of his final contention . . . this fine book should be required reading for anyone hoping to design anything that will take us beyond the age of oil. * C20, The Magazine of the Twentieth Century Society *
Taking the whole life of the motor vehicle and chronicling its history in a single volume of 320 pages can be dangerous in that much essential information might be omitted. Thankfully, Gregory Votolato is a master automotive historian whose succinct writing without compromising an engaging style makes this a compelling recipe. The authors knowledge of the global motor industry, its glories as well as its failures, is evident from the beginning of the book . . . [Votolatos] deliberations are wide-ranging and theres a sense of humour too. His credentials are excellent * Journal of the Society of Automotive Historians in Britain *
. . . wide-ranging journey through the ways the car has wormed its way into our hearts and conquered the world. It offers a varied feast for car lovers, including some history (especially of production, design and marketing), a little landscape, some technology and mostly design. * Times Literary Supplement *
Votolato deploys his formidable knowledge of the subject, coupled with a commendably critical sensibility, to generate an authoritative account of the car that would grace the shelves of expert and enthusiast alike, and which makes a measured and intelligent contribution to the growing but still underdeveloped discipline of automotive history. * Journal of Transport History *
Gregory Votolatos Car is a well-researched, comprehensive, and global examination of our vexed infatuation with the auto that deftly combines the history and future of automobilism. It is a must-read for car idolators and detractors alike. * David Gartman, Professor of Sociology, University of South Alabama, and author of Auto Opium: A Social History of American Automobile Design *
Praise for Transport Design: A serious but accessible look at how comfort, safety, technology, style, economics, customisation and entertainment have affected the way we get from a to b, and how vehicle design has influenced the interiors of our home and work spaces. A bit of a treat. * RIBA Journal *
This is a generalist study of the best kind, full of illuminating detail and clearly organised by typologies of land, water and air, within which are subdivisions of different vehicle types. It is split in focus between the designer of the machine and the experience of the passenger, with a pleasingly fetishistic attention to detail that distinguishes transport enthusiasts. * Journal of Design History *
Far from being a straight design history, this insightful and detailed look at transport design investigates, through our various vehicles, the experience of travelling . . . the meticulous nature of Votolatos theming and readable narrative underpin the seriousness of his final contention . . . this fine book should be required reading for anyone hoping to design anything that will take us beyond the age of oil. * C20, The Magazine of the Twentieth Century Society *
Gregory Votolato is a Lecturer at the Victoria & Albert Museum and teaches on the Critical and Historical Studies Vehicle Design Programme at the Royal College of Art, London. He is the author of American Design in the Twentieth Century (1998), Transport Design: A Travel History (Reaktion, 2007) and Ship (Reaktion, 2011).
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781780234526 |
| ISBN 10 | 178023452X |
| Title | Car |
| Author | Gregory Votolato |
| Series | Objekt |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Reaktion Books |
| Year published | 2015-10-01 |
| Number of pages | 272 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |