19 355 résultats
1940réf. 49443Burbank California: Compiled and Published by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation 1940. 1st Printing. Comb-bound with light blue paper covers lettered in dark blue. General wear & soiling to covers. Ownership stamps primarily to cover & prelims. A VG copy. Part I: Major Breakdowns Wings Controls Fuselage etc: Part II: Complete Aircraft Single Engine Twin Engine Multi-Engine; Part III: Miscellaneous comprised by 12 sections all together with divers paginations in each section. Profusely illustrated with drawings and from b/w photographs. 11" x 8-1/2" From the preface regarding the publication of this book ". there has been but one purpose in view - to give the designer a collection of ideas in sketch form that will stimulate his own creative and inventive mind. It must be remembered that the ideas as sketched in this book should not be bodily lifted because by so doing the purpose of the book is defeated." Compiled and Published by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation unknown books
1945réf. CAT01371945. Various sizes and dates. Clara Adams was a wealthy widow who took up air travel in its early days setting records for transatlantic flights and circumnavigation as a commercial airline passenger. In doing so she helped popularize flying as a safe and comfortable way to travel. She was friends with many famous women of aviation including pilots Amelia Earhart Alys McKey Bryant and Thea Rasche. This collection includes three photographs with Earhart and one with Rasche some with holograph inscriptions. Also present are items related to the captain of the Graf Zeppelin Hugo Eckener; a rare Ohio hobbyist magazine; and a curious leaflet advertising light art Clavilux recitals. An unusual collection collected by Adams and showing her range of interests. Contents arranged chronologically: Sproul William Cameron. ALS. Postmark: Dec 8 1927. Single leaf 2 pp.; together with envelope. Sproul was a governor of Pennsylvania he writes to Adams that he is staying at a hunting lodge in Virginia and quite unwell. He died in 1928. Earhart Amelia Photograph of Clara Adams and Amelia Earhart 1929. 8 x 10 inches somewhat faded signed by Chautauqua portrait photographer Harold Wagner. Photograph taken at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Bestor after Earhart landed her plane at the Chautauqua Golf Course on July 20 1929. Earhart Amelia Two photographs of Clara Adams and Amelia Earhart with Earhart's plane 1929. Each: 3 ⅝ x 5 ¾ inches and 2 ¾ x 5 ½ in. in corner mounts on vintage album paper very good. Another photograph verso of Adams and unidentified group of people. Eckener Hugo Two Photographs of Adams with Dr. Hugo Eckener 1929. Each approximately 3 ¼ x 5 inches captions in Adams' handwriting with date and place Lakehurst N.J. Together with an envelope from Eckener to Adams postmarked 1947. Eckener was the captain of the Graf Zeppelin which departed from Lakehurst Naval Air Station during its record-setting circumnavigation in 1929. Rasche Thea Photograph with Thea Rasche n.d. 7 ⅛ x 5 inches very good. Rasche was a German aerobatics pilot at Tempelhof airport ca. 1930s. Very good. Photograph of Clara Adams with Nazi officers. 5 ⅞ x 4 inches very good. Adams and the officers are in a hot air balloon presumably in Germany. Very good. Hamburg America Line Canceled Check to Hamburg Am Line 1935. Written by Clara Adams to the transatlantic shipping company Hamburg America Line in the amount of $123.50. Very good. National Coin Journal and Hobby News: The Hobbiests sic Mail-Order Journal. No. 1 Feb.-Apr. 1936. Lorain Ohio: The Hobby Shop 1936. Featuring Clara Adams on cover 8vo 28 pp.; toned and frayed covers separated. Rare single-issue hobbyist magazine. OCLC locates one institutional holding the National Postal Museum. Mortiz Carol Joan. "To Clara Adams." In The Brooklyn Eagle Nov. 23 1940. Newspaper clipping mounted to Pan American Airways stationary with ink notation presumed to be in Adams's hand. Boeing. "Tomorrow's air-liner--today's record breaker." Advertisement clipped from Life magazine 1945. With photo of the Stratoliner and inscription in Adams' hand noting that she was a passenger on the first flight "N.Y. to Cal. / Cal. back to N.Y." Folded else good. Undated: Eleven photographs of Clara Adams various dates most approx. 4 x 2 ½ in. a few smaller good. Including image of her in front of the stairs to the "Mainliner" and in Hawaii. Lorraine Studio Brooklyn photo sleeve. 5 ⅝ x 3 ½ in; empty. Adams press photo. 7 ⅛ x 5 inches; holograph signature recto; verso pencil inscription also lists photographer Glen Lowry. Unsigned press photo corner bent. Wilfred Thomas Clavilux Recitals played by Thomas Wilfred. New York: n.d. Single leaf folded 4 pp.; illus. with Adams holograph signature to front. Wilfred invented the Clavilux "light organ" to play lumia an artform combining light and music. This item advertising performances at the Grand Central Palace in New York where Wilfred ran the Art Institute of Light until the beginning of WWII. unknown books
