Plants vs. Zombies #9: Petal to the Metal


Paul Tobin - 2016
    Zomboss unleashes a horde of mobile, fast-moving zombies on the innocent citizens of Neighborville! Riding inventive hot rods and crazy contraptions, both zombie and plant forces alike pull out all the creative stops in a series of contests to win control over the city! A competitive, race-filled finale as our Petal to the Metal story arc closes! The comedy jumps from each and every page, and the preposterous nature of the whole thing is just golden.Dread Central

Final Breath


John Francome - 2008
    Danny was plunged into a time of bitter mourning but now he's back on his feet, with a lot of help from Kirsty's best friend, Tara. In fact, Danny has fallen for Tara in a major way. Danny's godfather Adrian Spring, who runs a racing stable, isn't at all happy about this. He can't help wondering how much Tara knows about the secrets that died with Kirsty. Secrets he'd prefer stayed secret for ever. Tara herself is uneasy: unconvinced that Kirsty's death was an accident, she fears that she might fall victim to a fatal 'accident' herself. And she's never been the paranoid type...

The Death of Ayrton Senna


Richard Williams - 1995
    It was, Williams believes, a desire which a precious few drivers have--an inherent belief within Senna that he had the divine right to victory. Senna's faults are covered as equally as the good side to his persona, and the author manages to accurately define the Brazilian hero's character like no other has. The events leading up to and in the months and years following Senna's fatal crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix are examined in detail. The views of various experts and Formula One drivers are revealed in the book and many of their thoughts about the remarkable driver make a fascinating read. Williams gets closer than anyone else to producing the ultimate story of a racing driver whose thirst for success and unparalleled ability led him to the heights of his chosen discipline--and ultimately his death.This all-encompassing examination of the death of a superstar and a legend in his own right is an intimate yet pragmatic volume that will satisfy the reader's desire to discover the explanations of what really led to the death of the most thrilling driver of modern times.

Austin


Jeannine Colette - 2018
    He’s arrogant, entitled and a total ass. That’s why I didn’t bother giving him my name last night. We’ll never see each other again. Or so I thought.Imagine my surprise when I start my new job only to come face-to-face with the blue eyes I just declared all wrong for me. No, he’s not my boss, but being my boss’ brother seems almost worse. No matter how hard I try to push him away, his secrets draw me in. When it comes to a Sexton that could be lethal...for my heart. I have his secrets and I won’t tell a soul. Now I just have to not fall for him completely.

No Angel: The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone


Tom Bower - 2011
    Private, mysterious and some say sinister, the eighty-year-old criss-crosses the globe in his private jet, mixing with celebrities, statesmen and sporting heroes. His success is not just in creating a multibillion-pound global business but in resisting repeated attempts to snatch the glittering prize from his control.Ecclestone has never before revealed how he graduated from selling second-hand cars in London's notorious Warren Street to become the major player he is today. He has finally decided to reveal his secrets: the deals, the marriages, the disasters and the successes in Formula One racing, in Downing Street, in casinos, on yachts and in the air.Surprisingly, he has granted access to his inner circle to Tom Bower, described by Ecclestone as 'The Undertaker' - the man who buries reputations - and has given him access to all his friends and enemies. All have been told by Ecclestone, 'Tell him the truth, good or bad.'No Angel is a classic rags-to-riches story, the unique portrayal of a unique man and an intriguing insight into Formula One racing, business and the human spirit. Tom Bower is the author of nineteen books, including biographies of Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Fayed, Gordon Brown, Richard Branson, Conrad Black and more recently, Simon Cowell.

The Vincent in the Barn: Great Stories of Motorcycle Archaeology


Tom Cotter - 2009
    A friend or acquaintance says, “You know, there’s an old bike that’s been sitting in this garage for years.” The hunt is on. And rather than the usual worthless Hondazukimaha pile of hopeless oxidation, at the back of that barn you find a genuine classic, the motorcycle collector’s dream.The Vincent in the Barn tells forty such stories--tales of motorcycle hunting dreams come true. From Ducatis in basements to Vincents abandoned in sheds, Harleys in barns to Brit bikes moldering behind urban garages, these are the stories that fuel every motorcyclist’s fantasies. The only difference? They’re true.See Tom Cotter, author of Motorbooks “In the Barn” series, interviewed by Jay Leno on JayLenosGarage.com: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/j...

Racecar: Searching for the Limit in Formula SAE


Matt Brown - 2011
    With fewer people and resources than any of the top competitors, the only way they were going to win was to push the limit, go for broke, and hope for more than a little luck. By the time they got to the racetrack, they knew: In the fog of fierce competition, whether you win or lose, you learn the hardest lessons about engineering, teamwork, friendship, and yourself.

