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Small Wonder The Amazing Story of the Volkswagen Beetle

Small Wonder The Amazing Story of the Volkswagen Beetle

First published in 1965, “Small Wonder: The Amazing Story of the Volkswagen Beetle” is the most successful book of all time on the Beetle. Originally selling over 1.2 million copies, “Small Wonder” is often quoted as the source by many subsequent histories. Now, Bentley Publishers is releasing this new edition, with new foreword by the author, in honor of the new Beetle and the renewed interest in the original Beetle.

Given complete access to Volkswagen archives in both Germany and the U.S. at the time of writing, author Walter Henry Nelson gives a highly detailed account of the Beetle’s development and success. Nelson gives many behind-the-scenes details and glimpses into the people who shaped the company, providing a rich picture of how and why Volkswagen and the Beetle evolved as they did.

Filled with numerous personal tributes and valuable insights, “Small Wonder” provides the reader with a better understanding of the Beetle’s “cult car” status.

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Too corporate
I loved Volkswagens ever since I was a lad of twelve, and so had a natural interest in this book. It starts off well enough - the story about the car’s development in Nazi Germany was fascinating - but I soon tired of the excessively corporate style in the later years (details about various VW executives and their industrial philosophies) and didn’t bother to finish it.

They used to give these out when you bought a Bug in the 1960’s.

2 Stars “Small Wonder”
“Small Wonder” Review

The book “Small Wonder” was a very descriptive book about how the Volkswagen car as we know it today came about. It started when Ferdinand Porsche designed the “peoples car.” When the car first came into production people didn’t want such a different looking car. Some people thought it was ugly. There were a couple of different prototypes for the first VW car. A few were not excepted. The one that finally made it was different then the other ones because it had a window in back and a little different front end.

The cars were tested day after day. The cars were run until they didn’t run any more. They kept running the cars until every problem was fixed. There were a lot of problems with the cars. Some were more serious then others. VW came out with 5 different cars first. They were the k, s, ss, ssk, sskl. . They were less powerful then most cars today . although smaller cars today have around the same amount of horse power and the cars are lighter.

I personaly do not like the book because of how detailed it is . If it was less detailed and more of a story then it would be more of what I like to read. If you like books that are really detailed and have a lot of facts then this is a good book for you. Also if you would like to know the history of the Volkswagen then it is also a good book for that.

5 Stars Extremely insightful on a car that shaped the industry.
Just what I was looking for, and then some. This book starts at the very beggining, with the Beetle’s mentor and VW’s founder Dr. Porsche. (Did you know he was Czeck?)
It follow’s the company’s history (which is to say, the car’s history) with just the right amount of coverage to its amazing journey from WWII to the car’s EOP (end of production) in Puebla, Mexico. The cronology of this book is excellent. Worthdly of a movie script, this book is extremely enganging. As you read its history, names like Ford, Peugeot, Renault amongst others keep poping up narrating each one’s influence on the company’s history. (Did you know H. Ford II was offered the factory, for free?)
The only thing that I’d wish from this book was to have the author do either a follow up or a revised update. This book finishes with the beetle’s last production car, but the company has certantly not. I wish I could get more info from the company’s developement from that point forward, including the launch of the new beetle among other superb new VWs…

5 Stars Small Wonder- Great result
On of the world`s most informative and well resourced books on the VW history.Gives an insight to the early vehicle development,political hurdles that had to be overcome as well as the generic industrial resistence that was present.H.Nelson, a gifted author,not only writes about the “first row” people but also about production personnel and production techniques.
Sales and marketing development & especially how the U.S. market was won not only fascinates the VW buff but everyone who ever had anything to do with the automotive industry.