1929réf. 20535Boston: Little Brown & Co 1929. First edition. Cloth. Very Good /very good . 8vo. 337 pp. Illustrated with black and white photographs. Red cloth covers printed in black. Minor soiling. With the scarce illustrated dustwrapper. Wrapper is clipped at front flap and has some small chips and tears at edges but a handsome example. Little, Brown & Co unknown books
réf. 37513Paris: Imp. Kossuth & Cie n. d. 1st printing thus ca 1911. Printed light brown paper wrappers stapled. A VG example. 31 1 pp. Text in French. Illustrated from photographs. 8vo. Aeroplanes featured herein include: Henry Farman Sommer Bleriot Tellier Voisin Antoinette Maurice Farman R.E.P. & Hanriot. Each is pictured and accompanied by a general description specs & summary of any perfromance records. The above followed by a poweplant section offering Gnome E.N.V. Renault Anzani R.E.P. Labor-Aviation Panhard-Levassor Antoinette Gregoire GYP & Darracq. The catalog concludes with divers other aircraft accessories and components including Carburateur Claudel Pieces Detachees Bleriot Helices Commandes Irreversibles Fixator etc. The company even offers hangar facilities for Bleriot Antoinette Voison & Farman models. Rare early aviation trade catalogue; not found on KVK for the relevant union catalogues nor on OCLC. Imp. Kossuth & Cie unknown books
1925réf. 249372Milano: Sport Club Montegani 1925. Pamphlet. Double folio 50 cm 4p. printed on green stock with illustrated masthead of floating aviatrice. Some ads and illustrations. Intact some dust-soil and two very pronounced fold-lines one of which is quite toned along its length. A good good-only copy. Sport Club Montegani unknown books
1992réf. 198460Gilroy Ca; various US cities: alumni" associations 1992. Substanial packet of newsletters survivor directories job opportunities aviation museum brochures reunion association cards and printouts a holograph note with a color family snapshot a licenceplate-sized logo on thick plastic offers of memorial coins many items in original envelopes addressed by hand. Backbone of collection are nos. 1-14 of "Newsletter Kingsmen" published out of Gilroy each ten or twelve pages corner-stapled. The Kingsmen were a helicopter unit in Vietnam. Also of research significance two issues of "Behind the Lines The Journal of U. S. Military Special Operations" these very professional and meaty premier issue Nov-Dec '92 and subsequent number. Recipient lived in this period in Rocklin Ca. One scrap of poetry "So my mind acting like a bomb I realize I'm not home from Nam;" otherwise veteran's stories what-we're-doing-now etc. Items are in very good to fine condition packet is easily an inch thick. alumni" associations unknown books
1939réf. 48749n. p.: Essig Co. Ltd 1939. 1st printing presumed. Printed pale blue paper covers with wraparound graphic stapled. Artwork by Heckman. Now housed in an archival mylar sleeve. Modest wear a VG copy. Unpaginated though 24 pp. Profusely illustrated throughout with drawings & from photographs including initial fold-out "Cut-Away Diagram and Key to General Arrangement" 9" x 6" The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engine propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. The aircraft employed Pratt & Whitney R-2000-2SD13-G Twin Wasp 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines which each developed 1450 HP for take-off. The DC-4/C-54 proved a popular and reliable type 1245 being built between May 1942 and August 1947 including 79 postwar DC-4s. As the brochure begins "In these pages Douglas presents its latest and finest commerical air transport the world-famous DC-4. . From nose to tail the DC-4 is modern efficient pacemaking. New comfort speed and safety for 42 passengers and a crew of five the new 'Tri-Safety' landing gear and new standards of engineering and craftsmanship make the DC-4 the outstanding airplane of its time." And in fact the airframe continues in service today with a dozen or so active around the globe. Wiki Essig Co., Ltd unknown books
