Cars have inspired fiction writers ever since Henry Ford first produced the Model T in 1908. The novels may be about the journey or the road, but whatever angle the writer takes, the car is paramount.
Some titles are even recognised as defining moments in fiction. The bookworms at Adrian Flux have examined their personal libraries and come up with this list of car books for you to enjoy in your spare time.
On the Road
On the Road by Jack Kerouac, first published in 1957, is one of the most well known and influential books about travelling in the USA. It was hailed in the New York Times as ‘the most beautifully executed, the clearest and the most important utterance yet made by the generation Kerouac himself named as ‘beat’.
Based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across America, the novel contains five parts, three of them describing road trips. Such is the influence of this book that Kerouac’s grave in Edson Cemetery, Lowell, Massachusetts, is still regularly visited by fans.
The Bette Davis Club
The Bette Davis Club tells the story of a 50-year-old who has to finally grow up and put her affairs in order. This funny, heart-tugging story is deeply satisfying as the main character, Margo, makes a transformational trip in her 1955 red MG, a vehicle that is full of memories and significance to her as she recalls parts of her life and the mistakes she has made.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1972), written by Hunter S. Thompson and illustrated by Ralph Steadman, is based on two trips to Las Vegas that the author took with attorney and Chicano activist Oscar Zeta Acosta in March and April 1971.
It revolves around journalist Raoul Duk, and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo as they report on a motorcycle race.
Wonder Boys
Wonder Boys (2008) by Michael Chabon tells the story of Grady Tripp, a middle-aged professor and writer who is going through a personal and professional crisis. Not specifically a road trip, it is a trip of discovery during a chaotic weekend of debauchery.
Revolving around Tripp driving around with a dead dog in the boot of his car and antics with a tuba, Marilyn Monroe’s ermine-lined jacket and a squashed boa constrictor.
The Driver
The Driver is a story about Michael Skellig, a former army special forces sergeant who now works as a limo driver. As he waits for his next client in an alley behind a posh hotel, he quickly finds himself in trouble when ferrying around a celebrity skateboard mogul.
He then needs to use both his abilities learned in the special forces, along with his supreme driving skills, whilst trying to outrun the LAPD.
American Gods
American Gods by Neil Gaiman is a blend of American fantasy and modern and ancient mythology, based on the idea that when people emigrate to a country, they take their gods with them. It follows the journey of the suitably named Shadow as he gets out of prison and meets up with Wednesday and travels across America.
Various real-life towns and tourist attractions, including the House on the Rock with the ‘world’s largest carousel’ and Rock City, are featured throughout the course of the book, although Gaiman says he has obscured the precise location of some actual places featured.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, better known for its film adaptation, is a novel published in 1964 and written by James Bond creator Ian Fleming.
Commander Caractacus Pott, an inventor, buys and renovates an old car. Named Chitty Chitty Bang Bang after the noises it makes when starting, the car surprises its owner by beginning to exhibit independent actions and starting to fly, taking them on a series of wild adventures.
The Wind in the Willows
The Wind in the Willows by Graham Greene first published in 1908, the year of the Model T Ford, has become a classic of children’s literature. It focuses on four animal characters set in the English countryside.
It mixes mysticism, adventure, morality and friendship, and Toad’s car provides some exciting action and is a pivotal part of the plot.
Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the hard way
If you’re looking for a non-fiction book to sink your teeth into then Perry McCarthy’s autobiography Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the hard way may be right up your street.
Covering his life story, this book details the struggles he went through from the age of 18 with no racing experience and no money, all the way to making it in the world’s premium motorsport, F1.
A story of an underdog who had the slimmest of hopes of making it, McCarthy details his life through hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking memories.
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