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[BOOK 1] WILLIAM F. MANGELS: THE OUTDOOR AMUSEMENT
INDUSTRY. [1952] (14x22cm – 206 Pages – A
few B&W prints). Selected Chapter Points: Early American
Amusement Parks; Coney Island; Amusement Devices; The Carousel;
Merry-Go-Round Music; The Roller Coaster; Centrifugal Pleasure
Railways; Pleasure Wheels; Flat Rides; Funhouses and Illusion
Rides; Miscellaneous Attractions |
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[BOOK 2] EDO MCCULLOUGH: GOOD OLD CONEY ISLAND.
[1957] (16x23cm - 344 Pages – A few B&W
prints). A sentimental journey into the past: Coney Island is
more than a national institution: it was probably the most
celebrated amusement resort in the world. This book presents its
lively and nostalgic history. Touched with sentiment,
occasionally with acid, it is frank, outspoken, sometimes biting,
but always imbued with humour. (Reprinted in 2000, both editions
are available) |
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[BOOK 2A] PACIFIC OCEAN PARK INC: THE STORY OF PACIFIC
OCEAN PARK. [1958] (15x22cm - 24 Pages - Colour drawings
throughout). Join King Neptune, ruler of the Seven Seas,
for a royal tour of his oceanic wonderland of beauty, fascination
and fun. Table of Contents: Neptune’s Kingdom; Enchanted
Forest; Sea Circus; Ocean Skyway; Ocean Highway; Flight to Mars;
Magic Carpet; Sea Serpent; Pictorial Map; Port’s O’Call; South
Sea Island; Fisherman’s Cove; International Promenade; Lawrence
Welk (and his orchestra); Jack’s at the Beach. |
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[BOOK 3] NORMAN NYGAARD: WALTER KNOTT, TWENTIETH
CENTURY PIONEER. [1965] (14x21cm – 118 Pages). The
story of the man behind Knott’s Berry Farm, the
internationally known tourist attraction. This is the true story
of an imaginative genius who parlayed a small berry stand on a
country road into a fascinating complex of restaurants, western
shops and an authentic ghost town manned today by more than 900
employees. |
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[BOOK 4] CEDAR POINT INC: CEDAR POINT. SANDUSKY,
OHIO. [1965/6] (18x25cm – 36 Pages – Colour
photos throughout). A publication charting Cedar Point’s
history: How the land was acquired for the fledgling park. The
managers/owners that have come and gone, and everything else you
wanted to know about that historic acquisition |
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[BOOK 5] PAUL ILYINSKY: GOODBYE CONEY ISLAND,
GOODBYE. [1972] (22x28cm – 120 Pages – Many
B&W prints, few colour). A photographic farewell to an old
amusement park. Few institutions could claim a spot so warm in
the hearts of so many as Cincinnati’s Coney Island.
Established on the banks of the beautiful Ohio River in a
forested glade with the unlikely name of California, Ohio, Coney
Island provided for Cincinnatians and their neighbours a haven of
escape, relaxation, romance, and just plain fun for nearly a
century… |
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[BOOK 6] AL GRIFFIN: STEP RIGHT UP FOLKS!
[1974] (16x23cm – 258 Pages – Some B&W
photos). An affectionate look at a neglected and disappearing
form of entertainment… the amusement parks. Remember New
York’s Coney Island? Or Chicago’s Riverview? How
about your first ride on the merry-go-round? Of course you do.