1932réf. 48717London: Printed in Great Britain by J. J. Keliher & Co. Ltd. 111 Kingsway W.C.2 and Published by Imperial Airways Ltd 1932. 1st printing presumed. Printed self-wrappers stapled. Now housed in an archival mylar sleeve. Age-toning otherwise VG. 12 pp. Text illustrated with 7 cuts. 5" x 3-7/8" "Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long-range airline operating from 1924 to 1939 and principally serving the British Empire routes to South Africa India and the Far East including Australia Malaya and Hong Kong. The airplanes provided seats for about 20 passengers typically businessman or colonial administrators. Accidents were frequent: in the first six years 32 people died in seven incidents. Imperial Airways never achieved the levels of technological innovation of its competitors and was merged into the British Overseas Airways Corporation BOAC in 1939." Wiki. Here offered a passenger how-to from this pre-WWII British airline. Herein passengers are instructed in divers topics from "Bookings" "just as easy as it is to buy a railway ticket" to "Luggage" up to 33 lbs without additional charge to "Lavatories" "All . have a lavatory on board." to "On Arrival at the Air Port" "officials of Imperial Airways will see to your luggage do not bother about it at all." to "Hints to the Passenger Who is New to Air Travel" "Do not mind about occasional little ups and downs in flight on windy days.". How 'bout those crashes should I worry about those Not found on OCLC- a rare fragile survivor from this one-time player in commercial aviation. Printed in Great Britain by J. J. Keliher & Co., Ltd., 111 Kingsway, W.C.2 and Published by Imperial Airways Ltd unknown books
réf. 70599An archive of research and writing materials gathered for a biography of Ormer Locklear the daredevil aerial stuntman who was the first to change planes mid-air and died while filming the silent movie The Skywayman 1920. It took more than a decade for author Art Ronnie to research Locklear's life and find a publisher for his book Locklear: The Man Who Walked on Wings 1973. Born in Greenville Texas Locklear 1891-1920 became fascinated with flying when aviation pioneer Calbraith Perry Rodgers landed in a Fort Worth field to unclog a fuel line. With his brothers Locklear built gliders and later learned to fly after joining the U.S. Army Air Force in 1917 eventually becoming a flight instructor. He left the Army in 1919 and with two colleagues joined show promoter and manager William Pickens to form an aerial circus before he was recruited for the silver screen. In his personal life Locklear married Ruby Graves in 1915 but they separated in 1919 and thereafter she refused to grant him a divorce. After moving to Hollywood he became involved with silent screen actress Viola Dana who was at the airfield the night of the accident and witnessed his death. One of the key items in this archive is a scarce original poster for Locklear's first feature film The Great Air Robbery Universal 1919. After watching one of Locklear's aerial circus shows Carl Laemmle signed Locklear to a series of motion pictures. In this movie Locklear played Larry Cassidy a pilot for the U.S. Air Mail Service who defends a shipment of $20000 in gold from the villainous clutches of the evil Chester Van Arland Ray Ripley. The film made use of all the stunts that had made Locklear a household name as a barnstormer. The picture was a hit and Locklear was well on his way to a fabulous career on the silver screen. The stone lithographic posters measures 27" x 41" and features a portrait of the daring aviator. It is archivally framed with an acid-free mount and UV plexiglass. This film and The Skywayman are both considered "lost films" as no known prints exists in archives. This archive also includes more than 300 hundred negatives and photographs of Locklear's short life and career that were collected by Art Ronnie from Locklear family members newspapers movie studios and historical societies. Included among them is a framed 8" x 10" black-and-white photograph that is signed by Locklear who is wearing his military uniform. A second framed photograph from his Hollywood days includes a signature framed below the photo. Neither of these images have been inspected outside the frame. Ronnie was a meticulous record keeper. This archive includes copies of letters the author wrote to Locklearfamily members friends film studios libraries and historical societies. It includes two expandable folders containing copies of the more than 300 letters Ronnie wrote researching the book with the recipients' responses attached. He began his research in 1961 while working at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner using the newspaper's stationary with the intention of writing a magazine piece on spec. After the initial article was published he decided to pursue a book and many of his later letters reflect the struggle to find a publisher. By 1962 he is using Twentieth Century Fox Television letterhead after having switched careers to be a publicist with the network. Among the early letters Ronnie wrote is one to Locklear's sister Anita Mae Locklear who still lived in the family's hometown of Fort Worth Texas. "Would you please write down anything you recall about Ormer - his personality his motorcycling and racing days any amusing anecdotes his first desires to fly his decision to come to Hollywood and his funeral which I understand was one of the largest ever held in Fort Worth." In her return letter Anita shared a few facts: "He was flying with Pickens Flying Circus when the studio was interested and signed him up for the pictures." Ronnie appeared to have the most success and the longest running correspondence with Locklear's brother James who became the point person for the family. The two men corresponded excitedly after uncovering a copy of the Barron Field Review which contained a photo feature of "Locklear's Class in Aerial Calisthenics." Ronnie tracked down one of Locklear's fellow aviators who recalled in a letter that Locklear was fearless and often got in trouble for aerial antics: "He liked stunts and thrills and experimented with crawling all over the plane which finally gave him the idea that he could change planes in the air." Among the letters is a typed signed reply from the actress Mary Pickford who provides Ronnie with a contact to Charlie Chaplin and notes that her brother Jack and Ormer were good friends: "On the night that Locklear was killed my brother was scheduled to go up with him but mother had prepared Jack's favorite dinner and as luck would have it the dinner was late." Ronnie also chased down leads that didn't pan out. He corresponded in 1961 with movie producer Robert Youngson about a rumor that Locklear was one of the stunt pilots involved in the unplanned mid-air collision of two planes during the filming of the Harry Houdini movie The Grim Game. "My own guess is that the stuntman on that wing could not possibly have escaped and must have been killed" Youngson wrote. The publicity machine around the 1919 film claimed Houdini was involved and escaped the crash but Ronnie's research uncovered the fact that Houdini was nowhere near the planes. Miraculously his stunt double survived the crash with just a few cuts and bruises. After working on the project for more than a decade Ronnie landed A.S. Barnes as a publisher. One of the folders in this archive contains dozens of rejection letters he received from publishers between 1962 and 1971 when he signed his publishing deal. For the first several years he was represented by literary agent Carolyn Willyoung Stagg of Lester Lewis Associates. After receiving feedback from Holt she wrote the following in January 1962 to Ronnie: "Are you at all interested in doing a couple of consecutive chapters which will be less 'journalistic and slap-dashed style' and will get down the essential motivation and characterization which made Locklear a colorful figure" In 1969 Barnes rejected Ronnie's manuscript but decided to move forward with it in 1971. He was paid a $250 royalty advance. Once the book went to press Ronnie pushed the publisher about its promotion and sales strategies taking on much of the public relations campaign himself calling in favors and urging those he knew in the media to mention his book. He seemed less impressed with Barnes' sales efforts writing to Julien Yoseloff of Barnes in October 1973: "When a book has received the publicity Locklear has I believe it behooves the publisher to let the booksellers know about it.I believe the publicity Locklear has received in very unusual. In addition to reviews more than 800 newspapers have mentioned it and excerpts have appeared in eight magazines." Ronnie's personal copy of the book is included with the archive. It contains his bookplate and is inscribed by Viola Dana and her sister Shirley Mason also an actress from the silent film era. This copy is also signed by Jimmy Doolittle who provided Ronnie with an opening quote for the book. The materials including several typescript versions of the book in this collection are stored in three banker boxes and all the materials are in very good condition. This archive provides a complete record of an important early aviator who transitioned into movie making. In addition it is an important writers archive demonstrating how original research is developed and the evolution of a book as well as its printing and promotion. Please inquire for a complete inventory of this archive. unknown books
