It takes a lucky hand or a keen eye to discover what was probably the first book ever written on the subject of the "Jaguar". And it takes perseverance and enthusiasm to reissue, translate and add to the book from 1954. Christoph Meier-Siem was clearly not lacking in courage and "passion" when he took on this project and saw it through.
The result is a booklet of almost 150 pages and only 500 copies printed, which is reminiscent of the original edition, which is over sixty years old, but offers the reader a lot of added value.
A travel diary
The book, which Amos Ball published in 1954 via Jaguar Press in Washington, is about his journey through Europe in a Jaguar MK VII. It describes his impressions of the cities and landscapes on a journey that took him through England, France, Switzerland and Italy.
In addition to the mostly incidental mentions of the Jaguar, what is particularly interesting is the perception of the then 77-year-old Amos Balls. He describes post-war Europe through his American-colored eyes.
The lawyer Amos Ball had received the trip as a gift from his sons, who also accompanied him on the round trip. George Ball, who was the driver, later became Deputy Secretary of State to American Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
Illustrated
The illustrations are part of the book's appeal. On the one hand, there are hand-drawn sketches of places and circumstances, and on the other, and this is certainly special, separately reproduced photos have been glued into the book by hand. These show places, people and occasionally a car.
The book was printed using the methods of the 1950s, i.e. old paper was used, a textile cover was chosen and gold leaf was used for the lettering on the title page. The result is a veritable gem.
With additional background information
Christoph Meier-Siem was not content to simply translate and reprint the original work. He spent a lot of time researching the background, talking to living witnesses or their descendants and thus giving the book more depth. The individual people who sat in the Jaguar are described in detail. Meier-Siem also went to the trouble of locating the hotels mentioned in the book and listing their current telephone numbers. This is certainly helpful for anyone who wants to retrace the journey.
For broadly interested readers
For the pure Jaguar fan who is only interested in technology and numbers, the book "Traveling with the Jaguar" is unlikely to be the right choice. It is more of an exciting read for people who have a broad interest in history and can relate to travel impressions of the past. At Euro 99.00, the booklet is certainly not cheap, but in view of the valuable presentation and the limited edition of 500 copies, it is certainly a purchase worth considering or a sophisticated gift for those who already have (almost) everything.
Bibliographical details
- Title: Travels with a Jaguar
- Author: Amos Ball / Christoph Meier-Siem
- Language: German (English version available)
- Publisher: Self-published by Christoph Meier-Siem
- Edition: 1st and only edition 2015 - 500 copies each in German and English
- Scope: 148 pages, approx. 40 illustrations (photos and drawings)
- Format: Hardcover, approx. 19 x 24 cm
- ISBN: none
- Price: Euro 99 (German version, plus shipping)
- Buy/order: Online on the book website
