Home Chevrolet History Zora: The Legend Behind Corvette

Awards and Testimonials

Reviews

"Another example of truly outstanding Corvette literature is Jerry Burton's biography, Zora Arkus-Duntov: the Legend Behind the Corvette. Finely-detailed, yet easy-reading, it's a spellbinding life's story of a man who became one of the automotive engineering giants of the 20th Century...

Through painstaking research and a affable style, Burton weaves all these colorful aspects of Zora Arkus-Duntov's life into a highly-captivating story. The book is decidedly non-technical, one of its major strong points. Each chapter is a short-story in itself, encompassing a particular period or aspect of Zora's life. The book is remarkably unbiased, covering Duntov's strengths and his weaknesses but expressing few opinions. It's smooth writing style and easy reading make it outstanding entertainment as well as an excellent work of biography.

Even casual students of the history of the American automobile industry must have "Zora Arkus-Duntov" in their library."

Corvette Action Center
June 23, 2015

"If you are a Corvette fan or just a lover of automotive history, this is a book worth having...

National Post (Canada)
May 28, 2004

"Should a Hollywood producer want to film an automotive soap opera - an unlikely prospect after the movie Driven - he could do worse than fashion a story line based on Arkus-Duntov’s life."

Field Guide to Automotive Technology
November 2003

"...definitely worth reading..."

Road & Track
June 2003

"Burton's comprehensive tome on the life and times of arguably the most fascinating personality associated with the Corvette is a must-read."

Motor Trend
April 2003

"It is one of the best automotive stories I've read."

Toronto Sun
October 19, 2002

"...[will] contribute to understanding the Corvette's place in history as an American icon as it nears the big Five-Oh."

Vette Magazine
February, 2002

"The chapters of Duntov's life are laid out in such an accessible way, that you'll feel like you're being guided through by the hand of Duntov's guardian angel."

RushMagazine.com
October 2, 2002

"Two new books on the Corvette rank as must-haves for anyone interested in the marque."

Popular Mechanics
October, 2002

"The picaresque life of Zora Arkus-Duntov is richly documented in this definitive biography by Jerry Burton."

Detroit Free Press
September 5, 2002

"Vette Fete: The quintessential American sports car turns 50 next year. Aficionados can delve into the Corvette's early days in a new book about its guiding force, titled Zora Arkus-Duntov: The Legend Behind Corvette."

Kiplinger's Personal Finance
September, 2002

"...it's hard to see how it could be bettered."

Classic and Sports Car
September, 2002

"...a...24-chapter must-read opus."

The Corvette Restorer
Summer, 2002

"This well-written and researched book is a must..."

Sports Car Market
August, 2002

". . .outstanding entertainment as well as an excellent work of biography. Even casual students of the history of the American automobile industry must have Zora Arkus-Duntov in their library."

Corvette Forum
July 14, 2002

". . .a comprehensive and carefully researched biography of Zora Arkus-Duntov. . .[Burton's] book is a good one and will correct a lot of misconceptions about Arkus-Duntov while it adds to his legend."

Automobile
August, 2002

"We couldn't put it down."

Victory Lane
June 2002

Excerpted in Autoweek!

Autoweek
June 3, 2002

"Anyone who has ever had an interest in Corvettes, automotive engineering, Duntov, or the pursuit of the American dream will find Zora Arkus-Duntov: The Legend Behind Corvette an enlightening and entertaining read"

www.corvettemagazine.com
May, 2002

"It's a 400-page celebration of one of the most influential automotive figures of the 20th Century."

Detroit Free Press
May 31, 2002

". . .an enlightening and riveting read"

Old Cars Weekly
May 9, 2002

"If you are a fan of the Corvette, of sports cars, of engineering, of racing, you need to read ?Zora Arkus-Duntov: The Legend Behind Corvette,? by Jerry Burton."

Boston Globe
March 23, 2002

". . .[From] the man who coined the phrase ’Chevy Thunder - The Heartbeat of America,’ Jerry [Burton]’s new book entitled Zora Arkus-Duntov, The Legend Behind Corvette is simply superb. For the first time, the story of Arkus-Duntov’s life journey and how he ended up at General Motors is chronicled in detail, and it’s a fascinating read"

Autoextremist.com
Issue 140, March 20, 2002

"The official biography of Corvette's patron saint and first chief engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov, is due to be released in June by Robert Bentley Publishers. Timed to Coincide with the beginning of the 50th-anniversary Corvette celebrations, the work is the product of five years of research and scores of interviews..."

Corvette Quarterly
Spring, 2002

Articles by the Author

A Fateful Encounter, by Jerry Burton
Corvette Quarterly - Summer 2002

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The Car that Defied the Odds, by Jerry Burton
America's Sports Car ? June 2002

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Obituary

Obituary of Zora Arkus-Duntov, by George Will
Washington Post, Sunday, April 28, 1996

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