réf. SKU1036496Chief of Naval Operations Washington DC. PAPERBACK. Good. B001J4UXCG Minor wear to the covers. Clean has a good binding no marks or notations. 263 pages. Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC paperback books
1925réf. 32544New York City: Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America Inc 1925. 1st edition thus. Greenish linen cloth binding with black stamped lettering. Spine a bit darkened. Light extremity wear. PO blindstamp to lower corner of preliminary blanks. A VG copy. ix 3 316 pp including Index. Profusely illustrated with drawings schematics & from photographs. 8vo. Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America Inc hardcover books
1926réf. 32545New York City: Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America Inc 1926. 1st edition thus. Greenish linen cloth binding with black stamped lettering. Slight lean with light soiling to cloth. PO signature & graphic. Smudge to ffep. A VG copy. xi 3 331 1 blank pp including Index. Profusely illustrated with drawings schematics & from photographs. 8vo. Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America Inc hardcover books
1895réf. 29042Toledo Ohio 1895. 1st edition Aeronautic Americana 101. Original brown cloth binding with gilt stamped title lettering to spine & front board. Dr. Caulkins' name stamp to front paste-down. A VG copy. vi 7 - 90 pp. Frontis of Dr. Caulkins 7 inserted plates showing divers aspects of Dr. Caulkins' "aerial ship". 8vo. 9" x 6" hardcover books
1933réf. 42927Oakland California: Published by The Board of Port Commissioners 1933. 1st printing. Paper wrappers printed in orange & black. A VG copy. 40 pp. Leaflet laid-in from Ralph Fisher President of the Board of Port Commissioners to Compass readers stating the Oakland Airport focus of the current issue. Profusely illustrated with b/w photographic images. 8vo. Contains a wealth of information on Oakland Airport. Published by The Board of Port Commissioners unknown books
1940réf. 42929Oakland California: Published by The Board of Port Commissioners 1940. 1st printing. Paper wrappers printed in orange & black. A VG copy. 64 pp. Profusely illustrated with b/w photographic images. Fold-out map of the Airport tipped-in at rear. 8vo. Contains a wealth of information on Oakland Airport. Published by The Board of Port Commissioners unknown books
1937réf. 42928Oakland California: Published by The Board of Port Commissioners 1937. 1st printing. Paper wrappers printed in blue & black. A VG copy. 64 pp. Profusely illustrated with b/w photographic images. 8vo. Contains a wealth of information on Oakland Airport. Published by The Board of Port Commissioners unknown books
1967réf. 42698n. p. 1967. Printed blue paper covers white comb binding. Average signs of use. Faint cup ring to front cover. Very Good. Unpaginated though ~ 100 pp. 5 section tabs: 'Features' 'Control Cabin' 'Panels' 'Controls' & 'Conveniences'. Illustrations & drawings throughout. Oblong format: 8-3/4" x 11-3/8" Originally envisioned in 1964 the initial 737-100 made its first flight in April 1967 and entered airline service in February 1968 at Lufthansa. This evidently a manual prepared by Boeing for United personnel to introduce them to the many then advanced features of the new Boeing 737 as to be flown by United Airlines. From the publication codes on the divers pages we see the various sections being published from April 1965 to February 1967 i.e. pre-first flight. unknown books
1932réf. 40325Oakland California: Published by The Board of Port Commissioners 1932. 1st printing. Buff paper wrappers printed in blue & black. A VG copy. 16 pp. Profusely illustrated with b/w photographic images. 8vo. Contains a wealth of information on the Port of Oakland and its operations. Published by The Board of Port Commissioners unknown books
1962réf. 39623n. p.: Sikorsky Helicopter 1962. 1st printing. Self-wrappers. Brochure - Fine. Artwork - VG signs of use as to be expected. One sheet printed both sides folded 4x vertically forming a 10 panel brochure. Illustrated with 6 drawings one cut-out image of the turbine engine & a two-panel color photographic image of the S-61L in flight over downtown Los Angeles. Folded: 8-1/2" x 3-5/8". Unfolded: 8-1/2" x 18-1/4" "The Sikorsky S-61L is the first helicopter specifically designed as a commercial short haul airliner and the first multi-turbine helicopter certified for passenger service by the Federal Aviation Agency." Sikorsky Helicopter unknown books
