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rollercostermedialibrary logo [BOOK 1] ELITCH GARDENS GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SOUVENIR 1891-1941. [1941] (23x31cm - 68 Pages - Many B&W photos). Read the story of how John and Mary Elitch founded, developed and nurtured their amusement park destination (Denver, Colorado). Features many wonderful photographs of the First Gate (1891), The Main Entrance (1941): The Theatre, The Spitfire ride, Spook House, Wildcat roller coaster, and the gardens themselves. A chapter is dedicated to the stars of stage and screen who played at Elitch's Gardens, as well as featuring many advertisements from Elitch's sponsors. Chapter Points: Greetings (By A.B. Gurtler); Letters; Members of the 1941 Cast; From the Beginning (Chronological History); The Plays and Players; What Our Advertisers Say. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
rollercostermedialibrary logo [BOOK 2] WILLIAM F. MANGELS: THE OUTDOOR AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY - FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT. [1952] (14x22cm - 206 Pages - A few B&W prints). Public amusement is as old as recorded history. The Greeks had their Olympic games; the Romans, their chariot races. Even in the Dark Ages and in medieval times, the common man of Europe sought amusement on occasion... Chapter Points: Outdoor Amusement Resorts; Early American Amusement Parks; Carnivals; Coney Island; Amusement Devices; The Carrousel; Merry-Go-Round Music; The Roller Coaster; Centrifugal Pleasure Railways; Pleasure Wheels; Water Amusement Rides; Oscillating and Circle Swings; Flat Rides; Observation and Parachute Towers; World's Fairs; Funhouses and Illusion Rides; Menageries; Dance Halls; Festive Lights; Fireworks; Miscellaneous Attractions; Appendix. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 3] EDO MCCULLOUGH: GOOD OLD CONEY ISLAND. [1957] (16x23cm - 344 Pages - A few B&W prints). A sentimental journey into the past. Coney Island (New York) 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. Chapter Points: The Most; Rambunctious; Scandalous; Rapscallion; Splendiferous; Pugnacious; Spectacular; Illustrious; Prodigious; Frolicsome; Island on Earth. (Reprinted in 2000). ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 4] 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 (Santa Monica, California). 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair.
[BOOK 5] FREDERICK FRIED: A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE CAROUSEL. [1964] (24x31cm - 232 Pages - Many B&W photos). "One of the lesser known, but nevertheless enduring discoveries of the Medieval Crusaders in Asia Minor, was the carousel. The word itself (derived from the Italian) meant "little war," and described what was at first a serious game played by horsemen in Arabia and Turkey during the twelfth century..." This book is for those interested in art, antiques, and a rich but often overlooked vein in history. Chapter Points: The Evolution of the Carousel; European Carousel Makers; The Carousel in America; American Carousel Carvers; Carousel Animals, Figures, Chariots, Carvings, Crestings, and Machines; The Band Organ and its Makers; Index. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended
[BOOK 6] NORMAN NYGAARD: WALTER KNOTT - TWENTIETH CENTURY PIONEER. [1965] (14x21cm - 118 Pages). The story of the man behind Knott's Berry Farm (Buena Park, California), 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. Chapter Points: Little Texas; Grandma's Tall Stories; Laying Foundations; Becoming a Family Man; Farming the Desert; Walter Tries Ranching; Specializing in Berries; The Restaurant That Ran Away; Family Affairs; Ghost Town; Calico; Let Freedom Ring. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 7] 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. See colour views of the Funway, the Mill Race, Blue Streak roller coaster, the Western Cruise Boat Ride, the Famous Sky Ride, the Merry-Go-Round, Fascination, Earthquake Ride, and the Giant Double Ferris Wheel. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 8] 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 9] FRANK QUINN: MEMORIES OF COLUMBIA GARDENS. [1973] (20x27cm - 44 Pages - B&W photos throughout). Accounts of historical interest regarding Columbia Gardens, the recreational area established in 1899 on the west slope of the continental divide in the vicinity of Butte, Montana. This publication details dances, birthday parties, high school reunions, balloon ascensions and other activities that took place at beautiful Columbia Gardens. Also features a couple of photos of the wooden roller coaster, but mainly focuses on the events that took place until the park's unfortunate demise in 1973. (Reprinted 1975 - Contains a report that may upset some readers). ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair.
[BOOK 10] 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... Chapter Points: The Beginnings; Beginning of the End; Merry-Go-Rounds; Roller Coasters; Ferris Wheels; Flat Rides; The Games; The Refreshments; The Entertainments; Traditional Amusement Parks (state by state); Kiddielands; Theme Parks; Recently Defunct Amusement Parks; Index. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 11] STEVE PALMER: THE BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH STORY. [1976/7] (20x25cm - 30 Pages - Many B&W photos, some colour). A snapshot of Pleasure Beach, Blackpool (UK) 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 12] 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 roller coaster 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair.
