Book Reviews, April 1946, April 1946

“Floyd Clymer’s Historical Motor Scrapbook — No. 8.” (Clymer Motors, 1.50 dollars.)

Clymer has brought out his third general “scrapbook.” It is as thick as former issues and contains just as much interesting matter, ranging from the very early days to the nineteen-twenties, with a sprinkling of moderns thrown in. Motor-cycles are given plenty of space and this book, of 224 pages, is another excellent cross-section of motoring history, particularly that of the States. Copies can be had from 2125 W. Pico Street, Los Angeles, 6, California, and payment made when exchange of money between this country and America permits.

“Why Dennis — And How”
Under the above title Richard Twelvetrees, A.M.I.Mech.E. (he was Editor of Motor Sport 20 years ago), and Pepys Squire, of Dennis Bros., Ltd., have produced a most readable book on the Dennis Company’s 50 years of active service. This book, beautifully printed In 12-point Monotype Plantin on Winterbourne hand-made laid paper by the same printers who, each week, refresh us with the Model Engineer, is not on sale to the public. We hope, however, that the more deserving libraries will get copies, for much of technical interest is absorbingly told in this work. In the early days Dennis cars competed in the T.T. and in trials and observed runs, and, of course, a 20-h.p. Dennis won the Dewar Trophy in 1906 with a 4,000 mile R.A.C.-observed run. Since 1913 only commercial and public service vehicles have been made and this book gives some most interesting facts concerning the development of different models. Dennis’s part in the war is not overlooked and we learn of a whole host of invaluable equipment which poured out of the Guildford factory, not forgetting the “Churchill” tanks, of which some 700 were built.

This publication strikes a most ambitious note and Mr. Pepys Squire deserves warm congratulations. We await similar histories which are promised of the Daimler and Wolseley companies with all the keener anticipation after the enjoyment afforded by the Dennis book.

“De Havilland Gazette”
Another very fine work is the revived De Havilland Gazette, which contains a very large number of historic photographs and gives a history of the de Havilland Aircraft Co. from 1908, when Geoffrey de Havilland decided that he must construct a flying machine. Photographs of many of the early D.H. aircraft are shown, and there are interesting statistics about the Company’s recent war effort, not forgetting its 1914-18 war effort, and altogether this Gazette represents a truly remarkable six-pennyworth.