Friday, January 27, 2023

Telstar: Communication Break-through by Satellite (1962)

 


Sorry to skip a week, it may happen again next week.

Here is a straight history book of an current (at the time) and wonderful event in global communication. We has lost track of how satellites have changed our lives and made the earth a smaller place. It is a little dull in content but I like the period photographs and the excitement of a coming age of earth orbiting satellites.

Solomon, Louis. Telstar: Communication Break-through by Satellite. New York : McGraw-Hill Book Company Inc. (64 p.) 1962.







First image transmitted by Telstar









Imagine a network of 50 satellites allowing 2400 telephone calls at once. Who could imagine such an outrageous and impossible future?



Friday, January 13, 2023

Hombres Del Espacio (1960)

 

So a fun one today. This is so silly and dated that I almost feel like apologizing, but I won't. This is the story of the exploration of space and has to be seen! It might have been assembled from stills from a Spanish film (I don't recognize it so feel free to tell me). But mostly it is just fun to read, even if you don't have any Spanish.

Hombres Del Espacio Number 1 (May 1960) 18 p.










Sunday, January 1, 2023

What the Moon Is Like (1963)

 



Happy 2023, this book is 60 years old this year and still seems as fresh as ever since we are exploring the Moon again.

What the Moon is Like is another book by the children's science writer Franklyn Branley. He wrote many children's non-fiction books with a variety of illustrators. This one is a particular favorite of mine for its simplicity and style. I have reused Xeroxes from this book for a couple of clip-art projects. If you are a fan of book design you should hunt this one down.

Branley, Franklyn M. Illustrated by Bobri, Vladimir. What the Moon is Like. New York : Thomas Y Crowell. (40 p.) 1963.















The Moon is for everyone....

Branley, Franklyn M. Illustrated by Bobri, Vladimir. Translated by Palmer, Richard J.  Como es La Luna? Nueva York : Editorial T.Y. Crowell. (40 p.) 1968.