Our Top 10 Audio Books Featuring Ford

May 2020 | Blog

Looking for that next great listen on the way into work? Or maybe something to fill the tedium while working around the house? Take a gander at our top 10 audiobooks featuring Ford for some premium choices into your next great listen. Plus what can we say? They sound great coming through a Ford's sound system ;).

The People’s Tycoon: Henry Ford & the American Century

If you're looking for a fascinating delve into the history of the man who started it all at the Ford Motor Company look no further. Widely regarded as one of the most unbiased biographies written about Henry Ford, The Peoples Tycoon is worth a listen to discover the true history behind the man. 

Publishers Summary:

How a Michigan farm boy became the richest man in America is a classic, almost mythic tale, but never before has Henry Ford's out sized genius been brought to life so vividly as it is in this engaging and superbly researched biography.

The real Henry Ford was a tangle of contradictions. He set off the consumer revolution by producing a car affordable to the masses, all the while lamenting the moral toll exacted by consumerism. He believed in giving his workers a living wage, though he was entirely opposed to union labor. He had a warm and loving relationship with his wife, but sired a son with another woman. A rabid anti-Semite, he nonetheless embraced African American workers in the era of Jim Crow.

Uncovering the man behind the myth, situating his achievements and their attendant controversies firmly within the context of early twentieth-century America, Watts has given us a comprehensive, illuminating, and fascinating biography of one of America's first mass-culture celebrities.

Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans

You've seen the movie now listen to the book! (I will never get used to saying that.) Go like hell take a look into the details of how one of the greatest miracle stories began and took place. Not many biographies will have you on the edge of your seat, but this larger than life story of one of the greatest battles of all time, that offers more twists and turns than the road at the 24 Hour LeMans is well worth your time.

Publisher Summary:

By the early 1960s, Ford Motor Company, built to bring automobile transportation to the masses, was falling behind. Baby boomers were taking to the roads in droves, looking for speed not safety, style not comfort, and Ford didn’t offer what these young drivers wanted. Meanwhile, Enzo Ferrari lorded over the European racing scene, crafting beautiful, fast sports cars that epitomized style.

Baime tells the remarkable story of how Henry Ford II, with the help of a young visionary named Lee Iacocca and a former racing champion, turned engineer named Carroll Shelby, concocted a scheme to reinvent the Ford company. They would enter the high-stakes world of European car racing, where an adventurous few threw safety and sanity to the wind. They would design, build, and race a car that could beat Ferrari at his own game, at the most prestigious and dangerous race in the world, the 24 Hours of LeMans.

The Carroll Shelby Story

Half man, half myth, all legend! Would be the best way to encapsulate one of the greatest motorists to ever live. This autobiography looks at the story of the racing legend through is own eyes his trial, and triumphs; and how he became one of the most recognizable names in North American muscle today.

Publisher's Summary:

Carroll Shelby wasn’t born to run. He was born to race - some of the fastest cars ever to tear up a speedway. The exciting new feature film Ford v Ferrari - starring Matt Damon as Shelby and Christian Bale as fellow racer Ken Miles - immortalizes the small-town Texas boy who won the notorious Le Mans 24-hour endurance challenge and changed the face of auto racing with the legendary Shelby Cobra. But there’s much more to his high-velocity, history-making story.

A wizard behind the wheel, he was also a visionary designer of speed machines that ruled the racetrack and the road. While his GT40s racked up victories in the world’s most prestigious professional racing showdowns, his masterpiece, the Ford Cobra, gave Europe’s formidable Ferrari an American-style run for its money. If you’ve got a need for speed, strap in next to the man who put his foot down on the pedal, kept his eyes on the prize, and never looked back.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Let's face it, the real star of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was the stately Flying Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe... (that's my story and I'm sticking to it.) If you're not buying that the rest of the book is alright as well. Featuring magic intrigue, and non-stop adventure the 2nd book in the Harry Potter series (as well as the whole series) is perfect for families, as well as children of all ages.

Publisher's Summary

"'There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year.'"

Harry Potter's summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car! Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors - and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone... Dobby's sinister predictions seem to be coming true.

My Life and Work | Today and Tomorrow: Timeless Wisdom for a Modern Digital Age

This spot on our list is taken up by 2 of the most seminal writings of Henry Ford. My Life and Work & Today and Tomorrow give a fantastic look into one of the greatest minds of the 19th & 20th century had to offer. While the 2 books on this list may not have aged as well as others out there, the nuggets of wisdom within still hold true and provide insight into what drove the founder of the Ford Motor Company. 

