Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

Alternative American ceramics, 1870-1955; the other American art pottery.

This large comprehensive volume on American arts and crafts examines the history of ceramics made for artistic or recreational purposes from the late nineteenth through the mid twentieth centuries. The volume is divided into thematic sections covering ceramics as personal experiment, ceramics as therapy, arts social programs, government arts programs, the social philosophy of the Arts and Crafts movement, and ceramics in education. Chapters discuss specific individuals, organizations, schools and arts groups, providing detailed information on members and activities, representative works and influences on other artists. The volume includes numerous color photographs. Forster is an art collector and expert on American ceramics. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Biographies in American ceramic art; 1870-1970.

Forster began to create an index for a companion text, Alternative American Ceramics, 1870-1955; The Other American Art Pottery, and then decided to expand the scope of his project. He states in his introduction that he added another 15 years (making an even 100) and extended the scope beyond "enthusiasts, educators, artist potters, technicians, and administrators" to include "significant owners, potters, artists, and other employees engaged in ceramic production as a business or livelihood, and including so-called unaffiliated `studio potters'...." The result is this volume in which 2,000 individuals are briefly profiled in alphabetically arranged entries consisting of significant dates and affiliations. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Cape Canaveral; America's spaceport.

Internationally-known computer science consultant, educator, and writer Spencer has worked in the field for 50-plus years. His work has included several space-related projects — the Apollo program, the Nimbus satellite, spy satellites, missile tracking programs — and he has written 230-plus computer science books. Illustrated throughout with some 300 b&w and color photographs and reproductions, his latest text offers general readers and space historians a history of how the space program transformed the area of Cape Canaveral from a sparsely populated area of sand dunes and palmetto scrub land to one of the most influential high-tech centers in the U.S. Oversize: 11.25x8.75 inches. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Fade to black; graveside memories of Hollywood greats, 1927-1950.

Author Barry, a huge fan of the movies of the late 1960s and 70s, offers just what the title implies, and more. In vignettes, the author provides a brief description of the background and career of the actors, actresses, writers, directors, and others who made the magic that was film in that era. Many of the names: Pickford, Garbo, Cooper, Stewart, Hayes, Davis, Crawford, Ford, Tracy are familiar, while some are less so. The entries include a "Did You Know?" factoid and many offer quotes attributed to the celebrities. One of the most telling? Judy Garland's terse "I was born at the age of 12 on a MGM lot." (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The illustrated manual of U.S. portable flamethrowers. (CD-ROM included)

Of interest to military historians and technology enthusiasts, this comprehensive look at man-portable flamethrowers developed by the United States army showcases the design, construction and historical uses of these weapons throughout the twentieth century. The work discusses specifications, the development of advanced models and fuels, deployments of flamethrowers in World War I and II, Korea and Vietnam, and the work of collectors in restoring (and occasionally firing) vintage units today. The volume includes numerous photographs in both color and black and white, technical drawings, and reproductions of training materials and a CD-ROM containing technical specification of flamethrower models is included. Hobson is a military historian and expert on flamethrower restoration. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The M-1 helmet of the World War II GI; a reference based on the M-1Helmet.com collection.

Oosterman wrote the text, took the photos, and designed this volume, which features material assembled at his website. The subject is his extraordinary collection of helmets developed during World War II. Issued to every soldier in the US Army, the helmet consisted of a steel body, a liner with chinstrap, and a headband and neckband. The volume features captioned photos of every detail and element. The photos show up well printed on coated stock, and the volume (oversize: 9.25x12.5 inches) is elegantly smythe-sewn. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Rations of the German Wehrmacht in World War II.

Intended for memorabilia collectors and materials historians, this large (11x8.5 inches) encyclopedic volume on the history and ephemera of the Second World War provides an illustrated showcase of the food rations eaten by the German army during the conflict. The unique volume discusses the production, packaging and supply methods utilized by the Wehrmacht during the war and provides detailed photographs and descriptions of over six hundred packages of food and related items supplied to the troops. Author information is not provided. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)