Shifting Gears: One Family's Journey Through the Automobile Age

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Shifting Gears offers a thorough exploration of automotive history, tracing its origins from the internal combustion engine's inception in Europe to the initial car designs. As the gasoline engine and early automobiles crossed the Atlantic, the bicycle's journey had already fostered a generation of mechanics who transitioned to automobile manufacturing. Over the next century, the U.S. witnessed the rise and fall of more than 2,000 automobile brands. The narrative emphasizes Henry Ford and his company, alongside other pivotal figures and brands like Buick, Chrysler, Studebaker, Jeep, and Oldsmobile, culminating with Elon Musk and Tesla. The cover features a Ford Model T driven by the author's grandfather on his Midwest farm, symbolizing the automobile's transformative impact on life. The shift from horse and steam power to gasoline engines and tractors is stark. World War II disrupts car production, leading manufacturers to pivot to military vehicles, which the author's family utilized in the war. Post-war, the automobile industry booms with flashy designs, but over time, the number of brands dwindles to three, all facing financial challenges amid the electric vehicle revolution. The automobile's influence has devastated small farming communities, with the fourth generation of the family now navigating life in urban settings without a car.