Publisher's Summary

My Life and Work:

The book that has inspired entrepreneurs for generations, not only is My Life and Work by Henry Ford a memoir of an American icon but it also shows the spirit that built America. Written in 1922, this work provides a unique insight into the observations, ideas, and problem-solving skills of this remarkable man.

Today and Tomorrow:

Henry Ford's impact on the industry, business, and society continues to drive us to reach for seemingly impossible goals. He turned an automobile into an industry, transformed the world of farming with a tractor, and launched the airplane into a new era of mass production. Ford didn't just revolutionize transportation, he completely transformed the way we work, the way we create, and the way we live. He achieved the impossible equation of cutting the cost of his product in half yet improving its quality and reliability and even doubling the wages and standard of living for his people.

Ford also invested in the future by equipping people who had no perceivable future. That included educating and training orphans and at-risk youth at The Henry Ford School for Boys. This new version of Today and Tomorrow features an interview with 88-year-old Phil Morgan who was one of those boys and one of the few people still alive who actually knew Henry Ford.

American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company

American Icon has to be one of the most thought-provoking books that feature Ford on this list, looking into the modern history of a once-great company on the brink of collapse. The real struggles to save a company during a recession and the people who made it happen, while this won't be one of the most exciting books you read it is definitely a journey worth taking.

Publisher's Summary

At the end of 2008, Ford Motor Company was just months away from running out of cash. With the auto industry careening toward ruin, Congress offered all three Detroit automakers a bailout. General Motors and Chrysler grabbed the taxpayer lifeline, but Ford decided to save itself. Under the leadership of charismatic CEO Alan Mulally, Ford had already put together a bold plan to unify its divided global operations, transform its lackluster product lineup, and overcome a dys­functional culture of infighting, backstabbing, and excuses. It was an extraordinary risk, but it was the only way the Ford family - America's last great industrial dynasty - could hold on to their company.

Mulally and his team pulled off one of the great­est comebacks in business history. As the rest of Detroit collapsed, Ford went from the brink of bankruptcy to being the most profitable automaker in the world. American Icon is the compelling, behind-the-scenes account of that epic turnaround. On the verge of collapse, Ford went outside the auto industry and recruited Mulally - the man who had already saved Boeing from the deathblow of 9/11 - to lead a sweeping restructuring of a company that had been unable to overcome decades of mismanagement and denial.

Mulally applied the principles he developed at Boeing to streamline Ford's inefficient operations, force its fractious executives to work together as a team, and spark a product renaissance in Dearborn. He also convinced the United Auto Workers to join his fight for the soul of American manufacturing.

Bryce Hoffman reveals the untold story of the covert meetings with UAW leaders that led to a game-changing contract, Bill Ford's battle to hold the Ford family together when many were ready to cash in their stock and write off the company, and the secret alliance with Toyota and Honda that helped prop up the Amer­ican automotive supply base. In one of the great management narratives of our time, Hoffman puts the reader inside the boardroom as Mulally uses his celebrated Business Plan Review meet­ings to drive change and force Ford to deal with the painful realities of the American auto industry.

Hoffman was granted unprecedented access to Ford's top executives and top-secret company documents. He spent countless hours with Alan Mulally, Bill Ford, the Ford family, former executives, labor leaders, and company directors. In the best-selling tradition of Too Big to Fail and The Big Short, American Icon is narrative nonfiction at its vivid and colorful best.

Fast N' Loud: Blood, Sweat and Beers

Love him or hate him Richard Rawlings always weaves a fascinating story. If you are a fan of his TV show or this is the first time you have heard the name this book is a must-listen for any petrol-head. 

Publisher's Summary

The breakout star of Discovery's hit automotive restoration show Fast N' Loud takes listeners on an entertaining ride through his wild life and behind the scenes of his hit show in this memoir and automotive handbook, revving with outrageous details and jaw-dropping stories and injected with the quick-witted, foul-mouthed charm viewers love.

"If we're gonna have fun, it better have a motor!"

In Fast N' Loud, Richard Rawlings pushes into high gear, sharing the story of his rise to success, his show, and the automotive know-how that has made him famous. He begins with his own story - how he went from flat broke to a seat at the table with some of history's most iconic car guys. His road to the top is full of dangerous twists and hilarious turns, with a few precipitous cliffs in between, including getting shot defending his beloved 1965 Mustang fastback from carjackers, blowing out of town Fear-and-Loathing style, and picking up chicks and vagrants along the way.

