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LOWENBURG, BILL. Crash Burn Love: Demolition Derby. BackStreetBooks. 2005.

"School librarian and photographer Lowenburg has produced a fantastic collection of photographs of one of America's seldom discussed but very popular subcultures, the demolition derby. His book is perhaps the first to document this particular phenomenon. The sport boasts an estimated one million fans attending approximately 2000 competitions each year. The volume's museum-quality black-and-white photographs capture the spirit, energy, and personalities of the sport. Lowenburg's two short essays, describing the rules and history of the sport as well as the atmosphere of the derby scene, add to the authentic, radiator-fume, oil-smoke, and greasy mood. A short but helpful bibliography lists books, articles, movies, and web sites for those seeking more information. Recommended both for public libraries, especially where demolition derbies are popular, and for photography and cultural studies collections in academic libraries, owing to the high quality of Lowenburg's pictorial documentation."

Todd Spires,

Bradley Univ., Peoria

John Baker, Ohio Competitor

"... all the (Demolition Derby Drivers Association) members need to support him as he does us, and buy the book! It is well worth it. If you can read his essay, the one titled "Demolition Derby" on pages 1-8 of the book, and you don't get the goosebumps, or maybe even have one well up in your eye - you are in this for the wrong reason, and obviously don't love that heap of rust and dents in your back yard as much as I do mine."

From Professor Bill Darling, a professor of Civil Engineering Technology and veteran demolition derby competitor.

"The book is well written and captures the intensity, spirit and drive that derby drivers enjoy as they take their weapons out for the battle at hand.

The pictures speak volumes about what the real work is that gives fans, drivers, and everyone such great enjoyment in the sport.

For anyone not initiated into the sport of demolition derby, the book captures the look, feel, and sights of what is an intense, hard sport enjoyed by so many. It comes as close to being in the driver's seat as one can get without actually going into battle.

Bill has shown the human side of what many think of as a purely mechanical sport. The pictures of drivers, crew members, and fans shows why this sport is the number one participatation motor sport in the country: the sheer love of crashing up a car."

Please send reader comments to Bill@crashburnlove.com