The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Owner’s Manual is one of those books that anyone with even a passing interest in aviation or cold war history should have on their coffee table. The Blackbird was the fastest, highest flying aircraft in the world that could literally outrun surface-to-air missiles that had been launched to intercept it. The…
The Motorcycle Owner’s Manual is exactly the kind of book I like to buy when the mercury drops and regular riding becomes almost impossible, the winter is a perfect time to dust off a bottle of bourbon and settle into an old chair with a book that’ll one day save you from being stuck by…
The Apollo 13 Owners’ Workshop Manual is one of the most detailed and reader-friendly books about the Apollo 13 mission currently in print. It’s the work of David Baker – a veteran of the Apollo Space Program and a man who was actually in the room working with the other engineers on the consumables calculations…
The Motorcycle Basics Techbook by Haynes Manuals is an essential reference designed for all motorcyclists, it covers all major engine, chassis, electrical and suspension systems with human-comprehendible explanations and cutaway illustrations – the latter of which can help turn exceedingly confusing things into relatively simple concepts. I’ve had my copy of this book for a few…
Absinthe & Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously is a book that’ll appeal to those of you who like spending their weekends doing a little more than barbecuing and raking the yard, the book includes instructions on how to make black powder, how to throw knives, how to crack a bull…
Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR is the fantastic, true story of the origins of America’s most popular form of automobile racing. The author is Neal Thompson, a well-known and highly respected non-fiction author whose work is characterised by enthralling, fast paced stories, vivid characters and fastidious attention…
Porsche 911: 50 Years is a hardcover volume that I suppose would be officially classified as a coffee table book, although this description does it a significant disservice – This is a book that contains a huge array of early prototype photographs, stories from the pre-911 years at Porsche and the story of how the…
The original version of the book A Twist of the Wrist: The Basics of High-Performance Motorcycle Riding quickly entered the essential reading list of both veteran motorcyclists and those new to two-wheeled transportation – it’s a book I personally recommend to new motorcyclists, just because I’m convinced it’ll save their life. Volume 2 of A Twist…
Most enthusiastic drinkers will tell you that it’s important to have a stash somewhere in the house that the other half doesn’t know about – with the best hiding spot being inside a book that they’ll never even look at twice, like a boring plain black volume called “An Encyclopaedia of American Humor”. Each one…
The Art of Manliness is a book by Brett and Kate McKay – the couple behind the fantastic and hugely popular website of the same name. The book is an essential read for any modern gentleman, it’s also a fantastic gift for friends of the XY persuasion. Contained within the 288 pages is some genuinely…
The Death Star Owner’s Manual is an essential book for any current or aspiring Death Star owner, it was written by global Star Wars authorities Chris Reiff, Ryder Windham and Chris Trevas, and includes remarkably detailed illustrations of the death Star’s internal workings. As with all Haynes manuals, the Death Star Owner’s Manual contains everything you…
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It is a book that deserves a place on the book shelf in every house. Just in case that day ever comes when the power goes out and never comes back on. The book was written by James Wesley Rawles and quickly became a…
