Just got a book on New Gen and GenII tractors - disappointed

Anyone get the book from John Dietz - John Deere New Generation and Generation II Tractors: History, Models, Variations & Specifications 1960s-1970s? I just got a copy today, and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed. Lots of inaccurate info and mislabeled pics. It's poorly written and nearly all of the info can be gotten from Don Macmillon's book - John Deere Tractors and Equipment Vol I and II. It didn't really even cover just the two series, it hit the two cylinder tractors and then hit the 40 series and beyond, kinda like they felt the book was too thin, so they tossed more in. I really feel like I wasted my money. Anyone else seen this one?

Can anyone recommend a better book for info on the New Gen and Gen II tractors?

I have this book. With 128 pages I didn't expect it to be the bible of New Gen and Gen II tractors. In defense of the book it does offer some interesting background about the company and its management. Chapter 3 is excellent in this regard. One paragraph in there describes that Hewitt achieved his vision in 1963 of making John Deere #1 in the industry. I was thrilled to my bone marrow when reading this.
Do you have McMillan's Volume Two 1960-1990?

I have both I and II.

I remember reading a book back in the late 90's that told story of the seats in the New Gen's Sound-gard cab and how the farmers were complaining of the poor seats in the 30 series versus the 20 series. It was the same seat. Turns out the cab was so quiet that the seat felt less comfortable and deere made the seat better at the end of the series. I can't find that book. I wanted stories like that. i was hoping to learn more about wheel weights and see pics of rejected cab designs (there's a pic of a sound-gard like cab in Macmillon's book). The write-up on the 30 series was basic at best. The entire write-up on the 8430 only talked about how the 466 was in 19 different tractor models.

This book showed a pic of a 4010 with a 30 series wide front and aftermarket cab with a paint job and called it "restored". Worse, it showed another pic of the same tractor's wide front and talked of how adjustable the wide front was on these tractors. I'm no correct police, but I think he could have put 10 seconds more effort to find a 4010 in stock form... They had an 830 pic that was captioned explaining how the tractor had a shipping weight of 12,000 pounds.

Little, easily caught things like that just make me wonder if anything is accurate in the book.

How about this book? Looks good, but so did John's -
John Deere: A History of the Tractor. Randy Leffingwell, 2004.

As much as I'm interested in the machines I'm also interested in the company. The management, - the men and women who preceded the machines. John Deere is now 176 years old. The progression of the founder, the owners and the management have contributed much to the company's success. Deere is king of the road now.
This is interesting as I consider those years as a bunch of "What If's".
What if the company didn't get into the tractor business with the Waterloo Boy and continue tractor development? Maybe it would not have survived.
What if the company had fired Dreyfuss and changed the color of our tractors to light orange? We would have square, - ugly orange tractors, - not the attractive machines we have today.
What if John Deere had not pursued the industrial business? Caterpillar would have gobbled up
that segment and Deere's influence would have been lessened.
What if management said. " Pretty good is good enough and engineering had floundered? Deere would have been in the same shape as International Harvester in the late 1960's.
What if Deere failed to support its old equipment? We'd all be up the creek. That design and engineering has been faithful to all owners for 50+ years.
If I had the time and talent I'd write a book about the John Deere success story probably one of the best American business chronicles in our history.

Once youve read dons books its hard to be impressed
with much as far as tractor books go . John Deeres
company buy Wayne broehl Jr is a really good book to

I apologize - picked the wrong one, $8 was for a used copy delivered. New would be $12.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Deere-New-Generation-and-Generation-II-Tractors-History-Models-Variations-and-Specifications-/344037635023?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item501a3db3cf

You are right that I should have been warned by the lower price that it would disappoint, but I don't think it really matters what one pays for a book on whether or not they're disappointed. Poorly researched, written, and edited is still poorly researched, written, and edited. FWIW, the MSRP on the back of the book is $25 AND it's printed in China

Don's book is very good. It has to cover a lot of ground in not really that many pages. Info on any specific series or model is light, but it does give a great overview. He has a newer book just published by the same publisher Voyageur Press. I may grab that one, too. Unfortunately, he passed on September 11th this year. He will be missed.

Do you have a copy of "John Deere: A History of the Tractor" by Randy Leffingwell? I just bought a copy and am hoping for the best. From what I've read online it's like his previous book - John Deere Farm Tractors - but newer with twice as many pages. I have the previous book and am happy with it.

Don's Obit (I had a surprisingly hard time finding it) -

DON MACMILLAN
Former dealer and author of John Deere history


Don Macmillan receives IAgrE Award 2009
Don Macmillan, former Wiltshire dealer and author of several volumes of John Deere history, died at the age of 93 on 11th September 2013. He was married to Bunny and had three sons, Craig, Bruce and Ian and three grandchildren Nadda, Michael and Laura.

Don was recognised as the world's foremost authority on the history of the John Deere company. Holder of the first dealer franchise in the UK, he was the author of many books on the subject including the definitive “John Deere Tractors and Equipment” volumes.

Born in 1919, Don’s passion for John Deere was kick-started by using a Model AR before the war and he was subsequently invited to visit the factory in America after the war. During the hostilities Don decided to make his contribution by purchasing his own tractor and plough and working for the “war ag” (The Agriculture Executive Committee). Starting with an Oliver 90, a Ransomes 4 furrow Multitrac and a fuel tender with a platform for his motorbike, Don moved around the South West looking for land ready to work eventually coming to Wiltshire where he has been ever since.

Much in demand and with so much work ordered, Don applied for a new John Deere which duly arrived in 1943, the business went from strength to strength and by 1947 Don was running 8 combines, 3 pick up balers and 4 John Deeres. He had also picked up the knack of dealing. 1947 also saw his first visit to the States and the start of the lifelong John Deere relationship, Don was appointed John Deere's first UK dealer in 1958 and the business went from strength to strength in the following years.

Don’s retirement from the trade in 1981 coincided with his authorship of the John Deere Album which was reprinted many times, Don’s name was as a consequence put forward as a candidate for authorship of the official ASAE John Deere history, Volume 1 in 1988 followed by Volume 2 in 1991, the subsequent Worldwide book was ready in 1994. Other titles followed such as The Big Book in 1991, The Little Book and The Field Guide in 2001, The Legacy in 2003 and The Encyclopedia in 2007.

Donald had been a member of IAgrE for 65 years, one of its longest serving members. He joined in 1948 as an Associate, became a Companion in 1974 and a Fellow in 2001. He received a "Contribution to the Landbased Sector" award in 2009 (pictured).

A keen cricket follower, Chris Biddle, Editor of Service Dealer says, "I often used to bump into Don in the Long Room at Lords, sat up in one of the high stools, when we would 'chew-the-cud' about the state of the game, the state of the industry or the state of the country!"

A Thanksgiving service will be held St John’s Church, Devizes on Tuesday 24th September 2013 at 2.00pm. Further details John Stuart Funeral Directors 01380 723883

Most of those Classic Motorbooks publications aren't too accurate and most are printed in China. That's why Green Magazine doesn't sell them.
Here are two better choices.

http://www.greenmagazine.com/shop.asp?cat=all&id=160

ttp://www.greenmagazine.com/shop.asp?cat=all&id=55

Both have history, production numbers, original prices and photos of original or accurately restored tractors.

Merry Christmas