Back in the summer of 2021, Neil Peart's extensive classic car collection - dubbed the Silver Surfers by Neil himself - was sold at Gooding & Company's 17th annual Pebble Beach Auctions. Just before the auction, it was revealed via an announcement at Rush.com that this collection of classic cars was the subject of a coffee table book that Neil Peart was working on prior to his untimely passing 4 years ago. Since that initial announcement very little additional information had surfaced, until this past January when the book's May 2024 release date and cover were revealed. However, it looks like fans will need to wait a little longer for the release, as both Amazon and the Rush Backstage Club are now saying the book won't arrive until early September. From the official Rush newsletter's January announcement:
For Neil Peart, cars were a lifelong passion, and in his final literary creation, he writes about his beloved Silver Surfers collection; the joy of collecting these exquisite, rare, and important sports cars, and the myriad ways that they brought him great joy. Silver Surfers is an homage to these cars that meant so much to him, and to the passion of the road that fueled his life.
He first traces the roots of his auto obsession, taking us back to where it all began, with a 1969 Lotus Europa; through the cars he bought when the band first made it big, and even his first "family car," before taking us on a tour of the Silver Surfers themselves-a rare collection of some of the most iconic sports cars from the 1960s. From a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 to a classic 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, each is a gorgeous silver (with the exception of one: a black 1964 Shelby Cobra whose patina Neil loved so much that he wrote, "I am not going to paint it").
"The title Silver Surfers for my collection of cars occurred to me while driving my DB5 up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. Because it felt right to me, I guess - the idea that I was just one of the wave riders... In search of natural peace, I often drove out that way and up in to the Santa Monica Mountains. Out past Malibu to Ventura County, I'd weave along barren ridges of rock and vegetation, the ocean always on one big side... The waves were slow and gentle, or churned out a powerful, rolling rhythm..." - Neil Peart
Silver Surfers is a stunning coffee table book which is a departure from Neil's previous literary works. As with his previous writings, it contains a compelling, detailed and at times, humorous narrative, yet the images take center stage. These beautiful images, many of which Neil personally curated, accompany his warm, personal story of how he built the collection, the joy he felt when driving them, and the many friends he made along the way.
The foreword, written by Neil's wife, Carrie Nuttall-Peart, provides an additional, personal perspective in to Neil's passion for cars, and the extraordinary influence they had on his life.
Silver Surfers is the final work of Neil Peart's prolific, legendary career, and is sure to become a cherished collector's item for decades to come. It is Neil's parting gift to those who loved him, but also for those who share a passion for automobiles. ...
The book comes in at 96 pages and is slated for release on September 3rd with pre-orders available here. You can check out an image of the cover here.
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[Neil Peart's upcoming Silver Surfers book cover and more details released]
[Neil Peart's Silver Surfers coffee table book due out this coming May]
[Neil Peart's Silver Surfers classic car collection fetches over million at Pebble Beach Auction]
