7 DECEMBER 1912, Page 12

Motor Cars and their Story. By F. A. Talbot. (Cassell

and Co. 21s, net.)—The title of this stout volume and the frontis- piece give the impression that it is a gift-book for boys. As a matter of fact it is a comprehensive "popular" treatise upon petrol-driven cars, in which few people of any ago could fail to find plenty of instruction. Electric cars are also described, but the steam car of to-day is excluded. Mr. Talbot gives us the early history and development of cars down to the present day: there are technical chapters on the various forms of mechanism of all the parts of a car, and chapters on the use of the motor car in commerce and in war. Descriptions of racing and touring provide some lighter reading. It is illustrated with many capital photographs.