Publication
Several publications have been prepared over the years. Some have been on particular subject matters, others have been more general and sweeping in scope, and are listed in the CV section. Shown here is the most significant publication to date, a major book on Italian engineering and automotive design, focusing on a medium-sized industrial company with a long heritage of advanced engineering. Studied were the evolution of a leading engineer, developments of a family-owned company, and the culture of post-war Italy.
Lancia and De Virgilio: At the Center examines the history of one of Italy’s great automotive marques. Lancia’s cars were at the forefront of Italy’s post-war renaissance throughout the 1950s and are highly appreciated today for their sophistication and performance. their many innovations detailed with original design drawings and sketches, and personal notes. The product of more than six years of meticulous research, the book includes factory memoranda, patents, and test reports for an understanding of the company’s inner workings and engineering breakthroughs, many in use today.
Lancia and De Virgilio: At the Center explores the subtle interweaving of a creative engineer, Francesco De Virgilio and his work in the industry. With many rich details, this is a fresh look at design and engineering history from the inside, a view rarely available.
Here are sample spreads from the book showing the visual approach used to tell the history. A variety of different graphics were used, from period photographs to personal images, drawings, and analytic information. The idea was to treat engineering history as an art form with a book done at the level of serious museum standards.
The work was well appreciated by the industry: the book won several awards, including the Cunot Prize form the Society of Auto Historians for the best book of the year. It was also reviewed in the New York Times and La Republicca, a rather exceptional event for a book about a company and its history some seventy years ago.
Here are some sample pages from the book. Published were rare family documents, patent drawings, information on a broad range of products including cars and trucks, and finally, documents from the school run by the company, for a broad look at a fully integrated company in post-war Italy.
The book was well reviewed, both in the US and internationally. It was covered in the New York Times and La Repubblica in Italy.