When I was a kid (ie the 70’s and 80’s) I remember a book which had schematics of various science-fictional devices, like the Nautilus, the Martian War Machines, etc. Does anyone know the title?
-Ben
Can you give us more information? Hardbound or paperback? Big fat “…For Dummies”-size paperback or Bantam size? Coffee table book or library-type book? Just pictures, or text, too? What else was in the book besides schematics?
It’s been so long I don’t remember it well. I believe it was hardback, maybe about 8 inches square. It had a number of little “chapters”, each of which had an illustration from a famous sci-fi story showing some bit of gadgetry, alongside “blueprints” of the gadget. For the Nautilus, I remember they showed it as having a double-walled hull. There was also a section on H.G. Wells’ Martian war machines, and another for a big TV screen (of all things.) The raygun picture was, IIRC, the angel from the cover of Assignment in Eternity.
Do you know of any book on sci-fi gadgetry?
-Ben
I forgot to mention that it had text in addition to the pictures.
-Ben
While this quest is probably a hopeless cause, I’d like to add that I think the cover had a picture of a man in a white spacesuit, in front of a white spacestation, floating in blue space. I think the same illustration was used for Clarke’s Islands in the Sky.
-Ben
What you describe sounds similar to a science fiction and fantasy encyclopaedia someone I know used to have, except that the encyclopaedia was in 11 volumes of about 8 x 12 inches each.
However, it was originally printed as a weekly in newsstands, and I have seen small portions of it reprinted as booklets in the '80s over Europe; perhaps you came across something similar.
This is the only picture I could find on the Web of one of the weekly issues: http://www.fantascienza.com/catalogo/Cover/03014.jpg
The work was called “L Grande Enciclopedia della Fantascienza” (“della Fantasy e del Futuribile” may have been the sub-title). As far as I know, it was an Italian job that was later translated to other languages (such as the booklet I saw). The publisher was Editoriale Del Drago (Milan).
It was a good work, especially because it was not afraid to look frankly at, among other things, eroticism in science fiction and fantasy literature and art (the Italians have no problem with nudity or eroticism). Brilliantly illustrated and with several short stories included between the various chapters. My only complaint is that it could have been more comprehensive on some leit-motifs, and the critical discourses could have been more cohesive in general, but it had everything from Conan to the original Barbarella, from the early pulps to 2001.
Perhaps you saw a reworking of this material? The original had blueprints or schematics for quite a few sci-fi objects.
I seem to remember a similar book, but I could just be immagining it. I do know that there was a book once called (I think) Barlow’s Guide to Extra-Terrestrials, a modest sized picture-encyclopedia with artists’ renditions of all sorts of ETs from various books/movies/whatever. I think that there also were Barlow’s Guides to other things, perhaps a Barlow’s Guide to Sci-fi Machines or something like that… just a guess.
I’m afraid that the book in question is neither of those, but thanks for trying.
I’m beginning to think I should just browse the sci-fi crit section of the library.
-Ben
What you are describing is “Di Fate’s Catalog of Science Fiction Hardware” By Vincent Di Fate and Ian Summers.
It took me about 5 mins. to dig out my copy form my boxes of books waiting to be given/thrown away.
ISBN 0-89480-127-9
I think it is out of print, but you can find a copy on Alibris for between $18-26 US.
DiFate’s really, really sounds like it. I actually found a copy for cheap online- even if it’s not the right one, it sounds cool enough to get.
Thanks! Now if only I could ID that verdamnten patchwork monkey book…
-Ben
Don’t use Alibris – use Bibliofind. They have copies for as little as $12. Alibris is consistenly more expensive for the same book.
I’ve had good luck with http://www.abebooks.com
Does anyone know how they compare to Bibliofind? On a couple of titles I just tried, the prices were very close.
Ben why not buy the book from ryan. You both have your email address available.
Yeah, Ben. If you want the book, drop me a line. As I don’t want it anymore, I’ll settle for the postage needed to send it.