“The most beautiful and important car is the one that I must still build”. The words of Enzo Ferrari when talking about the cars produced by his company bearing his name. Translating this celebrated affirmation into the world of publishing, we would say, “The most beautiful and important book is the one we must still publish”. 

Such is the philosophy that has driven and animated Giorgio Nada Editore in over 30 years of activity. From the pioneering books of its debut which, even then, were written by the great journalists of the sector – but also including eager enthusiasts – to the most recent publications, the spirit and the goal of our company have always remained the same: to introduce and popularise the story of the car, the motorcycle and, more in general, engine-powered means of transport as a whole.

A story, or rather many stories, that create culture and that recount the technology and techniques of industry, of sporting feats, but most of all of men – well or less well known – all able to realise their dreams and nurture their passion. A story that we hope to be able to tell for many more years to come.

 

History

1973

It was in 1973 that Giorgio Nada acquired the Libreria dell’Automobile in the centre of Milan at 43 Corso Venezia in the historic building of the Automobile Club of Italy, a stone’s throw from Piazza San Babila and the city’s famous cathedral. A small shop, already known to the enthusiasts of cars and engines, which imports, acquires and sells Italian and foreign volumes on the world of four and two wheels. In the years in which motoring and motor sport publishing was taking its first steps forward and specialist publications were anything but numerous, the Libreria dell’Automobile soon became a point of reference for all lovers of the sector.

Giorgio Nada

1977

Selling books is great, but publishing them under one’s own name is even more so. It was in 1977 when a book appeared on the market that was destined, paradoxically, to become the biggest success of the future publishing house.

Moto Guzzi

The volume was entitled “Moto Guzzi” and it was by Mario Colombo, the great historian and enthusiast of the Mandello del Lario marque. Next to the author’s name on the frontispiece was written “Edizioni La Libreria dell’Automobile”.

1978-1986

The Edizioni La Libreria dell’Automobile became a reality and, at a rhythm of one or two new publications a year, actually created its own catalogue in which monographs devoted to car manufacturers or single prestigious models alternated with others about motorcycles.

Le GranturismoFerrari Tipo 166Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint

A top level stable of authors was immediately established: Michele Marchianò, Angelo Tito Anselmi, Antoine Prunet, Mario Colombo, Roberto Patrignani, Brizio Pignacca, Gianni Cancellieri, Ferruccio Bernabò, Pino Allievi, Gianni Rogliatti and Griffith Borgeson are some of the names among those that began to appear with ever increasing frequency on the covers of the books published by the renowned Milanese book shop.

1987

It was at the end of 1987 when Giorgio Nada saw the need to separate the activities of the Libreria dell’Automobile from that of purely publishing. So the publishing house was born. On the covers and frontispieces of subsequent books, the logo of the Libreria dell’Automobile made way for the armillary sphere and the words Giorgio Nada Editore, the four letters of the surname all in capitals, placed between two thin horizontal lines that mark its boundaries.

Logo Giorgio Nada Editore

1988-1994

Among the titles that made their debut carrying the new logo on their front covers were “Ferrari L’Unico”, written by Gino Rancati a few months after the death of the Grand Old Man in August 1988. But in the pages of the first slender catalogues of the new marque could also be found a luxurious book on Rolls Royce, a monumental work on OSCA, others about Jaguar and Lamborghini, but also works on prestigious body stylists like Zagato, Fissore and Boneschi.

Carrozzeria BoneschiFerrari l'UnicoOSCA

More brief and lively works were devoted to single cars in the series “Le Vetture che hanno fatto la storia” , (“The Cars that Created History”) which have now been completely updated. At the end of the 80s, Giorgio Nada Editore also became the publishers , until the middle of the following decade, of the “Manovella e ruote a raggi”, (“Starting Handle and Spoked Wheels”), the official information organ of the ASI.

1995-2000

The second half of the 90s proved to be no less significant; it was a period that saw the marque active in a number of major editorial undertakings. At the end of 1996, there appeared a monumental work in two volumes devoted to the production cars of Alfa Romeo, specifying every model from 1910 onwards. The books were written by two great connoisseurs of the company from Arese, Maurizio Tabucchi and Stefano d’Amico. A year later, another important name from the world of journalism, Gianni Cancellieri, took on the responsibility for a volume that was no less pretentious: “Ferrari 1947-1997. Il libro ufficiale”, (“Ferrari 1947-1997. The Official Book”), created together with Karl Ludvigsen.

