Book Reviews - Ford’s Return to Le Mans


ChipBeck

GT Owner
Staff member
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 13, 2006
5,773
Scottsdale, Arizona
Gentlemen,

For members who haven’t already read one or the other I thought I’d weigh in on the two books that have been written about Ford’s successful return to Le Mans in 2016. The first book released about this epic event was “A Big Ask” written by David Phillips who was embedded with the Ford/Ganassi team. His account is both insightful and beautifully written. Phillips is an excellent writer and his narritave is accurate and entertaining. I read it twice.

This week I received a second book, “Return to Glory” by Matthew Debord on the same subject matter and I sat down to devour it certain that I’d enjoy it as well and hey, it might have some new information. Those of you that have been to my home know I have a couple thousand books in my home library and I love to read, especially about subjects I love like Ford GT’s. So I was stunned that I struggled to make it through the prologue of “Return to Glory”. It is so poorly written and laced with platitudes that plowing through it was as painful as fingernails on a blackboard. After 3 chapters of writing that would shame an 8th grader I had to put it down and call it quits.

The good news is that there is an excellent book chronicling all of the events leading up to and including Le Mans 2016. Further good news is that members can skip wasting $26 like I did on a hardcover copy of “Return to Glory”. I love to write and I enjoy good writing. You’ll find none of it in Matthew Debord’s book. If you want to read about Le Mans 2016, pick up a copy of “A Big Ask”, make yourself a good cocktail, and enjoy a genuinely fine read. All the best.

Chip
 

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Last edited:

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,088
MA
Thanks for saving me the $26.

Agree 1000% "The Big Ask" is fantastic. A big thank you to my good buddy Vince H for supplying my copy!
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,852
NorCal
Thanks Chip. I am also an avid reader (no e stuff but the real thing).

Ed
 

Apollo

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Aug 5, 2006
2,499
Pahrump, NV
Thanks Chip!
 

vyprgt2

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Sep 9, 2005
609
CA
Thanks for the reviews- sounds like a world of difference in the quality of the two books
 

Matech GT1

GT Owner
Apr 2, 2009
340
London
Mine is nearly finished :) Hopefully mine will pass the Chip Beck review.
-Steve
 

Triheart7

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 3, 2007
2,576
Northern California
Mine is nearly finished :) Hopefully mine will pass the Chip Beck review.
-Steve

Cool! Hopefully Chip likes it.