By: Ian Falloon
Hardcover: 192 pages
Dimensions (in inches): 0.92 x 9.97 x 8.49
Publisher: Haynes Publishing; Illustrated edition (August 1999)
ISBN: 1859604145
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Another guide to the Moto Guzzi marque, this one by the prolific Ian Falloon for Haynes Publishing. My opinion is that the Haynes books tend to be edited in a rather aseptic style; that is, they narrate the history of the marque and the books include the photographs that one would expect, but they just don’t seem to convey much passion about the subject.
If The Moto Guzzi Story was the only Moto Guzzi book that was available, it might seem good, but I don’t quite think it holds up to David G. Styles “Moto Guzzi: Forza in Movimento“. Sure, some of the same photos are there, and let’s face it, a history is a history, but there is more passion in Styles’ writing.
Falloon’s book is edited as a rough chronology of the Moto Guzzi marque, but some years and models either seem to be missing, are out of place or there are some gaps, because I found myself flipping back and forth to understand how the models evolved.
I think this is an important point, because many of the readers who will buy a book of this type purchase it to learn all the details of the model evolution. If a motorcycle book that covers the history of a particular marque should do one thing well, it’s explain the evolution of the models over time.
In any case, the true Moto Guzzi fan will still want to purchase this and any other Guzzi history book, both because the marque is rare and because each book has bits and pieces of trivia and some different photographs that can help weave together the complete story. And after all, that’s the fun in delving into the details, isn’t it?
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