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Book Review: Class of 2009: Manitoba's Cruising Phenomenon in Pictures by Jordan Morningstar By Brian Lohnes Posted 06/09/09

Jordan Morningstar is a member of our forums here on the site and he is also the author and photographer behind the new release, "Class of 2009: Manitoba's Cruising Phenomenon in Pictures". The book is a collection of photos and captions taking the reader through the some of the neater iron that makes up the cruising and hot rodding scene in Manitoba, Canada.

When Jordan suggested we look at the book, we were honestly a little skeptical as we have seen some real train wrecks when it comes to self produced books. This one does not fit that category at all, it's every bit as professionally produced as anything you would find from one of the major publishing houses with glossy pages, a nice card stock style soft cover and a binding that will last the test of time and many readings.

This is a car guy/car girl book that is chocked full of photos that range from artsy to action packed. The book is broken down into different sections, each highlghting a different type or era of vehicle. Each section has a short introduction and each photo within that section is captioned, giving some info on the car or the owner. In our opinion, if more space is available in the next one, a couple of more in-depth features on some of the interesting iron (perhaps one from each section) would add a great dimension to the book.

While it's true that people the world over are probably not exactly falling all over themselves to learn about cruising in Manitoba, every gearhead can appreciate great photos of cool cars and that's where this book earns it's value. Morningstar does a nice job mixing in a couple of technical art shots with a broad mix of solid static and show photos. The style of photography nicely matches the subject matter. Gritty cars get gritty photos and slick cars are captured in a softer manner . We mean to say that he knows what he's doing and his work is every bit of a caliber you'd see in a monthly publication or well produced website.

We dig the book because it was obviously written and produced by a guy who seriously digs cars and approaches this stuff with the same attitude and angle as we do. The attitude of the text is laid back, conversational, and gives the reader the benefit of the doubt, assuming you know at least something about the subject matter.

You've got to admire a guy who actually goes the extra mile and produces work that many people often just talk about. The good news for Morningstar is that he has done it in great fashion and it something that we're glad to have on the shelf and will most definitely be poking through again as time goes on.

Class of 2009: Manitoba's Cruising Phenomenon in Pictures  is available through Jordan's website and can he ordered by clicking here.