If you enjoy photos of great races as much as the bravado stories, you have to love books that feature the work of Jesse Alexander. During the 1950's and 1960's he was free to roam and work where he wished, capturing up-close images of drivers and team principals along with trackside action. Many of the drivers were friends, obviously at ease when Alexander's lens was pointing in their direction. Porsche Moments (Photographs From Europe and Mexico, 1953-1962) is a collection of Jesse Alexander photographs taken when Porsche was in the early years of its ascendancy to prominence as a manufacturer. Look for drivers like Edgar Barth, Jean Behra, Jo Bonnier, Dan Gurney, Graham Hill and Wolfgang von Trips, among others; racing production 356's, competing in GT classes and in F1 and F2.

(On a personal note, the latter part of this era was when I began my association with Porsche as Canadian pr rep and amateur 356 racer. My first assignment was to assemble racing films taken by the Porsche family during the 1959 season into a documentary they could show to friends and associates in Europe. I was privileged to meet and interview Ferry Porsche and several of those drivers.) This superb book is available from David Bull Publishing for $75.00, or $249 for a specially-bound and numbered series including foreword by Dan Gurney. A priceless addition to your library.

[Photo: Jesse Alexander/David Bull Publishing]