Cadillac: 100 Years of Innovation

For anyone who has ever loved the Cadillac, this nostalgic picture book will bring back great memories, detailing the unmistakable style and sophistication captured in fins, chrome, interior and exterior design, advertising, and even the dealerships from which they were sold. Cadillac is the leader in innovation with the first standardization of engine parts, electronics, suspension, brakes, and more. Celebrate the success of the most luxurious automobile on the highway.

* A light history capturing important names and dates in Cadillac genealogy * Features 200 color photographs depicting the unmistakable style of America's luxury vehicle * Plus, Cadillac's culture songs, the Cadillac Ranch, Elvis, Cadillac in Hollywood, and more

The photography is stunning and other illustrations in the book are fascinating and often quite original, i.e. the sort that you don't commonly find in other books or Web sites on the subject.

One unique aspect of this book that I particularly appreciate is the way it is organized. Every other book on the subject follows the same proven approach: a chronologically organized history of the marque. Van Bogart's book, by contrast, is divided into different histories focusing on different aspects of the marque rather than a single history that encompasses all of them. For example, after reading a general history, the chronology repeats again, this time focusing on Cadillac's impact on pop culture, then again focusing on Cadillac's innovations, and so-on.

Although I've read many books on the history of Cadillac, and although this book is not as thorough as others, I really enjoyed recounting Cadillac history with a different focus each time.

I gave this book a 4-star rating for its beautiful photography, interesting illustrations, and particularly for its novel approach to recounting the history of Cadillac. The fifth star is reserved for anyone who can match Thomas Bonsall's out-of-print "Cadillac: The American Standard", which is also available in more abbreviated and updated form as "Cadillac: The Postwar Years". These books represent the benchmark for the subject in my opinion.