1968réf. 39632n. p.: Sikorsky Helicopter 1968. 1st printing. Self-wrappers. Brochure - Fine. Artwork - VG signs of use as to be expected. One sheet of glossy stiff stock paper printed both sides folded 1x vertically forming a 4 panel brochure. Illustrated with 5 full color photographic images. 11" x 8-1/2" ". to supplement the already legendary HH-52A the U. S. Coast Guard has selected the Sikorsky HH-3F to add a new dimension to Air Rescue." Sikorsky Helicopter unknown books
1919réf. 38452New York City: Issued by the Department of Education Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation 1919. 1st edition. Original publisher's blue cloth binding. Blue paper eps. Modest wear with bump to spine crown. Prior owner signature to ffep. A VG copy. 88 2 blank pp. Color frontis from a painting of the NC-4 in flight over the ocean. Text profusely illustrated with photographic images. Maps. 4to. Issued by the Department of Education Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation hardcover books
1928réf. 38239New York: The Stillson Press 1928. 1st printing. Color pictorial paper wrappers stapled. Rear wrapper & inner front wrapper with adverts. Modest wear & a hint of age-toning to wrappers. A few leaves with top corner dog-eared. Withal a VG copy. 3 - 18 4 pp. Text double column. 4 pages of adverts conclude booklet. 16 Illustrations from b/w photographs. 2 page map at center depicting the "Route of the Collyer - Mears Record Breaking Flight Around the World." 11" x 8-1/2" A special edition of "The Fairchild Aerogram" providing an account of the 1928 round the world trip made by Charles B.D. Collyer and John Henry Mears. OCLC records 6 holding institutions. The Stillson Press unknown books
1962réf. 37182n. p.: Sikorsky Helicopter 1962. 1st printing. Self-wrappers. Brochure - Fine. Artwork - VG signs of use as to be expected. One sheet printed both sides folded 4x vertically forming a 10 panel brochure. Illustrated with 6 drawings one cut-out image of the turbine engine & a two-panel color photographic image of the S-62A in flight over the Golden Gate bridge. Folded: 8-1/2" x 3-3/4". Unfolded: 8-1/2" x 18-1/4" "The amphibious Sikorsky S-62A is the first American-made turbine-powered helicopter certified by the Federal Aviation Agency for passenger transport operations." This then advanced helicopter design in operation with the San Francisco & Oakland Helicopter Airlines Inc founded 1961 and begining service with this Sikorsky model offering 62 flights per day. The company ceased operations in 1985. Sikorsky Helicopter unknown books
1984réf. 37068San Francisco: The Lake Mojave Press 1984. First printing thus. A Roxburghe / Zamorano Club Keepsake limited to 150 copies. Blue paper wrappers with blue woodcut and blue title lettering printed to front wrapper. A VG copy. 14 2 pp. Two black and white photographic images. 12-1/2" x 5" The Lake Mojave Press unknown books
1910réf. 36841n. p. 1910. Printed self-wrappers. Now housed in an archival mylar sleeve. Faint vertical fold-line. Nr Fine. One printed sheet of grey-green paper folded once vertically. 4 pp. 9-3/8" x 5-3/4" Claude Grahame-White was the Glamour Boy of early aviation. somewhat of a playboy with no engineering background whatsoever Grahame-White became enamoured of flying when in 1908 he saw the Wright's demonstrate their invention to the French crowds at Camp d’Auvours. Within a relatively short time self-taught Grahame-White soloed his Blériot without a formal lesson. He quickly made a name for himself as a dashing aviator when in 1910 J. V. Martin of the Harvard Aeronautical Society invited him to compete in the first Boston-Harvard Meet. With the promise of a $50000 retainer & expenses Grahame-White accepted. Grahame-White won that one and others as he thrilled spectators with his races & aerial exhibitions such as that announced in this "One-man Show" program. This rare survivor lists the divers aerial stunts to be performed by Grahame-White during the day. "With the Bleriot Monoplane" includes a dive from 4000 feet "with engine stopped." "With the Farman Biplane" the 12 planned events include "Aerial switchback flying" "The corkscrew glide spin from a high altitude." & "Knocking down ninepins placed on the ground without alighting." With this sort of exhibition and his dashing & flamboyant personality the handsome Grahame-White gave the new aviation field previously dominated by engineers something that had been lacking to date. a 'sexy' nature. unknown books