Matt HranekA Man & His Car: Iconic Cars and Stories from the Men Who Love Them (A Man & His Series, 2)

The subtitle says it all: Iconic Cars and Stories from the Men Who Love Them. Matt Hranek took the stunning photographs, but the story of each featured car was written by its actual owner. As such, this book has more than forty authors, each with an in-depth knowledge of his iconic car.I'm a bit out of my comfort zone here, since I am neither a man nor a car enthusiast. Frankly, most cars look alike to me, and I get bored at car shows. But I bought copies of this book for my husband and my brother--the car enthusiasts in my family--and I decided to glance through my husband's copy. Wow! My "glance" turned into a page by page, thoroughly enjoyable and informative reading experience. I didn't get bogged down in technical jargon that "only a guy could understand," because the authors steered clear of that for the most part. Instead, each author focused on describing his personal relationship with cars (usually starting at a young age), how he acquired the featured car, and its unique qualities and characteristics.The cars in this book are truly iconic, ranging from American made (Ford, Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, etc.), to foreign made (Porsche, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, MG, etc.), to makes I've never heard of (Lada, Salmson, Lancia). Some are old (including a 1908 Ford Model S Roadster--my favorite), and some are newer (the Tesla Model S Prototype--gorgeous!). Each car is unique in its own right and special to its owner, whether it's been restored to pristine condition or left with its well-worn "patina." (Though I have to wonder why Ben Clymer's "prized possession"--a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato--"looks like a big piece of junk." That's too much "patina" for my taste!)Some reviewers disliked the solid black background in each photograph. Personally, I appreciated the way that technique brings every detail of the car into stark relief, with no distracting images in the background. I found no photographic flaws whatsoever.Like the cars it features, this coffee table book is a high-quality production, with fine attention to every detail. It even comes in a hard, protective sleeve--an unusual added touch. All of the authors are men (of course), and most are quite wealthy, which enables them to collect expensive cars. (I'm not envious, though. I'm more than happy with my beautiful 1996 Cadillac Seville SLS.) I highly recommend this book to all car enthusiasts, and even to non-enthusiasts like me. Enjoy!

I bought this as a gift and appreciate that it came in a slip case. Great book for a classic car lover.

At the confluence of love and emotion is passion, and it's in passion that mankind finds the fuel to drive his spirit. Perhaps this is why many of us feel a deep connection to machines like watches and cars. They're both mechanisms that take tremendous skill to design and build - and that simply doesn't happen without the passion to make it come alive. Perhaps many of us feel a connection to mechanical devices, in this particular case - to cars - because they're not just a mode of transportation for us, but rather an embodiment or an extension of who we are and what we want out of life. They become a big part of the fuel that drives our spirit. And it's from this place, I believe, that Matt Hranek has crafted his outstanding book A Man & His Car.There's a beauty to the seemingly simplicity of A Man & His Car which gives the reader a sense of comfort and connection to the photos and the stories. When it's executed correctly, there's a volume of unspoken words found in the less-is-more approach to storytelling - and this book is swimming in the less-is-more, which leads to the I-can't-get-enough feeling one has with each page turn. To begin, the car photography is elegant and beautiful. One might be tempted to buy the book just to cut out pages of the cars and have them framed - but the connection the images have to the stories will most assuredly stop anyone who might be considering this. I've always loved symmetry and balance in all things creative - and Matt's photograph captures this with his stunning shots of the cars. That alone is enough to buy the book, but the fuel that drives the spirit of this book is found in the stories - and this is where the passion between man and machine lives. Anyone can talk about the guts of an automobile, but the genesis of the ownership and the purpose for which one has chosen a car, or rather the car has chosen them, is where life happens - and that's where you find the passion. And when you do, it's beautiful.If you've ever turned your head to look at a car like a weathered Land Rover Series II in the country outside of London, or a well-worn Fiat Panda on the streets of Rome - and then wondered about the life of those cars and the men who drive them - then you'll absolutely love Matt Hranek's A Man & His Car. And if you're going to cut out the photos from the book, then be sure to buy two.

I bought this for a friend who collects vintage cars and he was over-the-moon happy! Gorgeous photos with great stories about how people came to own their cars. Book comes in a slipcover and looks very impressive. Highly recmmended.

Awesome easy read

This is a beautiful presentation of cars with their owners comments. The outside looks like a book, but there are individual pages within. I gave one to each of my car loving family members, and they seemed to like them. I had not seen the book when I ordered them. Each of these guys in my family currently own vintage cars and spend time with them! Quality of the photos within is outstanding.

Bought this with the A Man and his Watch book, and enjoyed both bery much.

My son collects cars. He is even building a house for them. The book is perfect for him.