[BOOK 13] CHUCK WLODARCZYK: RIVERVIEW - GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 1904-1967. [1977] (21x28cm - 136 Pages - Many B&W photos). Laugh Your Troubles Away at Riverview! A photographic book with informative text. Remember the fun! For 63 years just the mention of Riverview Park (Chicago, Illinois) sent tingles down the spines of children all over Chicagoland. The legacy of "The World's Largest Amusement Park" lives on in this book. Jump on the Fireball and the Crazy Ribbon, the Bobs, Chute the Chutes, Flying Turns, the Whip, and much more. Learn of the rise and fall of this much-missed US amusement park. Includes a chapter detailing other US parks: Six Flags, Kennywood, Dorney Park, Knott's Berry Farm, Kings, Island and others. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent.
[BOOK 14] 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 28 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. Under the guidance of the Humphrey family from 1901 until its closing, the park gained worldwide recognition for the policy of its management and the innovations of its technology. However, to most who knew "The Beach," it was not the technology that drew them to it. It was simply a part of life that never could be replaced! ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent / Recommended.
[BOOK 15] MICHAEL E. WARE: HISTORIC FAIRGROUND SCENES. [1977] (20x25cm - 98 Pages - Many B&W photos). The fairground is a brash, bright, and noisy environment. The rides and sideshows are gaily painted in a style of their own, and everything about it is steeped in tradition. It is possible to trace the origins of the fair to Roman times. The earliest fairs were markets. Into these marketplaces came acrobats, jugglers and fortune tellers. Not until the 1820s did we see the travelling sideshow and menagerie. Later came steam power, and before long, electricity brightened the scene. Chapter Points: Introduction; The Tober; The Rides; The Shows; Building Up & Pulling Down; Power on the Road and for the Rides; Living Wagons; Permanent Fairground Sites (Gt. Yarmouth, British Empire Exhibition, Great Exhibition at Wembley, Earls Court, The Kursaal, Southport); Index. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 16] JOHN F. 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 (New York) 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 17] 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 roller coasters 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent / Recommended.
[BOOK 18] TIM ONOSKO: FUN LAND U.S.A. [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. Chapter Points: Introduction; The Phenomenon of the Parks; A History of Amusement Parks (The Traditional Park & Theme Park Era); The Life and Death of an Amusement Park (Riverview Park, Chicago, Illinois); How to Build a Theme Park; Behind the Scenes (Intamin, Arrow Development, Interview with John Allen, Interview with Randall Duell, WED Enterprises, Future General Corporation); Amusement Park Anthology ("Round and Round" by Tom Prideaux. "The Ultimate Roller Coaster" by Robert Cartmell. "My Amusement Park of the Future" by Isaac Asimov); Getting Your Money's Worth. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 19] JOHN ROBINSON: ONCE UPON A CENTURY - 100 YEAR HISTORY OF THE 'EX'. [1978] (21x28cm - 144 Pages - Many B&W photos). Celebrating 100 Years of the Canadian National Exposition (1879-1979). Chapter Points: Walking on a Piece of History; Born out of Protest; Agriculture; Memories; Transportation; Buildings and Gates; Grandstand Shows; Communications; "The Incredible Mrs. A"; Midway Magic (A history of the midway pre 1896). Also, Rubin and Cherry side shows; hand-cranked pleasure wheel, freak shows, Chute the Chutes; Roller Boller Coaster); Armed Forces; Big Bands; Sports; Toronto Harbour Commission; The People Place; Officials. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 20] 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 (Cleveland, Ohio). 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." Selected Chapter Points: Introduction (By Richard Flint); Way Back When; Roaring Through the 1920s, Waiting Out the 1930s; Adrift in the 1940s and 1950s; A Land for Kiddies; Beauty and the Beach; Round and Round; Ride Biography; Postscript; Index. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent / Recommended.
[BOOK 21] CHRISTINE HAHN: AMUSEMENT PARK MACHINES. [1979] (20x26cm - 32 Pages - Full colour). An interesting piece of juvenile literature describing the various machines, (and what they do) to be found in several amusement parks across the USA: Hersheypark, Kings Island, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Marriott's Great America, Cedar Point, Opryland and Six Flags Over Texas. Whilst the minimal amount of text is not always absolutely correct, it features full colour/full page photographs of coasters and thrill rides long gone. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair.
[BOOK 22] 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 (Anaheim, California) 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent.
