
Truth is I hadn't high hopes regarding this book. I thought it'd be a badly-assembled artifact to cash in last years' interest in popular culture and subcultures. Now that I'm midway thru' it, I (gladly) have to admit I was wrong. Not that you'll find much new stuff here, but it's a worthy addition to any mod library, in spite of the uninspired title.
Basically it's a photographs book with the original (60s) mod movement as its subject, and in that sense it works just as it should: hardcover edition, good paper, good reproduction of the images, perfect size to handle (smaller than a coffee table book but large enough to watch the pics comfortably), simple but nice pages' layout and overall design (with motifs based on the RAF target)...
Most of the pictures, as I've stated, are fairly well known to anyone interested in modernism (including the iconic scooters' row that made the cover of Richard Barnes bible), with lots of press snapshots of crowds at the seaside, but this book is a handy way to have them together in a place. And there are lots of them.
I have to admit I was especially cautious about the accompanying essay, thinking it'd limit itself to go through the motions with the usual cliches and old topics thrown in. But to my surprise I was wrong again; in fact, the text is not only only well written but thoughtful and witty, with well chosen quotes (among others, Pete Meaden, the book Generation X, Richard Barnes...), and while it doesn't tread uncharted territory (and includes some wrong facts, a defect common to many books about modernism), it's a pleasure to read.
Add to this a fairly decent price and the veredict can't be other than: recommended.