Volkswagen Books

This is a very good book, if you like early VW's that were coachbuilt like hebmullers and cabriolets,etc then this is the book for you. I read this book cover to cover. Also has very good production photos, many have been in VolksWorld. It also has a "Barn Find" section in the rear of the book. You will not be wasting your money if you buy this book!

This book is a must have for all VW-enthusiasts. It is very informative with lot of information about unusual cars, and less known models. Great pictures. Heard someone talked about Hebmüllers but have no idea what it is? Check out this book. It's all there with pictures and history

This manual is very good. It has the traditional Bentley qualities and is very easy to use...a must have. Three thumbs up!

Upon reaching 15k miles on my 1999 Jetta TDI I discovered I needed to chage my own oil. I purchased this manual because it was the only one to be found.

Having in the past been very dissapointed in $15-$20 Haynes or Chiltons manuals, I've looked the book over with a very critical eye. This manual contains errors (and probably ommisions) and is only marginally better than the $15-$20 manuals.

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The book was great for specs, but there are no troubleshooting tips, especially for the fuel injection system. It was not as helpful as I thought it would be. I suggest the Bentley shop manual. More money, but well worth it.

Author Phil Patton has done an excellent job describing how the VW mirrored the various time periods of it's existence. From Adolph Hitler's intent to create a car for the German Volk; the heir apparent to Henry Ford's Model T, to it's "status" as a fashion statement by Leftist college educated Americans in the 1950s and early 1960s who were making a statement against Detroit's agenda of "bigger is better", to the Bug's becoming the icon of the nihilistic drug fueled hippies of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and finally to it's demise because it was product that had been obsolete for decades. In reality, it very much was a pathetic excuse of a car, and that Volkwagen survived so long building this one vehicle defies logic. The irony now is the the Volkwagen company of 2008 has adopted the Alfred Sloan philosophy of a "car for every purse and purpose", ie witness the wide range of models marketed via the VW, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Bugatti marques. History, though, is cyclical. If the Democrats under Obama win the White House, maybe that will be an indication that Americans once again will snap up a joke of a vehicle, one that symbolizes an age of diminished expections. Maybe India's Ta Ta Motors will step up the plate !!

It would seem logical that a book about the various mutations and variations of the VW Beetle would be full of illustrations - this book has very, very few. Not recommended.
Instead, look for "Volkswagens of the World" - even though it covers much more than just Beetles, it has over 650 photos and is a much more enlightening book.

Whether or not Phil Patton's latest is factually accurate or merely revisionist sensationalism, the first half of this overly long "history" of the VW Beetle makes for an entertaining enough read. But past World War Two and Hitler's interest in developing the ultimate people's car, the narrative loses focus and seems to lose its way amid references to Charles Manson, Mickey Mouse, Nike Town, and a host of other pop culture items. I almost got the feeling that the author wasn't quite sure which direction to take and that his editor was MIA. I found myself also losing focus the more I read and by the time the author discusses the Autostadt, I'd lost any semblance of interest. I'd have stopped reading, but I had less than twenty pages to go.

My hat goes off to the dust jacket's designer. It's exceptionally eye-catching.

I disagree with other reviewers who seemed most appalled with Patton's willingness to connect the Beetle with Hitler. Patton does acknowledge that the idea of a "people's car" had roots that preceded Hitler. But Hitler pushed the concept as part of his plan for economic power in Germany. This fact does not give Hitler "credit" for something wonderful and magical. It's just a car, folks. To suggest (or, as Beetle fans often do, insist) that Hilter had nothing to do with it is simply naive. Yes, Hitler was a madman and yes, ironically, he had something to do with creating the most beloved automobile of the century.

That said, most of the book concerns itself with more interesting ideas about the connections between technology and human culture. This is not your standard "VW history," but rather a wide-reaching history of the importance of automobiles and the way people connect and fail to connect with certain models. The author is not afraid to try to find connections between ideas and words in interesting ways. If you're looking for straightforward technical prose, look elsewhere. Patton is an intelligent writer who knows how to turn a phrase.