You never forget those things. But the great parks are going
– many have already gone – and a way of American life
is disappearing. They’re not going without a struggle,
naturally. Parks are still around, but seldom in the old
style… |
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[BOOK 7] STEVE PALMER: THE BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH
STORY. [1976/7] (20x25cm – 30 Pages – Many
B&W photos, some colour). A snapshot of Pleasure Beach,
Blackpool in the 70s. Chapter Points: Welcome to the Fun Place;
Panorama of Pleasure; Travelling Around; Into the Dark; Thrills
day and night; Sunset Silhouettes; The Children’s Paradise;
The Kiddies’ Amusement Park; Gulliver in Lilliput; Night
Life; Funtastic Food; Pleasure Beach People; On With the Show;
Behind the Scenes; Night Magic; Seventy Funtastic Years. |
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[BOOK 8] BURTON WOHL: ROLLER COASTER, THE HIGH ROLLER
TO TERROR! [1977] (11x18cm - 144 Pages). The tense novel
inspired from the film ‘Roller Coaster.’ High above
the crowded amusement park, the rollercoaster climbs towards its
summit. Soon the cars will begin their gut-wrenching 60mph
plunge. And down below a pleasant-looking young man, Eddie
Parnassus, presses the button on a remote control
detonator… Seconds later, the revellers’ squeals of
excitement turn to screams of terror as the ‘coaster
hurtles off into a void where death and mutilation
wait… |
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[BOOK 9] CHUCK WLODARCZYK: RIVERVIEW, GONE BUT NOT
FORGOTTEN 1904 – 1967. [1977] (21x28cm - 136 Pages
– Many B&W photos) A photographic book with delightful
text. Laugh your troubles away at Riverview. See and read about
the Bobs; the Flying Turns; the Whip; the Chute the Chutes and of
the many more lost attractions. Learn of the rise and fall of
this much-missed US park. |
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[BOOK 10] AMUSEMENT PARK BOOKS: EUCLID BEACH PARK IS
CLOSED FOR THE SEASON. [1977] (22x28cm - 332 Pages
– Many B&W photos). Euclid Beach Park existed in
Cleveland, Ohio from June 1895 to September 1969. Although the
“Beach” was a classic example of the American
amusement parks, which were prevalent from the late 1800s through
the first half of the twentieth century, it possessed an uncommon
vitality which enhanced its character. This book serves to both
educate and refresh the memory of Euclid Beach Park. |
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[BOOK 11] JF. KASSON: AMUSING THE MILLION, CONEY
ISLAND AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. [1978] (18x21cm - 120
Pages – Many B&W Pictures & photos) This book
examines the historical context in which Coney Island made its
reputation as an amusement park and shows how America’s
changing social and economic conditions formed the basis of a new
mass culture. Exploring it afresh in this way, the book shows
Coney Island no longer as the object of nostalgia but as a
harbinger of modernity. |
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[BOOK 12] GARY KYRIAZI: THE GREAT AMERICAN AMUSEMENT
PARKS, A PICTORIAL HISTORY. [1978] (22x25cm - 256 Pages –
Many B&W photos) A fascinating publication, listing and
investigating many amusement parks, thrill rides and rollercoasters no
longer with us. Chapter Points: Introduction; The Evolution of the
Amusement Park; Coney Island; Steeplechase Park, Luna Park and
Dreamland; The American Amusement Parks-East to West; Disneyland
and the Theme Parks; America’s Top 100 Parks. |
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[BOOK 13] TIM ONOSKO: FUN LAND USA. [1978]
(13x21cm – 296 Pages – Many B&W photos and maps).
The complete guidebook to 100 major amusement and theme parks all
across the USA. Rides, shows, games, history - a treasure trove
of valuable information on America's greatest holiday
attractions. Also includes an interview with roller coaster
designer John Allen. |
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[BOOK 14] AMUSEMENT PARK BOOKS: EUCLID BEACH PARK, A
SECOND LOOK. [1979] (22x28cm – 230 Pages –
Many B&W photos). The follow up publication to Euclid Beach
Park is Closed for the Season. "A multitude of people created,
shaped, maintained and sustained Euclid Beach Park. Some worked
there for an hour; some worked there for months; some worked
there for years or even a lifetime… To those people whose
work and devotion became transformed into the Park’s image,
we dedicate our second volume on Euclid Beach Park." |
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[BOOK 15] CHRISTINE HAHN: AMUSEMENT PARK MACHINES.
[1979] (20x26cm – 32 Pages – Full colour).