[BOOK 23] 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 24] PICTORIAL HISTORY OF REVERE BEACH. [1980] (22x28cm - 62 Pages - Many B&W photos). Featuring many postcard reproductions of Revere's (Revere, Massachusetts) 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 25] 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 26] RON PUCKETT: REMEMBERING FONTAINE FERRY PARK. [1980s?] (21x27cm - 24 Pages - Many 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, Kentucky, for nearly 70 years. As one of the nation's most famous amusement parks, it also served as a model for parks all around the country. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 27] STEPHEN BROWN: THE PIKE (PAST ITS PEAK). [1981] (20x26cm - 62 Pages - Many B&W photos, few colour). A very short read. At one time The Pike (Long Beach, California) was the premier amusement attraction of the western United States. The earliest structures commonly associated with The Pike were built in 1897, and eventually the park offered rides, theatres, open-air pavilions, swimming pools, lighted piers, amusement booths and a general atmosphere of fun. Originally a beachfront establishment, landfill for various construction projects reduced The Pike to an inland oasis of diminishing attraction. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Poor.
[BOOK 28] 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 29] CHARLES JACQUES: KENNYWOOD - ROLLER COASTER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. [1982] (21x28cm - 204 Pages - Many B&W photos). A comprehensive history of Kennywood Amusement Park (West Mifflin, Pennsylvania). 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent.
[BOOK 30] THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA: THE PIKE ON THE SILVERSTRAND. [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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Poor / Fair.
[BOOK 31] JACK GURTLER & CORINNE HUNT: THE ELITCH GARDEN STORY. [1982] (17x25cm - 100 Pages - Many B&W photos). Elitch Gardens (Denver, Colorado) 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. Roller Coaster," 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 32] FRED NAZZARO & PETER MCCAULEY: REVERE BEACH - A LAST LOOK AT YESTERDAY VOL II. [1983] (21x28cm - 62 Pages - Many B&W photos). An affectionate look at Revere Beach (Revere, Massachusetts) 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 photos are indeed rare and speak volumes about Revere Beach, both in its heyday and during its decline. Rides documented include: The Whirlpool; Lightning; The Caterpillar; Hurley's Hurdler's; The Tickler; The Swan Boats; Mountain Scenic Railway; (Rides at Funland Park); The five abreast Hippodrome Merry-Go-Round; The Derby Racer; The Wild Mouse; Treasure Island; The Cyclone; Harding's Auto Skooters; Virginia Reel; Thunderbolt; and the Rough Riders carousel. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 33] E & F NAZZARO: REVERE BEACH'S WONDERLAND - THE MYSTIC CITY BY THE SEA. [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. See and read about many of Revere Beach's (Revere, Massachusetts) rides and attractions: The Boardwalk; Circus Ring; The Beautiful Orient; Infant Incubators; The Airships; The Third Degree (Funhouse); Hell Gate; L.A. Thompson's Scenic Railway; The Chute; Pilgrim's Progress (Palace of Mirth); Little Railway; Love's Journey (Tunnel of Love). Selected Chapter Points: Introduction (By Peter McCauley); The Dream; A Brilliant Beginning; The Attractions; Fire and Flames; Lights Out. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 34] 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 35] 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair.
[BOOK 36] 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 37] CHARLES JACQUES: THE COASTERS OF THE PHILADELPHIA TOBOGGAN CO. [1984] (21x27cm - 38 Pages - Many B&W photos). Chapter Points: Philadelphia Toboggan Company Coasters - The Early Years (Featuring the Giant Coaster at Paragon Park); Coaster Construction Resumes; The Busiest Years (Featuring the Woodside Wildcat, and the Coney Island Twister (Cincinnati)); Limping Along (Including The Flying Turns at Rocky Point); Modern Coasters (Including Lakemont Park's Shooting Star); Includes a catalogue of 145 PTC Coasters 1904-1975. Includes details such as year debuted, park name and location, details concerning the coaster's designer and builder as well as brief description of each roller coaster's fate. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 38] 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 (New York), 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..." ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 39] PYONGYANG PUBLISHING HOUSE: MANGYONGDAE FUN FAIR. [1984] (19x26cm - 54 Pages - Full colour). Mangyongdae Fun Fair (North Korea) covers over 600,000 square metres, and accommodates over 100,000 people a day. The double looping coaster swarms with visitors, riders feel as if they've flown in space and are tempted to ride again. The carrousel consists of 72 horses and 8 floral carts on two floors; passengers gallop lightly through a green forest. There are so many attractions here that it would take you three or four days to do everything and contest your skill at the many games. The fun fair has become a merry recreation centre for working people who visit in great numbers. The fun fair is a playground that imbues people with bravery and boldness. (English script with French translation). ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 40] CHARLES JACQUES: THE CAROUSELS OF THE PHILADELPHIA TOBOGGAN COMPANY. [1984] (21x27cm - 40 Pages - Many B&W photos). Chapter Points: Discovering the PTC Carousel Story; PTC Carousels - World's Finest And Most Substantially Made; Building PTC Carousels; Ups And Downs; Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousels (More than 90 PTC Carousels catalogued with Year Debuted, Number of Rows, Park Name and Location, Relocations etc...); Carousel Payroll - Carving Work on Carousel Horses on PTC Carousel #17, the 1908 Riverview Park machine (Chicago, Illinois); The Limits In Researching the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 41] CHARLES J. JACQUES: GOODBYE WEST VIEW PARK, GOODBYE. [1985] (21x28cm - 126 Pages - Many B&W photos). A historical work about one of Pittsburgh's (Pennsylvania) 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good / Recommended.
