RAC Motoring Book Awards Nominations Announced
Now in its sixth consecutive year, the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book Awards are one of the most prestigious awards to be bestowed in the automotive publishing industry. With its own library at Pall Mall housing around 6,000 motoring books, a rich pedigree in celebrating motoring accomplishments and a heritage bound to the history of the motor car, the Club is well suited to recognising excellence in motoring literature.
The annual awards will take place on Wednesday 30th October at a special evening held at the Club’s historic Pall Mall clubhouse, amongst many distinguished industry guests.
Three awards will be presented - Motoring Book of the Year Award for an exceptional book with wide appeal and costing no more than £75, and Specialist Book of the Year Award which, in the opinion of the judges, is a feat of impeccable research and flawless writing regardless of its retail cost and a new award introduced this year, the Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented to recognise those who have made a significant contribution to the UK’s motoring book industry.
“The Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year awards have become synonymous with celebrating the best automotive books, authors and publishers out there whilst highlighting their importance in documenting the key events, vehicles and individuals that have shaped motoring history. This year the judges had an overwhelming response with entries representing 18 different publishing houses from international and independents to self-published authors. With the outstanding quality and diversity of books published in the chosen 12- month period, it’s been the toughest judging year yet. I can’t wait to see who will come out on top, and am particularly excited about who the Club will chose as the first winner of its ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award” said Peter Read, Chairman of the Club’s Motoring Committee.
The award committee consists of six expert judges who are totally independent of the Royal Automobile Club, representing the UK’s most informed motoring literary critics including Gordon Cruickshank of Motor Sport, Mark Dixon of Octane, Mick Walsh of Classic & Sports Car, avid book collector and editor of the BRDC Bulletin Ian Titchmarsh. Representing the book retail sector are Ben Horton of specialist bookseller, Horton’s Books, and Christian Whitehead of the London bookstore, Foyles.
The 2019 shortlist of contenders includes works on marque histories and general motoring to film legends, motor sport fiction and vehicle design.
The six titles shortlisted for Motoring Book of the Year Award are:
The Rootes Story: The Making of a Global Automotive Empire by Geoff Carverhill published by Crowood Press
The Cars You Always Promised Yourself by Steve Saxty, Porter Press International
The Self-Preservation Society 50 Years of the Italian Job by Matthew Field published by Porter Press International
Land Rover Design – 70 Years of Success by Nick Hull published by Veloce
The Blunt End of the Grid by Dave Roberts published by the Book Guild
Touring Car Racing The history of the British Touring Car Championship 1958–2018 by Matt James, published by Evro
The six titles shortlisted for Specialist Motoring Book of the Year Award are:
Donington Park – The Pioneers by John Bailie, published by Silverfox Creative
John, George and the HWM’s: The First Racing Team to Fly the Flag for Britain by Simon Taylor published by Evro
Ballot, by Cabart & Sen, published by Dalton Watson £270
Twice Around the Clock – Yanks at Le Mans, by Tim Considine published by Toll Hall Sexton Books
RGS Atalantas by Alan Shattock published by Matador Publishing
Back on Track by Alessandro Silva published by Fondazione Negri