5 Stars The amazing story of the VW is still applicable in 2001
In 1969, after I had purchased a new VW, the dealer sent me “Small Wonder” by Walter Nelson. I have just finished reading this book once again, 22 years later, and the book is as applicable in todays society as it was back when it was first published. This book is not only about the Volkswagon car. It contains a good deal of history surrounding pre-war Germany, the rise of Hitler to power, WWII, and reconstruction of the bombed out factory with American assitance following the war. Any person considering a sales career should read and study this book.

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Vanilla Sky

Vanilla Sky

Young handsome and wealthy publishing tycoon david aames can have anything his heart desires. Still davids charmed life seems imcomplete. One night david meets the woman of his dreams & believes he may have found the missing piece. But an encounter with an ex-jealous lover sends davids world out of control. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 01/25/2005 Starring: Tom Cruise Cameron Diaz Run time: 136 minutes Rating: R Director: Cameron Crowe

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Intriguing mystery
This film pretends to be more than it is, but it is still a fine film. In an intriguing way, it portrays the mystery that the world of dreams and the world of “reality” are often much more intertwined than we think or imagine. It also points out that the life lived in reality, especially in intimate relationships, is much richer and more fulfilling, with all its challenges, than what we may imagine as our “dream” or “fantasy” lives. The film is well-acted.

5 Stars Amazing Movie
This movie is a excellent movie, and if i had to say probably my favorite of all tom cruise’s movies. (I also really enjoyed eyes wide shut).

The plot is unique and not tiresome and boring like so many other movies out there. This movie remains on my top 10 list of all time favorite movies.

Like another reviewer wrote, by the time i got to the end of the movie i was shocked, simply put.

If you are deep into tons of action then this movie isn’t for you. Otherwise, this movie is a MUST SEE !

5 Stars A Beautiful Film - But Not For Every Taste
Vanilla Sky has been called superficial, vain, over-produced and arrogant, and it is all of those things, I won’t deny it. You have to accept and even appreciate these flaws if you’re going to enjoy what this film has to offer.

At its core, the film is a classic tale of redemption with some sci-fi elements tossed in to add to the flavor. At times it is shocking and violent, at others schmaltzy or vulgar, and the characters can come off as vapid urbanites who have never even had to think about working a normal job. Still, the film manages to connect emotionally on many levels despite the fact that it’s hard to identify with the characters.

Perhaps the film could have accomplished its task without coming off as pretentious, but somehow I doubt it. This is one of my favorite films, and one I’ve shared with many friends. From experience I know you’ll either get bored of the movie after 10 minutes or you’ll be hooked. In other words: Try this one before you buy!

2 Stars Descartes for the masses: a frozen dream
I suppose what I dislike about this movie is the misuse of cryonics

technology as an asleep and dreaming scheme.

To make an eternally young Tom Cruise sex film out of a

sci fi and philosophic concept seems obscene to me.

The twist of insanity at the end of a very long set of reruns…

I found it hard to watch this film which was obviously made

for big box office alone.

I didn’t like is very much.

4 Stars Sci-Fi Twist
Whoops, I gave it away, but what the hey. Cameron Crowe’s fifth film is brilliantly orchestrated. I watched this film over the course of three days. As each day ended and I was on my way home from work I replayed what I watched the previous night in my head, hyping myself up for what I was going to see that night. I simply loved every twist and turn of this film.

This film, I believe, marks a departure for Cameron Crowe’s film making. You will quickly see that this film is not as focused on the MTV generation, generation X or music in general. So the story goes, he became infatuated with the whole concept of Abre Los Ojos (the original Spanish film)that he felt as though he must try it himself. Cruise is the lead and I realized it in this film that he really is an odd actor. His acting seems so very fake and over-the-top, yet at the same time, poignantly real. I do like him for this. Cruz and Diaz are wonderful. Cruz we knew she was this kind of an actor, but Diaz surprised me with a different performance than her usual.

All in all, Vanilla Sky is visually stimulating; the mannerisms of the characters in the film are so natural and pleasing to the eyes, the dreamscapes are delectable and the end is beautiful. This is a film for film buffs.

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