Erik Johnson

While I have yet to find the perfect book that explores the history of Mercedes-Benz, this one wasn't too bad of a read. The writing was typically dry (non-fiction is just not my jam anymore), but author Erik Johnson steared clear of most of the technical jargon and racing stats that bored me in other books. He focused not just on the history of Mercedes-Benz as a company, but instead broadened his scope to refocus on the impact of motor vehicles in general (and Mercedes-Benz specifically) on Britain. I found it particularly interesting that Britain seemed to have far more restrictions on cars when they were first introduced than in countries on the European continent, but thinking about the intrinsic love that the Brits seem to have for their horses this trend does make a certain amount of sense. They're also a more compact (and relatively sedate) country than their European counterparts of the era, so the need for vehicles to cover long distances was largely already covered by trains (another British love). What set this book apart for me the most though, besides its unique social commentary, was that Johnson did an excellent job with the photographic material. Most books about cars stick to photographs and reproductions simply of the vehicles, but this soon gets quite tiresome (no matter how beautiful said cars are). Johnson, instead, includes many illustrated advertisements of the early motoring era, and a range of historic photos from many archives which document a broader perspective than the vehicles themselves. Yes, there are still the classic shots of early Mercedes-Benz autos, but we get far more images of the vehicle in action, which are far more pleasing to the eye and far more interesting from a historians perspective! Paired with the slightly more personal tone of the writing, which quotes early magazines, advertisements, and reporters, we are treated to a far more intimate history than is the norm for books of this sort, making it largely a success.… (plus d'informations)