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Curators from twenty-three of the world's greatest maritime museums describe the historical and geographic significance of the art and artifacts of their collections. ... Read more

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Capturing the spirit of the motorcycle and the passion and excitement it has aroused, this book brings together 100 spectacular motorcycles from the first--the 1885 Daimler Einspur--through the latest in cutting-edge concept bikes. This book is published in conjunction with a major exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. 600 illustrations, 400 in color.Amazon.com Review
The Art of the Motorcycle begins with a serious prefaceby Guggenheim director Thomas Krens, who calls the motorcycle "aquintessential symbol of the insecurity and optimism of ourtime." At 411 pages long (an ll-page, single-spaced bibliographyof motorcycle books carries it over the top), it is a hefty compendiumof motorcycle history, culture, design, and science. While the essaysrange from treatises to such fun stuff as "Bikes were always workfor me," a long poem by Dennis Hopper, this thoroughgoing tome isabove all a meticulous catalogue of the 96 motorcycles exhibited atthe Guggenheim Museum during the summer of 1998, with details aboutengine design as well as esthetics. "Another significantinnovation is the machine's throttle-controlled oiler," we readof the 1911 electric-orange Flying Merkel Model V. "Lubricationwas a continuing problem in the early days ... but Merkel's system... preceded by nearly two decades both Indian's as well asHarley-Davidson's adoption of this feature." The bikes aredocumented with crystal-clear photographs in this precision-builtbook. --Peggy Moorman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Classic beauty, a gorgeous keepsake for motorcycle lovers
I'm so glad to have bought this book.A Christmas present to my husband, it is a glory to see and to read.
On cold winter days, or rainy times, what fun it is to look at these dream cycles.It is a great
reference book, a treasure, big and bulky and full of information.The exhibition was controversial
but the book is forever.His favorite present this season.

A unique case of motorcycles celebration
This book is a must have for the serious motorcyclist who wants to somehow broaden her two wheel horizon. It is also a very stylish reminder that many innovations are 60 year old ones. While pictures are of high quality and the prints very good, I can only regret that this particular selection of motorcycles may be seen by some as The ultimate bike park. It is not! A true exhibition catalog, the book remains unique: I do not know of any other printed material of this quality, show-casing motorcycles in this manner.

FINE CONTENT MARRED BY FAINT, SMALL PRINT
This is a nice "coffee table" book about their recent exhibit. As a rider since '59, I couldn't wait to get into the text, which is divided by time periods.
Alas, the print is a super thin, "artsy" typeface, very faint and grey colored- not a rich, easy to read, black Courier, for example. And the white space is excessive; they could have increased the typeface size by 4 or 5 points and stillhave more than enough border on each page!
Conclusion- a fine book marred by it's designers to make it less readable and useable!

Essential reading for enthusiasts
Museums, exhibits and the books devolving from them only hint at the mysteries they purport to show but rarely reveal. This is particularly true of exhibits of things that move, whether airplanes, cars and motorcycles on one hand, or people on the other. Once mummified via restoration and encapsulated in historical review, these lively subjects lose their kinesthetic value and become dessicated.
Within the limitations of those realities, here is a book that is endlessly fascinating and pleasing, replete with photos that while technically excellent are for the most part static and thus devoid of context. The essays, although pleasant, lack edge and passion, thus failing to evoke the adrenal glands (which operate at high levels when pushing a motorcycle to the limit).
The descriptions of the machines, from knowledgeable masters such as Kevin Cameron, capture the essence of what the designer tried to do and how well he (no known female motorcycle designers, but correct me if I'm wrong) hit his target.
This is a book to which one can return again and again with pleasure. For a rider who has survived (I confess, in context, that I'm the survivor of 1.6m miles on two wheels) and ridden any of these wondrous devices, the book is a channel back in time that the book conveys magnificently.
It is to the credit of the Guggenheim and the sponsors, such as BMW, that the show/book could be produced and could demonstrate to a wide public the fascination of motorcycles and riding them.
Even non-riders, who have seen motorcycles on the road or who may know motorcycle enthusiasts, will start to comprehend the addictive fascination that possesses riders who can't stop. If you are persuaded to ride, please wear the best gear you can afford, get training and realize that roadcraft only comes from mileage undertaken humbly but decisively, the kinesthetic realities no book, however good, can convey.

A Can't Go Wrong Gift
This book contains a good overview of motorcycling history, but its claims to fame are the wonderful photography and the high production values with which it was printed.It is a wonder to think that the photos are of bikes that actually exist today.