Whether or not Phil Patton's latest is factually accurate or merely revisionist sensationalism, the first half of this overly long "history" of the VW Beetle makes for an entertaining enough read. But past World War Two and Hitler's interest in developing the ultimate people's car, the narrative loses focus and seems to lose its way amid references to Charles Manson, Mickey Mouse, Nike Town, and a host of other pop culture items. I almost got the feeling that the author wasn't quite sure which direction to take and that his editor was MIA. I found myself also losing focus the more I read and by the time the author discusses the Autostadt, I'd lost any semblance of interest. I'd have stopped reading, but I had less than twenty pages to go.

My hat goes off to the dust jacket's designer. It's exceptionally eye-catching.

I had to write a review when I saw that the average rating was only 3 stars. It does not do this book justice! It is about an uninspired 40 year old writer living a dull life who decides to go find his brother whom he has not seen in about 15 years. This journey takes him from Gaspé, Quebec to San Francisco. At the beginning, he meets a woman in her twenties who decides to join him. This journey of self-discovery is coupled with the development of a subtle yet beautiful relationship between these two characters. I recommend this book to all. For those that have gone on a road-trip or traveled without no real destination, this book might evoke sentimental or nostalgic feelings.

Jacques Poulin writes quiet works of quiet, thoughtful people at a turning point in their lives. As they move forward, back, and back and forth as their lives and spirits change, his careful, precise prose reflects their calibrated moves. I came to his works through Brautigan, & his are the first works I have read that can stand up to that comparison. Not to be missed!

This is a great work of literature. A great travelogue. I agree that the ending is a little disappointing, but otherwise, this is a great book. Does the other entry mean that there's an English translation in existence? Compare with Travels With Charlie, Blue Highways, and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

What kind of book was that? I mean.. It was a great read and everything, but you could have used a VW Eurovan or even a Sharan!!!

I really liked the new begining of every chapter and how the author put my imagination to work with the chemestry between the characters. I really disliked the ending because it ended too fast without any reasoning. The ending was really stupid. They try to find Théo throughout the whole book and at then it just ends stupidly.

It wasn't really bad but I would of liked a more complete ending.

This book is best for individuals that can rea

Nice photos, text doesn't go very deep into VW history or technical stuff. It's a good intro in the world of VW transporters (splitscreens/ baywindows/wedges). But if you want the real stuff: buy the book Original VW Bus by Laurence Meredith

How much more can you say? Pasi says it again. Nothing new here but some very nice pictures and some old ads. The "New Beetle" also gets some coverage and pictures.

Please note that many books published by Peter Russek Publications and listed on your register as "out of print" are actually still available. Many others are not listed. Any chance to put things right. Please let me know.

There are tons of pics and info about the European models, but unfortunately not alot of pics and details about USA models. Good info however on the colors and some technical areas.

I've now gone thru most of this book and I have to say that overall, I have very mixed feelings. The author clearly put a lot of work into researching the data to present here, but it is often not presented in a way that makes it easy to follow. There are also a number of places where statements are made which I believe are clearly wrong.

While the emphasis of the book is on the history of the various VW type 1, 2, 3 & 4 models and all their variations, changes, and improvements over the years, this information is seldom presented in a consistent way. Models are often discussed before we are introduced to them, and sometimes we are never introduced. There is continuing confusion between model year and calendar year, to the point that conflicting statements are made on different pages and only a knowledgable reader will know which to believe.

The book appears to have been written originally in German, so some of the problems may be in the translation, which may have been by someone with little knowledge of cars or VWs. There are numerous German language references, with careful English translations, but there are also a few terms which appear to be simple direct translations without regard to what the normal English language term might be. Most of the writing is fine, but there are a few places where a good editor's touch would have been useful.

A regular feature of the book is a table of changes for each model. This would be a wonderful thing if it were arranged by model year (when VW went by model years) rather than calendar year. These tables would also be more useful if they occurred with the text discussing that model, rather than a few pages later, after the discussion of the next model has already begun.

Nevertheless, the author does a good job of presenting the development of VW from the pre and post WW II years thru the end of the air cooled era, the crises they weathered, and many of the personalities involved. There are loads of interesting facts, as well as photographs I've not seen elsewhere, which would be of interest to many VW fanatics.