An interesting piece of juvenile literature featuring the rides
and attractions to be found across the USA. Whilst the minimal
amount of text is not always absolutely correct, it does contain
full colour/full page photographs of coasters and thrill rides
long gone. |
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[BOOK 16] WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS: DISNEYLAND, THE FIRST
QUARTER CENTURY. [1979] (22x29cm – 126 Pages
– Full colour). For more than a quarter century more than
200 million guests have visited Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
Disneyland is a kaleidoscope of unique entertainment forms.
Within its realms are medieval castles and rocket ships,
horse-drawn streetcars and streamlined monorail trains, jungle
elephants and elephants that fly, a snowcapped mountain and a
"space" mountain. Selected Chapter Points: The Twenty Year
Dream; Imagineering the Dream; The Lilly Belle Grows Up; Opening
Day Draws Near; A World Premiere; The First Quarter Century;
A Mountain Comes To Anaheim; The Many Worlds of Disneyland. |
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[BOOK 17] J. WALDROP, R. MUNCH, J.M. REED: ROLLER
COASTER FEVER. [1979/80] (21x27cm - 100 Pages –
Many colour photos). A rare book investigating all the thrills of
coaster riding. Chapter Points: Why Ride a Roller Coaster? The
Rise and Fall and Rise of Roller Coasters; Types of Coasters;
Coaster Location Maps; The Experts Pick the 15 Most Exciting; A
Colour Photo Review; Coast to Coast Coaster Directory; Making the
Most of Your Ride; Cyclone Cloning: Did History Repeat Itself?
Killers or Pussycats, How Safe are Coasters? Catching the Fever;
The Great American Coaster Revival; Endangered Species;
Marathoning Tips; The Classics: Gone But Not Forgotten; From the
Ground Up. |
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[BOOK 18] PICTORIAL HISTORY OF REVERE BEACH.
[1980] (22x28cm – 62 Pages – Many B&W
photos). Featuring many postcard reproductions of Revere’s
most memorable sights and landmarks. Showing Rotherham’s
The Jack Rabbit side-friction coaster; Dragon Gorge,
Thompson’s Scenic Railway; Lightning 1927-33; The Giant
Coaster / Over The Top; Virginia Reel; Louis Bopp’s Derby
Racers, a racing side-friction coaster where the winning train
gets a free ride; The Oriental roller coaster and the
Thunderbolt. |
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[BOOK 19] JEFF ULMER: AMUSEMENT PARKS OF AMERICA, A
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE. [1980] (15x23cm – 340 Pages
– Some B&W photos). Amusement parks originated in
Europe in the 1700s, nowhere else have they evolved so rapidly in
such huge numbers with so wide a variety of attractions, or
enjoyed such an immense popularity. No other place appeals to the
five senses or evince so many good feelings from their visitors.
This is the most thorough guide ever to all the pleasures
American amusement parks have to offer, with everything you need
to know to plan your visits. Covering more than 300 parks and
family entertainment centres across the country. |
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[BOOK 20] RON PUCKETT: REMEMBERING FONTAINE FERRY
PARK. [1980s?] (21x27cm – 24 Pages - Some B&W
photos). A short read. Oh, those were the days of our youth!