If you are searching for something to give to a person you know who enjoys riding motorcycles, who used to ride or who dreams of one day riding this is a can't miss gift.I received my copy as a gift two years ago, and I still enjoying reading it. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from The Architectural Review, published by Thomson Gale on June 1, 2005. The length of the article is 642 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Stuttgart spiral: currently under construction, a new museum for Mercedes-Benz connects with automobile history.
Author: Catherine Slessor
Publication: The Architectural Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 217Issue: 1300Page: 74(4)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Alaska Business Monthly, published by Alaska Business Publishing Company, Inc. on May 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1101 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Preserving Alaska's Aviation History.(Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum)
Author: Leanne S. Rowley
Publication: Alaska Business Monthly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2000
Publisher: Alaska Business Publishing Company, Inc.
Volume: 16Issue: 5Page: 40

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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For over 40 years the Pacific Coast Chapter selectively added locomotives and cars of historical importance to the development of California and the West. Some thirty-three pieces have been gift deeded to the people of California for display in this building. ... Read more

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The dream of flight is one of the oldest in human history. We read about it in ancient Greek mythology and visualize it through Leonardo da Vinci's sketches of flying machines.

The Book of Flight traces the remarkable story of the pioneers, inventors, and daring pilots who turned that dream into a reality. Based on the outstanding collections of the National Air and Space Museum, this handsome book brings to life milestones in flight history: the development of ballooning; the earliest human gliders; the Wright Brothers' first sustained flights; Charles Lindbergh's solo trip across the Atlantic; Amelia Earhart's courageous flights; Chuck Yeager's blast through the sound barrier; the Apollo astronauts' first steps onto the moon; and the building of the International Space Station.

Richly illustrated, this book takes you on an exciting journey through time. You'll watch early inventors at work, thrill to the first air races and the dogfights of World War I and II, peer inside a flying boat of the 1930s, and witness the horrific explosion of the airship Hindenburg. You'll ride in the DC-3, marvel at the technology of the stealth fighter, and experience life aboard the Space Shuttle. As you turn the pages you'll meet barnstormers and ballonists, stunt flyers and flying aces, and rocket scientists and astronauts.

More than 350 photographs and illustrations portray the development of aviation and space flight. Diagrams explain concepts such as jet propulsion and supersonic flight and depict the workings of rockets and other devices. A comprehensive glossary provides easy-to-understand explanations of technical terms.

The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, with more than eight million visitors annually, is home to the world's most famous collection of historical aircraft, rockets, and space vehicles.

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The most impressive aircraft and spacecraft from the most popular museum in the world.

The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum hosts more than 9 million visitors a year, and the newly opened Dulles Center—three football fields long and ten stories high—is a phenomenon in it's own right: in the first week it was open, some 250,000 people came through the doors. Best of the National Air and Space Museum features the best of both museums, from the Challenger space shuttle and the Wright flyer to the Spirit of St. Louis and the stealth bomber. Bob Van der Linden, curator of aeronautics, has selected the most historically important, popular, and just plain impressive aircraft and spacecraft from the collection of both museums. The ones he has selected from the Dulles Center will be seen here for the first time; before they were put on display, they were in a sprawling storage and restoration facility in Maryland. Over 300 photographs, including 100 two-page, full-color spreads, showcase these hand-picked items, and the text relates intriguing facts on each item's design, use, mission, specifications, and dimensions. It's like your own guided tour! 100 color photographs, 300 b/w photos and illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Guide to the National Air & Space Museum
I recently visited the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum. It was the first time I'd been there since they moved into their current facility in the mid-1970's. It was breathtaking. The best way to describe the effect of walking in the main entrance is to envision the bedroom of a boy who hangs model airplanes from the ceiling. Only at the NASM, the "models" hanging from the ceiling are full-size. I was a model-building boy in the 1950's, and my favorites were planes I'd built from kits. Unfortunately, the museum was undergoing some of its regular updating and a few of my favorite planes weren't on view, such as the F89 Super Saber. Fortunately, that plane and most (if not all) the permanent collection are profiled in the Best of the National Air and Space Museum. If at all possible, visit the museum. If you can't get there, buy the book. Actually, buy the book in either case. You won't be disappointed.

Nat'l Air & Space Museum review
Great photograghs with well written copy. This book makes me want to go to this museum and see first hand the items displayed. Highly recommend!!!

Great photo essay, history of aviation and space
i'm an engineer- worked rocket motors, and various satellite programs.this book was recommended by associate after visiting the museum at Langley.The pics are super, with short descriptions, and moderate on the tech.It's an amazing pulse of this wild history, and mostly is from America's lineage.St. Louis, Mercury, Atlas, and up to current Shuttle.There's also the SST, and unique turn of the century early birds.A fine read to be shared with a youngster (my son 10, digs it), or for the historyor engineering buff.amazon has it cheaper than at the museum. ... Read more