FerrariPininfarina

The partner in that operation was Ferrari itself. The Maranello company entrusted Giorgio Nada Editore with this important book project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its legend. And the third millennium dawned with a recurrence of such a publishing event: the 70 years of Pininfarina, told and illustrated in an official volume that dealt with “art, style and industry”.

2001-2010

To accompany such major works there came a book on the story of Abarth and its creator, another celebrating the 90th anniversary of Carrozzeria Bertone, both by Luciano Greggio – the catalogue rapidly diversified, exploring motoring sectors never before examined until that time.

VespaFormula 1Trattori Testacalda Italiani

And to those classic titles on cars, motorcycles plus the unfailing “Formula 1. Analisi tecnica” (Formula 1.  Technical analysis”) compiled each year since 1998 by Giorgio Piola, was added a new series entitled “ Vite da Corsa” (“Racing Lives”) supervised by Gianni Cancellieri, written by Cesare De Agostini and devoted to the deeds of great motor racing champions of the past. New books also appeared on tractors written by authoritative author William Dozza. On the two-wheel front came a large illustrated volume on the Vespa - to be updated over the years - and the illustrated encyclopaedia of the motorcycle, both by Giorgio Sarti that became two editorial events of major importance in those years.

In 2004 there appeared a “compendium” devoted to the history of Ferrari which, one after the other, projecting almost all Maranello’s production. The title of the book is “Ferrari All the cars”, similar publications appearing later on Porsche, Alfa Romeo and Maserati.During the first decade of the third millennium, the publisher celebrated a number of important anniversaries with its books, which appeared consecutively during this period. The year 2006 was marked by the publication of the official book to commemorate the Targa Florio’s centenary, which was first run in 1906. And in 2007 out came a book entitled “Ferrari 60”, a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the Prancing Horse.

tuttoferrari covertarga florio ing2006 ferrari

During the first decade of 2008, the publisher and the organisers of the Superbike World Championship formed a partnership, and from this new association came the official annual of the championship reserved to the derivatives of the series. Two years later in 2010, Alfa Romeo celebrated its first 100 years and that was marked by a unique book of absolute prestige. The volume was entitled “Alfa Romeo: the Official Centenary Book” and was published in both Italian and English. It was a significant work in respect of both its content and dimensions and was written by highly prestigious contributors Luca Goldoni, Luciano Greggio, Gianni Cancellieri and Cesare De Agostini. Just 999 copies of the book were published in each of the two languages, all numbered by hand; they immediately became collector’s items.

sbk 2008 2009 itaalfaromeocentenario

But the first decade of the new millennium was marked by another event of special importance: Giorgio Nada Editore and Giunti of Florence, publishers of a long and consolidated tradition – the latter established in the late 19th century and today one of the most prominent Italian groups – brought to life a new publishing and commercial partnership with an agreement signed at the end of 2006.

From 2011 to today

In 2011, it was time to celebrate another anniversary, that of the Federazione Motociclistica Italiana (FMI), which commemorated its 100th anniversary by asking Giorgio Nada Editore to create a celebratory book, to which some of the most prestigious names of two-wheel journalism contributed. Meanwhile, the company’s publishing catalogue was enriched by a number of new series: on the one hand, there was a series of titles with powerfully prevalent text on the great races, like the Tourist Trophy, Dakar, Le Mans and the World Rally Championship. Then there were others on great champions like Miki Biasion as well as Giacomo Agostini at the TT. Mainly as a result of Giorgio Nada Editore acquiring importance new photographic collections, a series of large format illustrated books was published on the really great champions such as Agostini, Ayrton Senna and Gilles Villeneuve, plus some of the top races, like Mille Miglia, the Grand Prix of Italy at Monza and the unforgettable 1000 Km of Monza, which was held for many years at the world famous Autodrome.

