There has never been a more influential automotive publisher than Robert E. Petersen. Through Hot Rod Magazine and his other titles—including Rod & Custom and Car Craft—he helped legitimize our sport and spread the word to millions of car crazy readers around the globe. Petersen was a photographer, racer, marketing genius, family man and much more—and now his life story is in print like never before. We’re excited to introduce Hot Rod Empire: Robert E. Petersen and the Creation of the World’s Most Popular Car and Motorcycle Magazines, published by our friends at Motorbooks and now available in the TRJ Library.
Written by acclaimed author Matt Stone and Gigi Carleton, Mr. Petersen’s longtime executive secretary and confidant (whose story was told in TRJ #75), Hot Rod Empire covers all the bases. It leaves no stone unturned, and it features a foreword by none other than Ed “Isky” Iskenderian and a preface by Bruce Meyer. It’s a star-studded cast, and it’s only fitting for the all-American tale of the King of Hot Rod Publishing.