[BOOK 42] PLAYLAND - THEN AND NOW. [1985] (21x28cm - 32 Pages - Many B&W photos). A photo documentary detailing Playland Park (Rye, New York). This book tells the story of the establishment of Playland Park in 1928. Features beautiful photographs of the roller coasters: Kiddyland Coaster (1936); Aeroplane Coaster (1938); Dragon Coaster (1984); Whirlwind (1984); as well as the other rides and attractions: Jack and Jill Slide (1932); The Whip (1932); Playland Express (1932); The Old Mill (1936); Derby Racer (1937); Kiddieland Carousel (1937) and the Magic Carpet - the Moorish fun house containing moving floors, lopsided rooms, dark passages with rotating floor disks, and a carpeted slide on rollers, (1937). ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 43] JEFFREY D. BROWN & RAYMOND 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 (Canton, Ohio) 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 North Ohio Traction & Light Years 1902-1926; The Sinclair Years 1926-1974; The Sporting Life; A Final Word. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 44] 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. But the poor farm boy with an eighth-grade education was never satisfied with just one project at a time. Here, Streifthau lets you share his experiences in creating that first park, and beyond. Features a chronological history of Streifthau's major activities, 1913-1984. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair / Good.
[BOOK 45] 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 (Hershey, Pennsylvania); 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; Sooperdooper Looper; The Coal Cracker Hydroflume; The Trail Blazer Steel Coaster, and more. Features a chronological directory listing Hersheypark's many developments from 1907 onwards. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 46] MICHAEL MOLIN: DAS OKTOBERFEST. [1985] (25x32cm - 114 Pages - Full colour). A rare book celebrating the München Oktoberfest. Begins with a brief history of Oktoberfest and how the celebration was started. Continues with a look at amusement ride construction, followed by chapters about Culture, Beer, Food, Musical Entertainment, Costume and Events. With numerous photographs of beer tents and people having fun. Back to the rides, and some world-renown roller coasters are featured, including: Herhaus Himalayabahn and Barth Doppel Looping. Gentler rides are documented: Electro Krinoline, Toboggan, Ferris Wheel, and the Wave Swinger. Motorcycle riding (Wall of Death) is detailed, as well as chapters about the flea circus, the circus, papier mache sculpture, and travelling-ride art. German script throughout. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair.
[BOOK 47] HERMA SILVERSTEIN: SCREAM MACHINES: ROLLER COASTERS - 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Good.
[BOOK 48] THE HISTORY OF ALTON TOWERS. (14x21cm - 40 Pages - Full colour). A booklet / guide telling the story of Alton Towers (Staffordshire, England), the former home of the earls of Shrewsbury and Britain's only world-rated leisure park. See views of the earls' estate and the Maison Talbot. See the towers, gardens, the waterfall in the Rock Garden, the Swiss Cottage and the Pagoda Fountain. Chapter Points: The Early History of the Alton Towers Site (From the 8th Century A.D.) A New Earl and a New Name - 1827 to the Present Day. (Don't be disappointed; this book is not about the Alton Towers theme park). ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Fair.
[BOOK 49] W. MANNS, P. SHANK, M. STEVENS: PAINTED PONIES - AMERICAN CAROUSEL ART. [1986] (24x30cm - 256 Pages - Many colour photos). The joyous carousel rekindles wonderful childhood memories. These icons of yesteryear were carved around the turn-of-the-century, when more than 6,000 of them revolved to the brassy tune of the band organ. Storms, fires and neglect have taken their toll; only slightly more than 200 have survived. This book is a larger -than- life look at these vanishing antique treasures. 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent.
[BOOK 50] ROBERT CARTMELL: THE INCREDIBLE SCREAM MACHINE. [1987] (22x28cm - 252 Pages - Many B&W photos and diagrams). Often referred to as the roller coaster 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. ANDY SHINE'S RATING: Excellent / Recommended.