I imagine most race fans have a favourite car or two. For me, the Lola T70 is one, while another is the Lotus 49. By no means the most technically advanced car, the 49 introduced the F1 world to engines forming a stressed part of the chassis via the Ford Cosworth DFV. In the hands of Jim Clark it was an instant and frequent winner!

Oliver's research is astonishingly thorough and solidly presented, yet this is not a technical book as such, the stories of individual cars being woven into their competition histories with a great deal of input from the actual people involved, and many telling anecdotes. The result is an incredibly detailed work that leaves out virtually nothing, yet is eminently readable and always entertaining - a rare feat for such a specialised work.

Printed on glossy paper, Oliver's absorbing narrative is accompanied by a wealth of priceless photographs throughout, mostly of the cars in action but including behind the scenes shots, and some of the cars in recent years. These are in monochrome, but there are additionally two large blocks of colour plates. All are excellently printed and help to bring the book alive.

In the context of the day, the 49 was about as beautiful as a F1 car could get, at least to these eyes! As the first DFV car, it deserves its place in history, and Oliver more than does it justice. 'The Story Of A Legend' is not simply a description of a car in its evolving configurations, but a celebration of an icon. Highly recommended. ( )