Rawlings then takes listeners behind the scenes of Fast N' Loud the series, sharing details on everything from the toughest car to restore to the easiest, his favorite restorations, travel and war anecdotes, and the best and worst cars to make it to the small screen. He finishes with a handy guide for classic and antique car enthusiasts that includes insider tricks of the trade. Want to know how to find a Model-T in mint condition? Need a carburetor for your '73 Ford Mustang? Want to meet other '60s Porsche owners? The answers are all here.

The Diesel Brothers: A Truckin' Awesome Guide to Trucks and Life

It's no secret that we like our lifted and custom trucks at Woodridge Ford, seeing people convert their truck into their imaginations wildest dreams is one of the best things to see. So it should come as no surprise that Heavy D & Diesel Dave's audiobook would show on this list. This look at the show is a fascinating mix of comedy and glance at 2 of our favourite customizers.

Publisher's Summary

Feel like somebody hit the brakes on your Diesel Brothers cravings? Discover how you can keep the gas going with this rip-roaring ride behind the scenes of Discovery Channel's popular series Diesel Brothers - read by the authors!

In the world of monster trucks, no one builds bigger and more extreme rides - and has more fun in the process - than Heavy D, Diesel Dave, and their crew at DieselSellerz. Their larger-than-life creations and awesome truck giveaways are legendary, but for those less fortunate who haven't had the opportunity to experience a Bros' souped-up truck, this thrill-ride of a book is the next best thing.

Learn the epic and inspirational stories behind Heavy D and Diesel Dave's business and personal lives, from the guys' first meeting, to their early adventures building DieselSellerz, to their successful business venture with Redbeard, Muscle, and the rest of the fearless staff. In addition to learning about the Bros' two-year Mormon missions, humble beginnings, and world travels, you'll also get the unforgettable details of their hilarious, most well-known pranks and the remarkable stories behind the personalities that have made Diesel Brothers one of the fastest growing and most popular reality TV shows.

But wait - there's more! The book is chock full of essential advice for anyone who'd like to get in on the action. Whether you're a diehard monster truck fan or just looking for inspiration to upgrade that piece of junk in your garage, Heavy D and his crew are here to show you how it's done. You'll learn how to find the best bargain in the junkyard, how to play hardball with tough-talking dealers, and how to turn that sad sack heap of parts into a badass diesel vehicle.

What are you waiting for? Get out there and let diesel freedom ring!

And on That Bombshell Inside the Madness and Genius of TOP GEAR

Having an audiobook list without a Top Gear book is like having a Ford film list without Bullitt pretty sure it is now against the law... Anyway, And on that bombshell is a fun listen in to some of the stories and history behind one of the world's favourite car-themed television shows and despite there love-hate relationship with ford every minute is worth a listen.

Publisher's Summary

For 13 years, 22 series and 175 shows, Richard Porter was script editor of Top Gear, from the first faltering pilot episode in 2002 until the very last show presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May in 2015.

Along the way they destroyed cars, sparked diplomatic incidents, set fire to caravans, almost killed one of the presenters, and somehow transformed Top Gear from a shabby BBC Two motoring show into an Emmy-winning, record-breaking, planet-straddling behemoth.

And on That Bombshell tells stories from behind the scenes of one of the world's most successful television programmes, taking in driving monkeys, broken bones, flying cars, angry rednecks and Jeremy Clarkson's secret nickname.

Richard Porter provides a unique insight into how the programmes were made, revealing behind-the-scenes disasters more comical than anything seen on screen and explaining what it was like to work inside the self-professed 'poky motoring show' that accidentally became a global phenomenon.

Paradox Bound

Did someone say time-travelling Ford Model-A? Without a doubt, this is one of my favourite books on this list. Peter Clines Paradox Bound takes the Back to the Future premise mixes in some of his Lovecraft leaning into a fantastical tale that looks at the world of time-travel and the paradoxes that follow. 

Publisher's Summary:

Nothing ever changes in Sanders. The town's still got a video store, for God's sake.

So why doesn't Eli Teague want to leave?

Not that he'd ever admit it, but maybe he's been waiting - waiting for the traveller to come back. The one who's roared into his life twice before, pausing just long enough to drop tantalizing clues before disappearing in a cloud of gunfire and a squeal of tires. The one who's a walking anachronism, with her tricorne hat, flintlock rifle, and steampunked Model A Ford.

The one who's being pursued by...something.

So when the mysterious traveller finally reappears, Eli's determined that this time, he's going to get some answers. But his hunt soon yields far more than he bargained for, plunging him headlong into a dizzying world full of competing factions and figures straight out of legend.

To make sense of the mystery at its heart, he must embark on a breakneck chase across the country and through two centuries of history - with nothing less than America's past, present, and future at stake.