By Rocketship Into the Universe / From Fire Wagon to Space Ship (1928)

 

An adult space book this week. I picked up a copy of By Rocketship Into the Universe / From Fire Wagon to Space Ship a few weeks ago. This is an early book about spaceflight and rockets written in Germany by Otto Willi Gail. I do not read German but wanted to share some of the wonderful illustrations within. At the end of July I will post his children's book derived from these ideas  By Rocket to The Moon (1931 English translation)

Mit Raketenkraft ins Wentanall / Vom Feuerwagen Zum Raumschiff. (By Rocketship Into the Universe / From Fire Wagon to Space Ship.) Otto Willi Gail. Stuttgard, 106 p. 1928.

A Monkey's Tale (1964)

 

I posted about this book in 2010 so it is time for a re-scan and re-share of this charming piece of fiction. With adding more to the story it seems much different than your usual children's book. The story is about a monkey and a Soviet cosmonaut who are launched at the same time. The cosmonaut has trouble and the monkey end up helping him out. Upon return to Earth the Cosmonaut and the monkey are honored in parades and the monkey is thanked in Moscow  (even though he is an American Monkey). The final line of the story is one of the great one's of cold war children's fiction (does such a category exist?)

Kravetz, Nathan. Illustrated by Perl, Susan. A Monkey’s Tale. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. (59 p.) 1964.

 That last line is: "Then, thank God for American monkeys," he whispered.

My Little Golden Book about Travel (1956)

 

My Little Golden Book about Travel is about all forms of travel (what a surprise). I am a big fan of the illustrator Tibor Gergely so I wanted to share a couple of his space travel illustrations that are found in this book.

Daly, Kathleen N, and Tibor Gergely. My Little Golden Book About Travel. NY : Simon and Schuster. 21 cm.22 p.  1956.

The back cover shows some of the other non-fiction Golden Books available.

Technology for the Youth Magazine (1964)

 

Not totally sure of the date, it is issue 9 so probably Sept. Technology for the Youth was one of a number of monthly science magazines for older children and young adults. They often had some great space illustrations to entice consumers to buy it. 

Illustration is by R. Avotin

Outlining the instruments on one of the satellites.

Rockets and Space Ships (1953)

 

Another of my favorites re-scanned. This is a tiny treasure  Only 7" x 4" it has some great painted illustrations. Most of the illustrations have extensive captions.

Hollinson, Harry. Illustrated by Butler, Leslie and Cecil Bayly. Rockets and Space Ships. London: Perry Colour Books Ltd. (44 p.) 1953.

One of my favorite "strange" illustrations