For Review: McQueen’s Machines

McQueen’s Machines
The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Icon
By Matt Stone / Foreword by Chad McQueen

This book is from MBI publishing in Minneapolis and was first published in 2007, with the updated soft-cover edition published in 2010. It is 176 pages full of very fascinating history and facts and 219 color photos of the man himself; Steve McQueen. Many of the stories and photos are from the McQueen family archives and have never been seen before. For someone like me, who grew up watching Steve McQueen on TV and the movies, few actors could match his authoritative screen presence. He was, and still is considered by many “The King of Cool” Off the screen he was a certified gearhead, as this book outlines very well.

All the famous vehicles from his movies are mentioned including “Bullit” (and that famous green 1968 Ford Mustang GT) “The Great Escape” (Triumph) “The Thomas-Crown Affair” (Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow) and his famous driving sequences in the cult classic “Le Mans” where McQueen drove most of the scenes himself in that fabulous Porsche 917K.

This book is a must for the McQueen fan or anyone interested in a former big-name Hollywood legend who lived life on his own terms. The historic photography (featuring both color and black & white frames) alone is worth the price of admission.

Best quote of the book: “Racing is life! Anything that happens before or after is just waiting around.” This one comes highly endorsed and recommended by VMOL. JJ Cerilli

McQueen’s Machines
ISBN #13-978-0-7603-3895-7
www.motorbooks.com
$19.95 at Barnes & Noble