There are amusement parks all across the USA, but there will
never be another quite like Fontaine Ferry Park. Sitting at the
end of Market Street, just north of Shawnee Park, it served the
citizens of Louiseville for seven decades! |
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[BOOK 21] RICHARD MUNCH: HARRY G. TRAVER - LEGENDS OF
TERROR. [1982] (20x26cm - 176 Pages – Many B&W
photos) Chapter Points: Foreword; Introduction; Traver –
The Man; Traver –The Company; Traver – The Machines;
Bobs, Riverview Park; Cyclone, Revere Beach; Thunderbolt, Savin
Rock; Jazz Railway, Rocky Glen Park; Sesquicentennial Cyclone,
Philadelphia; Cyclone, Crystal Beach; Lightning, Revere Beach;
Cyclone, Palisades Park; Airplane, Playland, Rye; Cyclone Racer,
Pike, Long Beach; Cyclone, Century of Progress, Chicago; Zip,
Oaks Park, Portland; Traver – Potpourri; A Retrospection; A
Look at the Past; ACE, Its Goals. |
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[BOOK 22] CHARLES JACQUES: KENNYWOOD, ROLLERCOASTER
CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. [1982] (21x28cm - 204 Pages
– Many B&W photos). Chapter Points: Introduction; The
Start of a Tradition; The First Decade; The Second Decade; The
20s, A Golden Age; 1930 – 1934, Kennywood Survives; The Big
Band Era; The War Period; The Late 40s, Growth Resumes; The 50s,
Kennywood Survives Television; Meeting the Challenges of the 60s;
Kennywood’s Greatest Expansion; Looping into the
1980s. |
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[BOOK 23] THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF LONG BEACH,
CALIFORNIA: THE PIKE. [1982] (22x28cm – 74 Pages
– Many B&W photos). At first there was just the beach,
here people came, crowds of them. Everyone was proud of this
little town by the sea and lost no opportunity to advertise its
many advantages to all visitors. However civic pride determined
that all those visitors should be amused. A pier, a few souvenir
shops, cafes and the advent of the Pacific Electric street car
service in 1902, even more people came. This was the birth of an
amusement facility to rival Coney Island; this was, The
Pike. |
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[BOOK 24] JACK GURTLER & CORINNE HUNT: THE ELITCH
GARDEN STORY. [1982] (17x25cm – 100 Pages –
Many B&W photos). Elitch Gardens meant many things to many
people. Some may remember Elitch’s when the Greats of Jazz
was an annual affair, and others say that it was the rides that
made Elitch’s great, particularly the two wooden roller
coasters, the Twister and the Wildcat, they were the creation of
the man who was known as “Mr Rollercoaster,” John
Allen. Chapter Points: Introduction; The Beginning; John M.
Mulvihill; Growing Up in an Amusement Park; The Marvellous
Trocadero; Memories of the Theatre; Kiddieland; The Golf Course.
Also includes a chapter on the various rides and
attractions. |
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[BOOK 25] FRED NAZZARO & PETER MCCAULEY: REVERE
BEACH A LAST LOOK AT YESTERDAY VOLUME 2. [1983] (21x28cm
- 62 Pages – Many B&W photos). An affectionate look at
Revere Beach and its attractions. Photos of many unique rides
have been included, some of which were at Revere Beach for a
short time, and others that survived for decades. Some of the
pictures are indeed rare and speak volumes about Revere Beach,
both in its heyday and during its decline. |
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[BOOK 26] E & F NAZZARO: REVERE BEACH'S
WONDERLAND. [1983] (21x28cm - 60 Pages – Many
B&W photos). The story of America’s forgotten amusement
park. You’ll be amazed to learn that such a park existed in
New England so many years ago, and that sadly it vanished (like
so many others) without mention, until now. Selected Chapter
Points: The Dream; A Brilliant Beginning; The Attractions;
Thompson’s Scenic Railway; Shooting The Chutes; Fire and
Flames; Lights Out. |
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[BOOK 27] ALAN A. SIEGEL: SMILE, A PICTURE HISTORY OF
OLYMPIC PARK 1887-1965. [1983] (21x28cm - 176 Pages
– Many B&W photos). Time has forever stilled the
hurdy-gurdy lilt of the fabulous merry-go-round. The screams of
the roller coaster’s riders, the sparkling patter of the
Penny Pitch operator, the rumbling of the Dodgem cars and the
clanking of the Whip are no more. The roller rink, the beer
garden, the funny mirrors and buttered popcorn are gone forever.
Enjoyed by tens of millions during her 79-year reign, Olympic
Park (Irvington, New Jersey) has disappeared into history, legend
and nostalgia. The history of Olympic Park begins over a century
ago, when life was simpler and a summertime outing was a delightful
Sunday tradition. |
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[BOOK 28] ELIZABETH VAN STEENWYK: BEHIND THE SCENES AT
THE AMUSEMENT PARK. [1983] (18x23cm – 50 Pages
– Many B&W and colour photos). Describing the operation
of an amusement park, including roller coaster safety maintenance
and carousel restoration, as well as career opportunities.
