Prost never won Monaco - or any race for that matter - as a team boss, so we can just let the last comment slide on by. But many of Prost's other comments offer a useful stepping-stone toward appreciating this book.

The Monaco Grand Prix of today is a product of its own enthusiastically-reinforced reputation. Prost says that "it seems totally unreasonable to let Formula One cars race in Monaco." He's right: if someone were to attempt to introduce a similar circuit layout today, they'd be sunk within seconds. Indeed, the circuit had been outgrown by the cars that raced around it decades ago. But that, somehow, seems beside the point.

The Monaco GP is rarely among the most enthralling races of the season, but the calendar wouldn't be the same without it. As Prost says, it is the one event above all others that F1 drivers dream of winning, and it's certainly a hit with the sponsors. (Although, contrary to what Prost says, the sport's giddy affection for the race is far from universal. In his book 'Life in the Fast Lane', ex-Benetton mechanic Steve Matchett was fairly succinct in his appraisal. "The mechanics hate it. From the second we arrive, to the second we leave, the Monaco race is a pain," Matchett acclaimed.)

Perhaps the thing about Monaco is the simple fact that, in what is becoming an increasingly regulated and packaged sport, it is such an anomaly. I wouldn't normally go so far as to say that a race can have charisma, but in a weird way Monaco certainly does, and it is strong enough to have prompted Hartmut Lehbrink and celebrated F1 photographer Ranier Schlegelmilch to have put this book together.

This is one of those special books that I don't think I will tire of easily. Beautifully laid out on good quality paper that does full justice to the photographs, this is the ultimate celebration of one of the world's great motor races.

As the centrepiece of the book, the images are plenty and varied. They show everything – action shots, portraits, close-ups of both cars and drivers, candid moments, interspersed with the odd tricky arty piece.

The stars are well represented, and given Monaco's place in the history of Grand Prix racing, this means that you will find at least a couple of shots of just about anyone of note that you can think of. But the midfielders and tailenders have not been overlooked, so it's a good opportunity to look at shots of the drivers and machines that are seen less frequently than the Graham Hills and Fangios of the world.

The text, which is printed in English, German, and French, is informative and entertaining. An example: "Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari, rumour had it, had made a pact with the devil – and that at a time when a hotline to hell was at least as important as a first-class sponsor connection is today." (p. 35). Another that I particularly liked dealt with class distinctions amongst the fans:

"We up here: the fan, pure and simple - strong, tough and equipped with a facility which is otherwise only displayed by mountain goats: to spend long periods on extremely steep hillsides without complaint. This species has only one natural enemy, the well-armoured flora such as the local cacti…You down below: a truly large contingient of VIPs, called by the British for some off reason the 'beautiful people', although many have passed their prime, like withered hydrangeas in October..." (p. 433)

Occasional odd (not necessarily incorrect, just odd) grammar and phrasing suggest that it was written in German and translated into English (this is probably a no-brainer, given the fact that it was written by a German guy). Each year of the race - from the inaugural event in 1929 to Mika Hakkinen's day in the sun in 1998 - are described, along with extra spreads dedicated to particular personalities or institutions that have a special place in the history of the Monaco GP.

Also included are some funky extras, most notable being the fold-out back cover that creates an amazing pictorial of all the top six finishers - shot from nearly identical angles - from every race between 1976 and 1998. Cool. Very, very cool.

A history of the Monaco GP will, by default, reflect the history of Grand Prix racing as a whole. This, for me, was probably the best thing about this book. In a single document, you have the development of Grand Prix competition laid out before your eyes, and the presence of a constant element – the circuit (which, compared with some other examples, remains remarkably similar to the original plan) – you get a vivid representation of just how things have changed.

There's Rudolf Caracciola at the hairpin in 1929, there's Mika Salo at exactly the same spot seventy years later. By and large, it doesn't look all that different. You could open virtually any page in this book and find a similar example, and there are not many circuits that allow those kind of comparisons anymore.

This is a brilliant publication and, incredibly, it seems almost under-priced. It is remarkable value, although the fact that it probably belongs in the same weight division as the Yellow Pages might make postage expensive, depending upon where you live. (Although if you need a book that's great to read AND will be handy for whacking big spiders, then you have just found your ultimate weapon).