“Crash Club” by Henry Gregor Felson
I read this book for the first time in fifth or sixth grade – well before I was of driving age. I recall that this was the book that really got me interested in reading for enjoyment. My dad had a clever little incentive system for me and my brother to read books in order to earn money to buy Sega Genesis games. I read Crash Club the first time for “Sega money”, and then re-read it shortly thereafter just for fun.
It’s funny how certain things evolve and take on new meanings, yet always come back to basic principles over the course of a man’s life. Cars, how they tick, and where they could take us were some of these things for me. I read this book again in a couple of sittings out on my apartment balcony one summer during college shortly after I got my Corvette. The car reinvigorated my love of American muscle and the book reminded me of the bond that exists between a guy and his car when they take care of one another. Crash Club brought it all back.
As someone who teaches high school, it makes me sad that so few guys are into cars, engines, and cruising these days. Even the independence that comes with getting a driver’s license seems to be far less important than it was to my generation. Crash Club captures this spirit that has largely been lost.
If you’ve never read this book, you need to. Even though it’s written for the high school and junior high demographic, a man of any age will find the story engaging. Crash Club will take you back to the days when every drive was exhilarating, especially if you had a fun car.
The author gives us lessons on friendship, relationships, and respecting the responsibility that we have to ourselves and others when we get behind the wheel. Even though it’s not set in contemporary times, I can think of several reluctant readers from past years of teaching who would undoubtedly enjoy Crash Club and probably want to read the two books that came before it in the series, even though it’s an excellent stand-alone read.
I keep very few non-reference books on my bookshelf these days, even though I’m a voracious reader. I just prefer the convenience and economy of using our local public library. Crash Club, however, will always have a home on my shelf. It’s an old first-edition hardback copy from 1958 (the year the book was first published) with a yellowing and cracked plastic dust jacket.