Selected Chapter Points: Scream If You’re Scared; Roller
Coaster Mania and Maintenance; Lights, Camera, Computer! Save
The Carousel; Fun on the Midway; Amusement Parks Then and Now;
Disneyland – A Theme Park; A Good Business; Cleaning, Cooking
and Constructing; Another World Underground (Disney); Who Works
in an Amusement Park? Looking at Full Time Careers; Others Who
Work To Make Magic; Look Who’s Having Fun; Index. |
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[BOOK 29] NORMAN D. ANDERSON & WALTER R. BROWN: FERRIS
WHEELS. [1983] (20x22cm – 60 Pages – Many
B&W photos). Nobody knows when a spin on a “pleasure
wheel” first thrilled fair-goers. But rides like this had
been around for hundreds of years when George Washington Gale Ferris
built the giant wheel that gave all future wheels his name, back in
1893. Here is the remarkable story of this well-known and well-loved
ride, from a hand-turned wooden wheel sketched by a traveller in the
1620s, to a wheel with cars big enough to hold a forty-piece band, to
the space-age marvels that fill today’s amusement parks. |
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[BOOK 30] THE COASTERS OF THE PHILADELPHIA TOBOGGAN
COMPANY. [1984] (21x27cm - 38 Pages – Many B&W
photos) The Amusement Park Journal Volume #6, No1. Chapter
Points: PTC, The Early Years; Coaster Construction Resumes; The
Busiest Years; Limping Along; Modern Coasters; A Catalogue of all
PTC Coasters 1904 – 1975. |
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[BOOK 31] RICHARD SNOW: CONEY ISLAND, A POSTCARD
JOURNEY TO THE CITY OF FIRE. [1984] (23x23cm – 118
Pages – Many colour photos and pictures). George C. Tilyou
wrote in 1886, “If Paris is France, then Coney Island,
between June and September, is the world.” This might seem
to be nothing more than commercial bombast, but in fact, Tilyou
was right – or would be. In the next twenty years Coney
Island was to become the most famous resort in the world, a
carnival grand enough to draw visitors from Europe
…” |
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[BOOK 32] CHARLES J. JACQUES: GOODBYE WEST VIEW PARK,
GOODBYE. [1985] (21x28cm - 126 Pages – Many
B&W photos). A historical work about one of Pittsburgh's
defunct amusement parks that traces its founding in 1906 to the
1977 season. Chapter Points: The Harton Family Begins West View;
Decade of the Dips; The 1920s Start Slowly, and Then Boom; West
View Survives The Depression; The War Years; The Golden Age
Begins; A Tour of the Midway; Dark Clouds Begin to Appear; West
View Stands Still; Goodbye, West View. |
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[BOOK 33] PLAYLAND PARK, THEN AND NOW.
[1985] (21x28cm - 32 Pages – Many B&W photos).
A photo documentary of Playland Park, Rye, New York. This book
tells the story of the establishment of Playland Park in the
1920s. Containing beautiful photographs of the coasters:
Kiddyland Coaster (1936); Aeroplane Coaster (1938); Dragon
Coaster (1984); Whirlwind (1984); as well as the other rides and
attractions unique to the park. |
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[BOOK 34] J.D. BROWN & R.D. FETE: MEYERS LAKE
REVISITED. [1985] (21x28cm - 192 Pages – Many
B&W photos) Meyers Lake was the social and entertainment
centre of eastern Ohio for nearly 100 years. Over its lifespan,
Meyers Lake Park and the surrounding area offered a wider range
of attractions, entertainment and recreational outlets than any
other park in Ohio. It was an area of natural beauty, with
peaceful picnic groves and the tranquil lake. By contrast there
was the sound of merriment emanating from the various amusement
park rides, including intermittent screams of excitement aboard
the Comet roller coaster. Chapter Points: The Early Years, 1812
– 1902; The N.O.T.& L. Years, 1902 – 1926; The
Sinclair Years, 1926 – 1974; The Sporting Life; A Final
Word. |
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[BOOK 35] IRENE H. WRIGHT: EDGAR STREIFTHAU - OHIO
AMUSEMENT PARK FOUNDER - HIS STORY. [1985] (14x22cm
– 146 Pages – Very few B&W photos). Edgar
Streifthau started one of Ohio’s early amusement parks for
a simple reason – water was too muddy after heavy rains for
people to plunge into a swimming hole in a southwestern Ohio
creek. In solving the problem of providing a clean place to swim,
he ended up with LeSourdsville Lake Park, now known as Americana.
