Emergency Festive Bookshelf Ideas
Facing a last minute book idea emergency? If you are ready to scramble, here are a couple of last minute suggestions:
The Red Baron
Graphic novels are not everyone’s cup of tea, and often unfairly dismissed, but graphic writer and artist Wayne Vansant uses this medium to cleverly and successfully tell the story of German World War One flying ace Manfred von Richthofen in his entertaining book “The Red Baron.”
Fans of Vansant’s work for Marvel and his previous graphic histories on the Civil War, World War Two and the Vietnam War will recognize his attention to detail and fine technical artistry. The book traces Richthofen’s story from his early days as a cavalry officer with the 1st West Prussia Regiment to the birth of the Jagdgeschwader 1 (nicknamed Richthofen’s Flying Circus by Allied pilots), and his final demise under controversial circumstances over the battlefields of France.
The book also contains helpful maps to explain the complex geography of the western front and several interesting vignettes such as ‘Dicta Boelcke’ – the list of eight fundamental aerial warfare maneuvers of aerial combat formulated by the first great German flying ace of the First World War, Oswald Boelcke.
The Red Baron
The Graphic History of Richthofen’s Flying Circus and the Air War in WWI
By Wayne Vansant
Zenith Press
Paperback 104 pages
Flying Warbirds
Packed with high-quality, large format images, ‘Flying Warbirds’ is a close look at the remarkable collection of Flying Heritage Collection in Paine Field, near Everett, Washington. Established by Microsoft founder Paul Allen, the collection differs from most aviation museums in that the aircraft are restored to factory-new condition and, in most cases, are fully airworthy. The collection covered in the book ranges from the early Curtiss JN-4D Jenny and Polikarpov U-2, to the Messerschmitt ME-163 and ME-262, and includes beautifully detailed close-up images of the cockpits and other details. The images are accompanied by an extensive, detailed text written by the collection’s curator Cory Graff.
Flying Warbirds
An Illustrated Profile of the Flying Heritage Collection’s Rare WWII-Era Aircraft
By Cory Graff
Zenith Press
Hardcover, 204 pages
New Space Frontiers
Confused by the myriad new space ventures now underway? Fear not. Space historian and science author Piers Bizony sets out to provide a handy guide to all the projects venturing into Earth orbit and beyond in his book New Space Frontiers. In six lavishly illustrated sections, Bizony describes work now underway around the world to reach sub-orbit, low Earth orbit, the Moon and other planets. This handsome, well-researched volume also includes an extensive review of the International Space Station, designs for space stations past and future, as well as concepts for space colonies. The last sections, again beautifully illustrated, delve into the progress towards Mars, capturing asteroids, deep-space telescopes and the search for extraterrestrial life, as well as longer term plans for inter-stellar voyages. This book succeeds in bringing the reader right up-to-date across a huge range of space activities and makes a welcome addition to the collection of any space enthusiast.
New Space Frontiers
Venturing into Earth Orbit and Beyond
By Piers Bizony
Zenith Press
Hardcover, 176 pages
Hidden Warbirds I and II
World War Two aircraft wrecks hold an enduring fascination for most aviation enthusiasts and historians, particularly when some can be recovered and even restored. Aviation historian and author Nicholas Veronico says “There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of World War II aircraft wrecks waiting to be located around the globe.” These books tell the absorbing tale of the discovery, recovery and rebuilding of Allied and Axis warbirds. The latest volume, Hidden Warbirds II, includes amongst others, the story of the recently recovered Dornier Do-17 lifted from the bottom of the English Channel, the restoration of a Junkers Ju-88 which was pulled from a Norwegian fjord and the painstaking restoration in California of a Curtiss P-40 discovered in the Australian outback. Each restoration story is meticulously researched and richly illustrated with archive and up-to-date photographs.
Hidden Warbirds
The Epic Stories of Finding, Recovering, and Rebuilding WWII’s Lost Aircraft
By Nicholas A Veronico
Zenith Press
Hardcover, 256 Pages
X-15
The North American Aviation X-15 rocket plane may have made its last flight in 1968 but, according to the authors of this well produced book, it will prove invaluable to those aiming to design the hypersonic aircraft of tomorrow. Developed as a high speed research vehicle, the X-15 has already played a key role in paving the way for space shuttle operations and provided a wealth of data about high speed flight, systems, structures and aerodynamics. Co-written by John Anderson Jr, the curator for aerodynamics at National Air & Space Museum, and Richard Passman, a veteran of the Bell X-2 and X-16 programs, the book provides a refreshing review of the X-15, the pilots who flew it and the technology it incorporated. Richly illustrated with classic color and black and white images from the archives, this book provides new insight into one of the most important, and fascinating, ‘X-planes’ of the 20th century.
