Racing in The Rain - Low Quality?

Keith

Moderator
I have gratefully received the above book for a Christmas present - the one (apart from Ford that Beat Ferarri etc) I wanted for a long time and never found the cash.

The dust jacket is in Glorious Gulf colours with that fantastic shot of the 917 approaching Druids at the Hatch.

However, I am somewhat disappointed with the quality of print, paper and photographs, all in (not quite) black & white and looking suspiciously like mono laser copies .

Horsman was a keen amateur photographer (amateur only in the sense that it wasn't his main/only source of income) and had one of the earliest SLR's. I know he shot stuff in at least 400 ASA and the original detail would have been stunning.

The book cost over £30 via Amazon and came via Arizona. For that money, I would have expected much higher quality given that it is in constant demand.

Am I being churlish, does this tally with other owners of this book or has my gifter been sold a pup? :huh:
 

Jim Craik

Lifetime Supporter
Keith,

I got a copy of this book at the Monterey Historics this year and I very much enjoyed it. Mr Horsman's story is very interesting with a large wealth of gt40, 917, Mirage info.

As far as the quality of publication, I don't have my copy with me but I do not recall noting any quality issues with the printing or photos (I'll check when I get home).

All that said I can strongly recomend this book to any racing fan!
 
Keith,
Pulled out my copy, black & white photos are okay and the color photos are fantastic. No issues with print copy. You may have a pup there...
 
Bull Publishing is located in Phoenix, AZ, so I would imagine it shipped from thier headquarters. My copy which I purchased direct is very nice. I DO have the "Publisher's Edition" however (signed) so it may vary from the standard printing
 

Keith

Moderator
Keith,
Pulled out my copy, black & white photos are okay and the color photos are fantastic. No issues with print copy. You may have a pup there...

Hey Jack, you see? straight away there you go, no colour photos in my copy. Externally the same as all others. Spine, hard covers, paper and print are cheapo. Oh! You don't think it's it's it's because I'm foreign is it :sad: ?

No doubting the quality of the info &contents but I think someone somewhere is cashing in on this. Hey it's a present and I love it but I'm glad I didn't have to pay $50 for it.

What am I saying -course I would.... but.. :)
 
I think anyone purchasing through the same vendor would get the same thing..
Sorry for your "pup", but it does make a fantastic read. At least it was a gift!
 
Hi Keith
I too had this book gifted to me a few years ago ,I have no problems with quality etc its a good read, John Wyers book ,The Certain Sound covers the same era and its interesting to compare the stories from two different people who were actually taking part in the action at the same time,
cheers
John.
 

Keith

Moderator
John, no issues with the content - fascinating stuff and what's interesting to me, is the relationship of FAV to the other racing teams - I had no idea that FAV was, to a certain extent, the "poor relation" when it came to racing.

As regards the book quality, I suspect it has possibly declined over the years of reprint. I love books and have many contemporary special "annuals" beautifully presented in glorious colour on glossy pages for a lot less money, but perhaps in higher demand?

Hope I'm not nitpicking here, but the main thing that irratates me about my version of RITR, is that they have bled the photographs right to the edge of the page and guillotined through them and to me, it looks dreadul.

Enough already, when I was a member of SAAC, I cared less about the aesthetics of the members book but drooled over the contents!

I shall do the same in good grace with JH's excellent read.

Thanks for all the info guys.. HNY? I sincerely hope so, :)
 
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