Here, Streifthau lets you share his experiences in creating that
first park, and beyond. |
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[BOOK 36] CHARLES J. JACQUES: HERSHEYPARK - CHOCOLATE TOWN
U.S.A. [1985] (21x26cm – 36 Pages – Many B&W
photos). A pictorial history featuring many photographs and interesting
snippets about Hershey Park; from its founding in 1907 to today. (The
park was renamed Hersheypark in 1972). See and read about the Dentzel
Carousel; The Miniature Railroad; The Starlight Ballroom; The Joy Ride;
Custer Cars; Wildcat Roller Coaster; The Whoops Funhouse; Mill Chute;
The Comet Roller Coaster; Aerial Joy Ride; Double Ferris Wheels; The
Gardens; Aero-Dip; Auto Skooter; SooperdooperLooper; The Coal Cracker
Hydroflume; The Trail Blazer Steel Coaster, and more. Features a
chronological directory listing Hersheypark’s many developments
from 1907 onwards. |
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[BOOK 37] HERMA SILVERSTEIN: SCREAM MACHINES: PAST,
PRESENT AND FUTURE. [1986] (16x24cm - 90 Pages –
Many B&W photos). Snap! The switch is thrown. You dig your
fingernails deep into the leather harness as it locks against
your chest. Too late to back out now. Wham! You are catapulted
out of the station on the start of a high-speed ride on one of
today’s space-age roller coasters… Chapter Points: In
the Beginning There Were Ice Slides; Coasters Cross the Atlantic;
Turn of the Century Thrill-Hills; Roaring Twenties, Roaring
Roller Coasters; Theme Parks and the Coaster Revival; Space Age
Scream Machines; Coaster Encounters Across America; List of
America’s Best Roller Coasters. |
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[BOOK 38] THE HISTORY OF ALTON TOWERS.
(14x21cm - 40 Pages – Some colour photos). A booklet /
guide telling the story of Alton Towers, the former home of the
earl of Shrewsbury. Chapter Points: The Early History of the
Alton Towers Site; A New Earl and a New Name – 1827 to the
Present Day. (Don’t be disappointed, this book is not about
Alton Towers theme park!) |
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[BOOK 39] (VARIOUS AUTHORS): PAINTED PONIES, AMERICAN
CAROUSEL ART. [1986] (24x30cm - 256 Pages - Many colour
photos). Chapter Points: America’s Carousel Heritage;
Gustav and William Dentzel; Daniel C. Muller; The PTC; Charles
Looff; William F. Mangels; Marcus C. Illions; Stein & Goldstein;
Charles Carmel; Charles W. Dare; Charles W. Parker; Armitage
Herschell; Herschell/Spillman; Spillman Engineering; Allan
Herschell; Carousel Preservation; Collecting and Restoring
Carousel Art; Carousel Directory. |
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[BOOK 40] ROBERT CARTMELL: THE INCREDIBLE SCREAM
MACHINE. [1987] (22x28cm - 252 Pages – Many B&W
photos and diagrams). Often referred to as the rollercoaster
enthusiasts’ Bible. Chapter Points: Early European Roller
Coasters; America’s First Roller Coaster; La Marcus Adna
Thompson; Early American Parks; The Haverhill Three; 1900 –
1920 Defying Gravity, Trial and Error; Roller Coasters Over the
World; John A. Miller; The Roaring Twenties; Traver, Prior and
Church; 1930 – 1972 Innovations and the Struggle to
Survive; Kings Island, Disneyland, and Metal Coasters; The
Coaster Boom; How a Coaster Works / Why People Ride Roller
Coasters; Complete Listing of Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Roller Coasters 1904 – 1975. |
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