Engines of Change: A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars


Paul Ingrassia - 2012
    From the assembly lines of Henry Ford to the open roads of Route 66, from the lore of Jack Kerouac to the sex appeal of the Hot Rod, America’s history is a vehicular history—an idea brought brilliantly to life in this major work by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Paul Ingrassia. Ingrassia offers a wondrous epic in fifteen automobiles, including the Corvette, the Beetle, and the Chevy Corvair, as well as the personalities and tales behind them: Robert McNamara’s unlikely role in Lee Iacocca’s Mustang, John Z. DeLorean’s Pontiac GTO , Henry Ford’s Model T, as well as Honda’s Accord, the BMW 3 Series, and the Jeep, among others. Through these cars and these characters, Ingrassia shows how the car has expressed the particularly American tension between the lure of freedom and the obligations of utility. He also takes us through the rise of American manufacturing, the suburbanization of the country, the birth of the hippie and the yuppie, the emancipation of women, and many more fateful episodes and eras, including the car’s unintended consequences: trial lawyers, energy crises, and urban sprawl. Narrative history of the highest caliber, Engines of Change is an entirely edifying new way to look at the American story.

For the Record: 28:50 - A journey toward self-discovery and the Cannonball Run Record


Ed Bolian - 2017
    Ed Bolian’s memoir recounts his path from a conversation in high school with Cannonball Run founder, Brock Yates to setting the fastest time ever for driving from New York to Los Angeles. The journey explores goal setting, criminal psychology, and spirituality in the pursuit of finding your true purpose and using what makes you unique to achieve something extraordinary.

Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business


Bob Lutz - 2011
    The "car guys" held sway, and GM dominated with bold, creative leadership and iconic brands like Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, GMC, and Chevrolet. But then GM's leadership began to put their faith in numbers and spreadsheets. Determined to eliminate the "waste" and "personality worship" of the bygone creative leaders, and maximize profitability, management got too smart for its own good. With the bean counters firmly in charge, carmakers, and much of American industry, lost their single-minded focus on product excellence and their competitive advantage. Decline soon followed. In 2001, General Motors hired Lutz out of retirement with a mandate to save the company by making great cars again. As vice chairman, he launched a war against the penny-pinching number-crunchers who ran the company by the bottom line, and reinstated a focus on creativity, design, and cars and trucks that would satisfy GM customers. After emerging from bankruptcy in 2009, GM is finally back on track thanks in part to its embrace of Lutz's philosophy, with acclaimed new models like the Chevrolet Volt, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Equinox, and Buick LaCrosse. Lutz's common-sense lessons, combined with a generous helping of fascinating anecdotes, will inspire readers in any industry. As he writes: "It applies in any business. Shoe makers should be run by shoe guys, and software firms by software guys, and supermarkets by supermarket guys.

Bumper to Bumper


Doug DeMuro - 2016
    Bumper to Bumper is newer, longer, and better, touting mostly original stories that include the time Doug crashed his brand-new Porsche company car into a tree, the real story behind the time Doug crushed a Chrysler PT Cruiser, the time Doug bribed a government official in South Africa, the time Doug got detained at the Canadian border on an automotive press trip, and the story of Doug’s relationship with automakers. Also, Doug wrote this description himself in the third person.

Still Life With Volkswagens


Geoff Nicholson - 1994
    Nazi skinheads are cruising the streets and a millionaire tycoon and a weather girl have been kidnapped. It falls to Barry Osgathorpe to discover who is responsible.

Williams: A Different Kind of Life


Virginia Williams - 2018
     The racing car constructor was on his way to Nice Airport on a spring afternoon in 1986 when he lost control of his car, suffering horrific injuries in a crash that left him a quadriplegic. For his wife, Ginny, the accident meant taking on new and unwanted roles as head of the household and family decision-maker, while also struggling to overcome the anger and grief she felt after the accident. In A Different Kind of Life, Ginny tells her story with honesty and humor, set against the glamorous backdrop of Formula One racing. She documents life before and after the devastating accident – from falling in love with Frank at first sight to learning how to cope with his needs after he became severely disabled but remained fiercely independent. A testament to the power of compassion and perseverance, A Different Kind of Life is a moving and inspirational story.

Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing


Elizabeth Mitchell - 2002
    Focusing on the 1999 Derby winner Charismatic, Mitchell traces this horse's amazing and ultimately tragic story, from the birth of a foal through its surprising rise to fame. Mitchell also follows the major players in Charismatic's life, including the family who bred him, the trainer, the owners, and the famed jockey Chris Antley, whose own story is more tragic than that of his horse. Through these interlocking stories a sense of familiarity with the key players in the industry evolves, as well as a greater understanding of the heart and soul of a sport that has fascinated human beings for centuries.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to RVing


April Maher - 2001
    An updated and revised guide for the more than 30 million Americans who are living the RV lifestyle and the millions of others who have considered it but have not yet taken the plunge, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to RVing, Second Edition, includes the following: Basic facts about the different types of RVs-camper, van, motor home, bus, or tow rig-and the advantages of each; Advice on buying your RV, from dealer negotiations to acquiring the proper insurance; Driving tips for piloting your RV; Information on how to choose a campground with an eye for water, electricity, propane, wastewater dump, hookups, phone, cable, and campground rules.