fmi centoanni motoitalianetouristtrophygiacomo agostini1000km monzagbmillemiglia story

Another centenary- this time of Maserati – was commemorated by a significant book in 201 3. It was written by a number of important motoring journalists, took a year to produce and was introduced at Maserati’s headquarters in December of that year. Twelve months later, it was the turn of Momo’s and its 50th, which was celebrated with the publication of a book created for the noted components marque.

maseratiun secolodi storiamomomuseo alfa catalogo ita

The publishing event of 2015 was an updated catalogue of the Alfa Romeo Museum’s exhibits at Arese, near Milan, which was introduced in June of the same year.Later, along came a monograph on Leonardo Fioravanti appeared, an encyclopaedic book that covered all the great Italian body stylists by Elvio Deganello, plus a series of monographs on the Italian body designers, including Bertone, Touring, Zagato and Pininfarina. All of them testified to a renewed interest in Italian car design and covered the period from the beginning to today.

il cavallino nel cuore itacarrozzieri italiani

The year 2016 also saw the publication of a really monumental work on Enzo Ferrari: it was the definitive biography of the man and the Maranello constructor, comprising 1,168 pages and taking Luca Dal Monte almost a decade to research and write.Now, to be consistent, there are two important anniversaries to commemorate in 2017: they are Ferrari’s 70th as the Maranello constructor was founded in 1947, and the 90th of the Mille Miglia, an event that first took place in 1927. Two anniversaries to which Giorgio Nada Editore is to devote the separate titles, “Ferrari: the Golden Years” and “Mille Miglia Portraits”.And the stories to tell and publish will continue way into the future.

ferrari rexferrari gli anni doromille miglia portraits

Not only books

In the course of its long life, Giorgio Nada Editore has also published various magazines for important clubs active in the world of vintage motor racing. As well as  “Manovella e ruote a raggi”, the official information organ of the ASI, over the years the Nada marque has appeared on periodicals such as “EB Bugatti”, the official Bugatti magazine, “Zagato Oltre”, (“Beyond Zagato”), the official organ of information of the prestigious Milanese body stylist, some numbers of “Rivista Maserati” (“Maserati Magazine”), “Club”, the official publication of the Ferrari Club Italia, and, until 2008, “Porsche Club Magazine” (the official publication of the Porsche Club Italia).

Non solo libri

Until 2008, the publishing company has been active in the model sector with the half-yearly “Miniauto & Collectors”. At the moment, Giorgio Nada is also the publisher of “La Libreria dell’Automopbile Magazine”, a six-monthly periodical containing information on current and vintage cars, over 90,000 copies of which are distributed free to that number of client-readers as well as at the principal fairs of the sector.

 

Photographic archive

Giorgio Nada Editore has conducted a careful and targeted acquisition of documentary and illustrative material since it was established, to expand the patrimony of the publishing house itself, always on the look out for other editorial activities.

That was the purpose, for example, of acquiring the editions of “Autocritica”, a Roman publisher founded by Valerio Moretti and Gianni Bulgari, who have brought to life titles such as “Quando corre Nuvolari”, (“When Nuvolari Races”) “Carlo Chiti: sinfonia ruggente” (“Carlo Chiti: Roaring Symphony”) and “La Scommessa di Gianni Lancia” (“The Gamble of Gianni Lancia”). Other significant acquisitions have also contributed to further expanding this source over time. The first was the photographic archive of Style Auto, the most important pictures of which go back to 1989, when that publisher bought the Archivio Novafoto-Sorlini. A collection comprising official pictures of the Mille Miglia by the race’s own photographer Alberto Sorlini, who immortalised each of the celebrated post war Brescian marathons from 1947 to 1957. To help complete this patrimony was the purchase in recent years of important archives devoted to the world of motor racing. This policy has, therefore, led to the constitution of a considerable photographic and documentary archive, which currently comprises about 300,000 images. You can see a preview of a specific section.

How to acquire these pictures

While awaiting the moment when this immense patrimony is available on line, today Giorgio Nada Editore offers its clients and enthusiasts the opportunity of acquiring images for private, editorial or publicity use. For information and prices, contact: archiviofoto@giorgionadaeditore.it.