Looking for a holiday gift for the gearhead in your life? Consider “” ($36.95, Devereux Books, 2008) by Stan Grayson, which gives a comprehensive look at what made vessels of old keep chugging.
Grayson discusses how marine engine building was one of the most successful industries in America, stretching from Northern California to the Great Lakes to New England. The book charts the industry’s rise until World War II and then its slow decline, including a chapter on research methods for those who feel prompted to do their own historical sleuthing. Grayson’s chapters are accompanied by more than 400 photos and rare ads from period magazines of various styles of engines.
Grayson is a regular contributor to WoodenBoat Magazine, was senior editor of Automobile Quarterly magazine, and has published five books on documenting the history of internal combustion engines. He resides in Marblehead, Mass. For information, visit www.devereuxbooks.com.