Scenes from an Automotive Wonderland

Gregory Cagle was a 10 year-old car fanatic when his family moved from New Jersey to Germany in 1956. For the next five years he photographed unusual, rare and sometimes bizarre automobiles throughout Europe. This book features 105 specimens of auto exotica, captured with Cagle's Iloca Rapid-B 35mm camera—not showpieces in museums but daily drivers in their natural habitats. In the background can be glimpsed, here and there, the mood of postwar Europe. The story behind each photo is told, with dates and locations, information and history about the cars and some of their owners, along with Cagle's personal anecdotes.

"Filled with the black-and-white photographs [Cagle] took, along with make and model information and personal commentary on unusual automobiles that have since all but disappeared...Cagle makes it easy to feel the excitement and enthusiasm he felt as a young boy. Any car spotter will enjoy this book, and may find a 26 horsepower favorite. The book is presented in a pleasant, easily readable format... recommended"--Choice; "a gamut of wonderfully rare and unusual photographs...a book with so many unusual cars and scenes that it boggles the mind...a must read"--SAH Journal; "this books is a collection of [Cagle's] photographs with extremely informative descriptions and a history of each car. The writing is very personable and engaging...very well researched.... Recommended--ARBA; "features 105 specimens of auto exotica.... An interesting examination of automotive esoterica"--Vintage Roadcar; "this is exactly the sort of material that take you back to the fifties, or shows you what the streets of Europe looked like at that time. Cagle has meticulously researched the cars in this book...his style of writing is pleasant, informative and humorous. He avoids the usual mistakes you can find on the Internet, and paints the wider picture, without becoming pedantic"--Rumcar News.

Gregory Cagle is a writer and a jazz musician with lifelong passion for automotive, motor racing, and flying history. He has written numerous magazine articles on these subjects. He lives in Cary, North Carolina.