Author Topic: Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon 1972-2013 by Dennis Jenkins  (Read 40039 times)

Offline mtakala24

Just got an email from Amazon DE of a provisional delivery date between March 10th and 14th.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Just noticed that Amazon UK have dropped their price by nearly 30%, about £40 reduction  :D

So if you're in a different country you may want to check too. Hopefully a further sign that release is happening, as I think Amazon tends to revisit pricing at/around release.

Offline mtakala24

12% discount on Amazon DE too. Not enough to risk cancelling, re-ordering and then waiting longer.....

Offline MATTBLAK

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I had the pleasure of meeting Dennis Jenkins at the California Science Center in August 2015 - he was working with the staff there on Endeavour. I only got to say a brief hello to him and tell him how much I admired his work. He seemed surprised that a man from New Zealand would recognize and know who he was! :)
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Offline Star One

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Just noticed that Amazon UK have dropped their price by nearly 30%, about £40 reduction  :D

So if you're in a different country you may want to check too. Hopefully a further sign that release is happening, as I think Amazon tends to revisit pricing at/around release.

And now out of stock, but still lets you order it with no delivery date available.
« Last Edit: 02/26/2017 08:35 am by Star One »

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The out of stock indication appears to be automatic once the release date Amazon has is reached, if there's no stock yet received. It hasn't yet been in stock!

I don't know about Germany, but at least in the US and UK Amazon has a price promise that if the price drops between your order and an item being released then you are only charged the cheaper price when it is shipped to you. So I don't need to cancel my UK order and re-order to get the cheaper price. I hope Amazon has this policy elsewhere?
« Last Edit: 02/26/2017 08:52 am by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline Star One

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The out of stock indication appears to be automatic once the release date Amazon has is reached, if there's no stock yet received. It hasn't yet been in stock!

I don't know about Germany, but at least in the US and UK Amazon has a price promise that if the price drops between your order and an item being released then you are only charged the cheaper price when it is shipped to you. So I don't need to cancel my UK order and re-order to get the cheaper price. I hope Amazon has this policy elsewhere?

What's a little odd is it had a release date of mid-March in the U.K. I thought, but now that appears to have gone.
« Last Edit: 02/26/2017 11:52 am by Star One »

Offline hopalong

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The out of stock indication appears to be automatic once the release date Amazon has is reached, if there's no stock yet received. It hasn't yet been in stock!

I don't know about Germany, but at least in the US and UK Amazon has a price promise that if the price drops between your order and an item being released then you are only charged the cheaper price when it is shipped to you. So I don't need to cancel my UK order and re-order to get the cheaper price. I hope Amazon has this policy elsewhere?

What's a little odd is it had a release date of mid-March in the U.K. I thought, but now that appears to have gone.

I saw that as well, maybe they have already pre-sold the initial number of copies they ordered from the publishers (which would have arrived in the UK mid March if shipped via sea, I can't see Amazon shipping these by air).
I have just ordered my copy from Amazon UK - Delivery date pending.

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The Speciality Press web page now lists availability as: 'In stock' :)

http://www.specialtypress.com/space-shuttle-developing-an-icon-1972-2013.html

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Collectspace has a nice article on the book with quotes from the author:

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-030717a-space-shuttle-icon-jenkins.html

According to comments in the forum section of the website it appears all Speciality Press pre-orders should have shipped now.
« Last Edit: 03/08/2017 06:38 am by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline bkellysky

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The set arrived yesterday.
I was out last night, so I didn't open the plastic wrap yet.

Offline rdale

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Amazon dropped the price by $50 and shipping remains free for those who didn't pre-order...

Offline Star One

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My Amazon UK order still says delivery date pending.

Offline HighlandRay

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Same here, no sign of shipping from Amazon UK
To old to die young

Offline bkellysky

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Hi, I had to work today, so I haven't had more than a quick run-through of the book, which arrived last night. It was well packed and the plastic wrap was tight and dry, despite the box being left in a light rain.

It is three hard-bound volumes, in a solid cardboard slipcase. The pages are solidly in place. I was careful opening the books at first, but no creaking or crackling of the binding.  When opened to any page, it's sound and sturdy, as it should be since it's a reference which will be pulled off the shelf and leafed through again and again to find some fact or photo. It's beautiful enough to leave open on your coffee table on a random page while you are studying the makings of a shuttle and the history and decisions that led to parts and plans that make up shuttle missions.

What little I've read is highly technical, but accessible and engaging. It's not just a technical treatise, but a story - many stories! I can imagine starting to read some evening and not knowing were the time went. 

The entire table of contents is at the beginning of each volume and a complete index at the end of each, very useful when looking for a related piece of information that may be outside the volume you are reading.
 
The type is tiny, but I can read it easily, even with my multi-focus glasses. The photos are magnificent. Color is splendid.

In a book with no fold-out pages (none I've seen yet), how do you put the instrument panels in a 8-inch (ish) wide page?
When you get the book, check the main instrument panel diagram. I still haven't found the smallest detail, even with a (poor) magnifying glass and using my nearsightedness to get close to the page. At that point, I can resolve almost all the print on the instrument labels but there may be details still to be seen on increased magnification. Go get a large, good magnifier, perhaps a glass that lies on the page. I'm just happy all that detail appears to be there, finer detail than I've ever seen in a book. 

Each mission gets a text page with a photo page across from it. I don't know if the details everyone wants to see are there, and what the careful, knowledgeable reader will find (or not), but these pages are surrounded by sections on major events and shuttle technology and, of course, the accidents, the why and wherefores and the recovery of the program.

Volume one is spent on the history and engineering that led the shuttle and looks like a history of winged spaceflight.
 
I wish I could really review this book, but it will be a while!

Offline Oersted

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Thanks for the write-up, bekellysky! - I'm very tempted to get it... But the temptation, I must say, is tempered by realising that the two last volumes are more reference work than readable history. What is your take on that?
« Last Edit: 03/09/2017 10:51 am by Oersted »

Offline bkellysky

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Thanks for the write-up, bekellysky! - I'm very tempted to get it... But the temptation, I must say, is tempered by realising that the two last volumes are more reference work than readable history. What is your take on that?
So far, it's a reference work, but in narrative form. Not dry facts, as much as that would have been tempting for the author. Maybe they'll put a sample page from each volume on the web site, so people can see for themselves. (I haven't checked.)

bob

Offline Star One

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Thanks for the write-up, bekellysky! - I'm very tempted to get it... But the temptation, I must say, is tempered by realising that the two last volumes are more reference work than readable history. What is your take on that?
So far, it's a reference work, but in narrative form. Not dry facts, as much as that would have been tempting for the author. Maybe they'll put a sample page from each volume on the web site, so people can see for themselves. (I haven't checked.)

bob

Thanks as I am looking for more a narrative than reference. I am hoping especially for details on the DOD side of things with the Shuttle.

Offline eric z

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 I just got an email from US Amazon, the book has shipped and the price went down from approx.
$170 to $102 ! Go Blue Origin! Can't wait to check it out. 8)
« Last Edit: 03/09/2017 03:06 pm by eric z »

Offline HighlandRay

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My order is with Amazon UK and is still waiting for a release date, but hopefully now that Amazon US have it we won't be far behind. The price is currently £96.
To old to die young

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